Publisher: Chess Evolution, 2016, Pages: 376, Paperback
In this book the author addresses 366 (one for each day of the year) intriguing chess topics which could be of interest to any chess fan, regardless of the playing level. For example:
IQ and chess skills.
Talent vs. hard work.
How many games to play per year?
Are women underrated or overrated as compared to men?
Rating inflation in chess.
What does your chess tell about your personality?
Playing computers: dos and don’ts.
Developing your chess memory and visualization.
How does one prepare for an upcoming tournament?
Is 1.e4 really “best by test”?
“Yearbook of Chess Wisdom” is packed with insights and is based on analytical research, vast personal experience and conversations with some of the world’s leading chess players and coaches.
Preface:
A critical-minded author always questions his own writing and tries to predict whether it will be illuminating and useful for the readers. What
makes this book special?
First of all, I have always had an inquisitive mind and an insatiable desire for accumulating, generating and sharing knowledge. Th is work is a product of having carefully read a few hundred remarkable chess books and a few thousand worthy non-chess volumes. However, it is by no means a mere compilation of ideas, facts and recommendations. Most of the eyeopening tips in this manuscript come from my refl ections on discussions with some of the world’s best chess players and coaches. This is why the book is titled Yearbook of Chess Wisdom: it is composed of 366 self-suffi - cient columns, each of which is dedicated to a certain topic. You can either savor them one by one at the rate of a page per day, or you can check out the headlines which are of most interest to you.
Secondly, it is important to know your target audience. There is a popular quote by Stephen Hawking: “Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales. I therefore resolved not to have any equations at all.” In a certain sense, I adopted his approach and decided to write a chess book without resorting to the use of chess notation. Nowadays any serious player can quickly obtain a myriad of pages by printing out his opening fi les and game annotations. All of us know from personal experience that modern books with extensive variations, most of which are produced by engines, are not particularly instructive and fun
to read. Also, it is virtually impossible to off er analysis which would be of equal use to everyone, from beginners to gurus. Meanwhile, this book is a humble attempt to provide an entertaining and instructive guide for anyone interested in chess: from someone who has just learned how the pieces move to an experienced grandmaster. After all, most of the columns revolve around chess players, training methods, psychology, and secrets of the chess world. Furthermore, throughout the course of my life I was lucky to have studied in either schools or colleges of Sweden, Canada and Russia. Th is has been benefi cial in the sense of having helped me to tune the narrative to the mentalities of people from diff erent cultures. Needless to say, many representatives of the Soviet/Russian chess school are guilty of expecting too much from their audience, i.e., considering certain “every Russian schoolboy knows” matters to be self-obvious. My goal was
to eliminate this shortcoming and to make the book enjoyable, accessible and fruitful for my friends all over the world.
Thirdly, as someone who has previously won multiple public speaking & debate awards, written two books and numerous articles on parliamentary debate, as well as received two “Debate expert of the year in the cis” awards, I am always looking for a way to initiate a virtual discussion between myself and the readers and to prompt them to research each of the issues addressed in this book. Th e idea was to develop a case for any opinion expressed in this volume, while staying away from preaching and from presenting the material in a dogmatic, “my way or the highway” fashion which is so typical of many authors. Th e chess board is black and white,
but our life isn’t. Most recommendations have their pros and cons, so it’s up to you whether to follow them or not.
I sincerely wish you good luck and lots of joy from playing chess!
Peter Zhdanov
