The true test of watsons significance, kasparov says, will be whether it can be translated into something useful, something groundbreakingapplied in a more meaningful way. Flanking pawn moves are acceptable in the opening, nor is the number of pawns moved in the opening relegated to one or two. Gambit publications specializes in chess and has an unrivalled reputation for originality and editorial excellence. He illustrates the modern practice of chess with many examples from imaginative players such as kasparov, kramnik, anand, ivanchuk and tempestuous innovators such as shirov and morozevich. At the endgame, the smallest number of islands may. Chess strategy and tactics for novice players set up. This article will address the concept of open files and ways of exploiting them to ones advantage. He has won many chess tournaments including the first us national high school chess championship and the. Click download or read online button to get secrets of modern chess strategy book now. Watson provides a much needed update on pachmans classic, but somewhat dated work on chess strategy. Watson has indepth narratives about every major theme of modern chess. We are a group of chess fans who are producing new chess material. The surrender of the centre, modern understanding of pawn play and the pieces in action.
He explained how modern players are more willing than their predecessors to favor dynamic considerations over static ones, and how a ruleindependent approach has greatly enriched chess. Mastering the chess openings volume 1 is a first class production from a physical as well as chessic perspective. John watson seeks to help chess players achieve a more holistic and insightful view of the openings. It supports the black pawn which threatens to become a queen. Secrets of modern chess strategy is an excellent book. International master john watson is one of the worlds most respected writers on chess. You may choose different strategies depending on what type of opponent you are playing, and what kind of player you are. In his previous books on chess strategy, secrets of modern chess strategy and chess strategy in action, he explained vital concepts that had previously been the domain only of topclass players. Theories, ala nimzowitsch, are mirrored in the comments of watson and lipnitsky. In all the board diagrams shown, the squares to which the piece in question can move are indicated with xs. Chessstrategy wikibooks, open books for an open world. These themes are considered from a historical viewpoint usually in contrast to the way they are presented in textbooks. Therefore, the more islands a player possesses the harder it gets to defend them. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Secrets of modern chess strategy by watson chess forums. The company is owned and staffed entirely by leading chess masters. The middlegame in chess is the portion of the game in between the opening and the endgame.
Even if you find a favorite textbook then later you should verify everything against john watsons books because he always gives counterarguments and counterexamples to what is. Watson has in depth narratives about every major theme of modern chess. In addition, the move also liberates the white queen and kings bishop. John watson seeks to help chessplayers achieve a more holistic and insightful view of the openings. But avoid asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Gambit publications limited chess strategy in action. It threatens to check the unsheltered white king and to create an xray attack on the queen through the king which must move. The main reason for this pawn sacrifice was to gain the open c and d files for white.
In the battle of chess ideas, the publication in 1991 of dynamic chess strategy was a defining moment. Watsons strategic chess pgn file chess stack exchange. As noted above, a bishop can only travel on squares of one color. The true test of watsons significance, kasparov says, will be whether it can be translated into something useful, something groundbreakingapplied in a more meaningful way, beyond the game show. Pawns can only capture diagonally, 1 square forward, to the left or right. In blocked positions, control of an open file is often a useful advantage. Chess strategy in action kindle edition by john watson. In secrets of modern chess strategy, watson broke new ground by describing the development. In 1999, secrets of modern chess strategy, watson s first book for gambit, won the british chess federation book of the year award and the united states chess federation fred cramer award for best book. Dynamic chess strategy download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The twocolumn format is easy to read, the typesetting first rate, the paper of a good quality and the binding sturdy and ready for. The first point to make is that this is not an instructional book.
In 1999, secrets of modern chess strategy, watsons first book for. John watson sample pages pdf in this followup to the hugely popular secrets of modern chess strategy, im john watson continues his examination of the post nimzowitschian development of middlegame theory. The top half of the board is setup using the character piece set, the bottom half of the board is setup using the. The subject may seem dry and difficult to some, but the book reads like a thrill. Chess moves beginners cheat sheet pawns very first move, can choose to advance 1 or 2 squares. The gambit guide to the modern benoni, secrets of modern chess strategy, chess strategy in action, mastering the chess openings volume 1, mastering the chess openings volume 2, mastering the chess openings volume 3, mastering the chess openings volume 4, chess openings for kids, a strategic chess opening repertoire for. Chess strategy in action is watsons companion volume to his award winning work, secrets of modern chess strategy. Secrets of modern chess strategy watson chess house. The pieces the movement of the individual pieces is described below. In my opinion, the companion volume is just as wonderful as the first volume. White occupies one key center square with a pawn, also attacking another central point.
Game 2 karpov vs miles, 1992 e00 queens pawn game, 35 moves, 10. In secrets of modern chess strategy, watson broke new ground by describing the developments in chess. Strategy starts with the opening, and continues through the middlegame, and on to the endgame. Chess strategy for chess openings and chess principles. They serve as important routes for heavy pieces, especially for rooks that can burst into the enemys camp via them. Our filtering technology ensures that only latest the complete book of chess strategy pdf files are listed. Watson then moves on to discuss new concepts, including the willingness of modern players to accept backward pawns in return for dynamic play, the idea of a good bad bishop, knights finding useful roles at the edge of the board and the exchange sacrifice ideas that became prevalent with the postwar soviet world champions. John watson extends the theory presented to enormous acclaim in secrets of modern chess strategy and illustrates it with many practical examples by modern players such as kasparov, anand, kramnik, ivanchuk, shirov and morozevich. But here is an important sentence from the first page of the introduction. Chess strategy in action, watson john download book weapons of chess an omnibus of chess strategy weapons of chess is a book of concepts and practical advice. Given that pgn files are just plain text, then you can create your own.
Watsons italics watson is an excellent writer and the text and examples are clearer than in many instructional books. In his previous books on chess strategy, secrets of modern chess strategy and chess strategy in action, he explained vital concepts that had previously been the domain only of. Even if you find a favorite textbook then later you should verify everything against john watson s books because he always gives counterarguments and counterexamples to what is. Chess strategy in action by john watson, paperback. Download the complete book of chess strategy pdf free shared files from downloadjoy and other worlds most popular shared hosts. For example, the smithmorra gambit in the sicilian defense goes 1. Chess strategydevelopment wikibooks, open books for an. The surrender of the centre, modern understanding of pawn. In secrets of modern chess strategy, watson broke new ground by describing the developments in chess strategy since the time of nimzowitsch. An open centre demands that your chess strategy is to have very active pieces.
Here, in three theory sections, he covers areas which were relatively unexplored in his earlier book. Description download mastering the chess openings vol 1 john watson. In a situation where the centre is open but your pieces are. Jul 02, 2003 buy chess strategy in action by watson, john isbn. Voted 2003 book of the year by readers of chesscafe john watson fleshes out the theory presented to enormous acclaim in secrets of modern chess strategy and extends it into new areas. John watson fleshes out the theory presented to enormous acclaim in secrets of modern chess strategy and extends it into new areas. He illustrates the modern practice of chess with many examples from imaginative players such as kasparov, kramnik, anand, ivanchuk and tempestuous innovators such as. The book aims to strengthen the positive skills and discipline needed for competition in chess and any other. Game 1 nimzowitsch vs capablanca, 1914 c62 ruy lopez, old steinitz defense, 42 moves, 01. Setting up the board the following diagram shows the setup of the board at the beginning of a game. If the pawn has the opponents color then you can use the file to apply pressure against the opponents pawn if the pawn is weak and isolated.
I became an educator and began coaching scholastic chess in 1970. Direct link mastering the chess openings vol 2 john watson 1. The black rook is mobile on an open file and on an open rank. Before mihai subas exceptional book, chess writers had neglected one of the most important factors of a chess.
Chess strategy in action can also be read on its own as an outstanding collection of modern games with thoughtful and enlightening annotations. Align board so the white square corner is to right. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. It is useful to consider influences on the pawn structure every time you trade pieces. Page 1 of 65 foreword i started playing tournament chess in 1962. His pupils include the 1997 world junior champion, tal shaked. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading chess strategy in action.
Black does not care that the white rook penetrates along the efile to give a check because all his pawns are protected and his own rook has already a strong position in whites camp and is attacking the knight and pawns on the second rank. Secrets of modern chess strategy watson compiled by cassiooo secrets of modern chess strategy. Watson s italics watson is an excellent writer and the text and examples are clearer than in many instructional books. The main reason for this pawn sacrifice was to gain the open c and dfiles for white. Thanks for contributing an answer to chess stack exchange. Pxd7 was the on y chance, with a nice advan no dhec. Games are considered open if the exchange of pieces have opened up files or diagonals, and closed if they have not. King the king can move one square at a time in any direction, with certain restrictions. Preface chess in the east, xiangqi in the west k 1. The strategy required for middlegame play varies considerably. Chess strategy in action by john watson, paperback barnes. And the repeated problems in the book will repay repeated solving and study. Secrets of modern chess strategy download ebook pdf.
The following is a list of the 50 guidelines for winning chess games which i stress repeatedly with the players i coach. Comprehensive william n watson chess games collection, opening repertoire, tournament history, pgn download, biography and news biggest chess games database online. Halfopen file a file is halfopen when a pawn sits on it. He was educated at brownelltalbot, harvard, and the university of california, san diego, where he took his degree in engineering. In open positions both partners may control open files, thus minimizing the benefits of doing so. Comprehensive john l watson chess games collection, opening repertoire, tournament history, pgn download, biography and news. Chess strategy in action kindle edition by watson, john. The layout is so good and the explanations so clear that you do not need a chess board to follow the discussions of conceptual issues although you will need to. Each island contains a basic position that has to be protected by other pieces. In 1999, secrets of modern chess strategy, watsons first book for gambit, won the british chess federation book of the year award and the united states chess federation fred cramer award for best book.
Chess stack exchange is a question and answer site for serious players and enthusiasts of chess. Chess strategy in action, watson john download book. Pdf mastering the chess openings vol 1 john watson. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Chess strategy in action is watson s companion volume to his award winning work, secrets of modern chess strategy. This leads to a situation wherein one bishop may be effectively blocked out of the game by the pawn structure. To gain mobility is to ensure that the pieces have a wide scope of action and. Although white gets a lead in development, in this case black expects to eventually catch up. Watson, john chess strategy in action bellaire chess club. John leonard watson born 1951 is a chess international master and author watson was born in milwaukee and grew up in omaha, nebraska. In general it is better to have your pawns on the opposite colored squares to your bishop.