{"id":1385,"date":"2022-07-08T18:59:58","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T18:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/?p=1385"},"modified":"2023-02-24T13:27:16","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24T13:27:16","slug":"latest-book-highlights-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/latest-book-highlights-july\/","title":{"rendered":"Latest Book Highlights July"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forward Chess (July 2022)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smyslov Time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studying the games of strong players is always a good way to improve one\u2019s understanding of chess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the most instructive games to study were played in the Chess Olympiads of the 1950s and 1960s, in which the most powerful Soviet players were able to dominate all opposition. Given the great difference in both knowledge and playing strength between the Soviet stars and their more amateur counterparts, the games in question often provide near-flawless examples of how to execute a winning tactic or strategic plan. Mikhail Tal, the eighth World Champion, was notorious for the former and his predecessor (and, remarkably, successor) Mikhail Botvinnik specialized in the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Yet some World Champions have never attracted the interest and attention of others. Vasily Smyslov, the seventh World Champion, is a case in point. Fortunately, a new book has appeared on Forward Chess, which seeks to shine a light on Smyslov\u2019s extraordinary skills.<\/p>\n\n\n

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T<\/em>he Smyslov Workbook <\/em>by Cyrus Lakdawala & Carsten Hansen<\/strong> (CarstenChess) promises \u2018Chess Endgame Magic & Tactics\u2019 and offers the reader the opportunity to \u2018Improve your ability to find combinations, construct plans, and calculate long, forcing variations\u2019 and \u2018For the purpose of instruction, the material is based on the output of former World Champion Vassily Smyslov (1921-2010), using his endgame compositions from various works and publications as well as several of his practical endgames from games from tournaments and matches throughout his career against players such as Mikhail Botvinnik, Paul Keres, Bent Larsen, Efim Geller, Tigran Petrosian and several other world class players.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The material is presented in five parts, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. White to Play and Win Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Drawing Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Composed Mating Problems<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Practical Rook Endings<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Real Life<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Casual readers will no doubt find the positions in the Real Life<\/em> section the most appealing, at least initially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here are a couple of samples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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