This book is by far. BY FAR the best book ive bought and owned. Had it for over a year now and as i play 2 c3 against the sicilian as white, the caro kann as black and the NImzo indian, i reach a lot of varied pawn structures. Ive not read the "irrelevant" stuff but certainly the ones i reach. Im only 1800, and the following week after having read the IQP chapter, held a solid and easy draw against a 2100 rated player. Very useful. And youre right, worth its gold.
Have only read a few chapters and its definitely changed my perspective towards middlegames. Planning becomes an easy, fluid process when you understand the pawn structures, even if you (like me) are not well versed in the opening theory.
Dear coach Andras, I have been watching your channel for quite a while, and I love the vids. Especially the no-nonsense in the style of what Danya once said “are you here to feel happy about yourself or are you here to deel happy about your chess”. Over the years, I have spend quite a bit on chess books (including your book with Judit Polgar) and especially chessable openings, but now I have hot a plateau at 2000 Lichess. I am pretty good with my positional play, but especially my calculation can use quite a bit of help; it’s handsdown my worst part of the game. Therefore, I have been watching all your videos related to calculation, but I am still looking for some more (book!) material on how to better my own calculation. Do you have any book suggestions? Currently I am working on “Chess strategy for club players”, a book on Rashid Nezhmetdinov (my chosen hero) and now Sam Shankland’s “calculation”. Any further advice? Appreciate you, coach!
It's one of the best books I have on my modest shelf (about 1.000 chess books). And I am waiting for the other book Quality Chess is about to be published, by the same Flores Rios (flowers rivers).
At moment I read Silmans How to reasess your chess (4th edition) from cover to cover. I worked through it for about 75% already and my lichess rating went from about 1900 to 2200 now. After finished Silman I suppose I go through chess structures (or perhaps first through 45 techniques of positional play).
Nice review. I have the lovely hard-cover version of this book and I'm looking forward to reading it one day (ha!). What are the other two books in your "top three"?
One quick idea/suggestions.... since you are covering more chess books nowadays: maybe it would be nice to do mini-interviews or simply talks with the authors wile promoting their books. Just an idea.
This book is outstanding. I'm learning pawn structures with this book and "Pawn Structure Chess", by Andrew Soltis (he updated it in 2013). It's much easier to make plans when you understand structures. Of the two I prefer this one, but used together they reinforce each other's ideas. When understand structures I find that I enjoy chess even more.
I absolutely love that book! For everybody that misses the Nimzo-Structures, than this book combines amazingly with 'Winning chess middlegames' by sokolov, that covers a lot that is missing here :)
Many people often say that this book is much to advanced for the average player, interesting to see a different oppinion. Added it to the list of books to read in the future!
Always with the great reviews making me lustful to order the book right away. Fortunately I already have Chess Structures on my list and can resist without a gargantuan struggle. :-)
Just now it's on my bedside table but I will take it to the board soon. Need to play through many of the structures on the board to make it stick and it's a really good book. 👍
Except for the positional exercises in the back of the book, you need to play through the games and give each move a lot of time and effort. The actual book is better at that.
There was a series of books on different openings which did something approximate. But each book was only on one opening, so the series was expensive. I don't recall the authors (Spanish I think, maybe Bellon & someone) or the titles.
Just finished Power of Pawns or “Die Macht der Bauern” from Hickl. Also brilliant and a good starting point from which to move to the Rios book. Also, both are structured ina similar way.
Andras is an amazing promoter for chess books. When he reviews one, it's hard to resist ordering it immediately, which I actually have. :-) Anyway, if you're reading Logical Chess, I think most coaches would tell you Chess Structures is a bit advanced for your next book. I'd check out Andras's book recommendation playlist, and if you want other opinions, book videos on ChessDojo. Some of those have interesting discussions, sometimes featuring Andras as a conversation partner.
I started it with the types of pawn structures that arise from the openings of my choice. Najdorf 1and 2 and Grunfeld and then progressed to the least common in my repertoire, such as the maroczy and the caro structures
Agreeing with the above but many openings can create various structures. Think it's good to know all of them broadly and special attention to a few which are more likely to appear based on ones openings.
Andras I must ask what is your accent? I love accents and I haven’t been able to figure yours out. Did you emigrate to Australia from Europe as a young adult? When you say ‘pawn,’ I hear ‘pón’. Which I think might would come through from some west Slavic / Balkan languages? But then again, I’m an isolated American - so I may be completely off base! Just ordered the book. Really looking forward to reading through this 🙂
No. The book is for advanced players. Get the book "Discovering Chess Openings, by John Emms. It teaches you everything you need to know about openings (for now). Easy and very interesting. And get one of those puzzle books.
This book is by far. BY FAR the best book ive bought and owned. Had it for over a year now and as i play 2 c3 against the sicilian as white, the caro kann as black and the NImzo indian, i reach a lot of varied pawn structures.
Ive not read the "irrelevant" stuff but certainly the ones i reach.
Im only 1800, and the following week after having read the IQP chapter, held a solid and easy draw against a 2100 rated player. Very useful. And youre right, worth its gold.
Have only read a few chapters and its definitely changed my perspective towards middlegames. Planning becomes an easy, fluid process when you understand the pawn structures, even if you (like me) are not well versed in the opening theory.
Dear coach Andras, I have been watching your channel for quite a while, and I love the vids. Especially the no-nonsense in the style of what Danya once said “are you here to feel happy about yourself or are you here to deel happy about your chess”.
Over the years, I have spend quite a bit on chess books (including your book with Judit Polgar) and especially chessable openings, but now I have hot a plateau at 2000 Lichess. I am pretty good with my positional play, but especially my calculation can use quite a bit of help; it’s handsdown my worst part of the game.
Therefore, I have been watching all your videos related to calculation, but I am still looking for some more (book!) material on how to better my own calculation. Do you have any book suggestions? Currently I am working on “Chess strategy for club players”, a book on Rashid Nezhmetdinov (my chosen hero) and now Sam Shankland’s “calculation”. Any further advice?
Appreciate you, coach!
With so many chess books available, thanks for filtering out the wheat from the chaff.
That’s the idea!
I picked this up after your Dojo Talks “Ranking the Best Modern Chess Books” - I need to bump this to the top of the list.
Incredible video and I will definately check out this book!
It's one of the best books I have on my modest shelf (about 1.000 chess books). And I am waiting for the other book Quality Chess is about to be published, by the same Flores Rios (flowers rivers).
At moment I read Silmans How to reasess your chess (4th edition) from cover to cover. I worked through it for about 75% already and my lichess rating went from about 1900 to 2200 now. After finished Silman I suppose I go through chess structures (or perhaps first through 45 techniques of positional play).
This is exactly the kind of book I would love to read
Give it a go!
Nice review. I have the lovely hard-cover version of this book and I'm looking forward to reading it one day (ha!). What are the other two books in your "top three"?
Hellstens opening strategy is also amazing!
OMG! You actually Gave me a Shoutout ! Thanks MR TOTH 😂
I honour my word!::) Have a good one!
Working through it now and loving it. I've got the Chessable version and a hardcopy with my highlights and scribbled notes all over it. Great review.
Glad you enjoy it!
Thank you @ChessCoach Andras for doing this book review. I am looking forward to reading it.
You're most welcome!
Hi Andras! GM Rios will be publishing a second volume, coming out probably next year, on material imbalances (also by Quality Chess).
One quick idea/suggestions.... since you are covering more chess books nowadays: maybe it would be nice to do mini-interviews or simply talks with the authors wile promoting their books. Just an idea.
Thanks for the info!
This book is outstanding. I'm learning pawn structures with this book and "Pawn Structure Chess", by Andrew Soltis (he updated it in 2013). It's much easier to make plans when you understand structures. Of the two I prefer this one, but used together they reinforce each other's ideas. When understand structures I find that I enjoy chess even more.
You can put affiliate link for the book in the description, easier to for us to find and you get a little bit as well
I absolutely love that book! For everybody that misses the Nimzo-Structures, than this book combines amazingly with 'Winning chess middlegames' by sokolov, that covers a lot that is missing here :)
Totally agree!
Except sokolovs book is more boring than dry paint :O
@@michaelf8221 the games he shows are super entertaining and well annotated. If thats boring to you than yes, it might not be the one for you :)
Andras is such a legend man, thank you ❤ shaping my chess future
Legend!
Many people often say that this book is much to advanced for the average player, interesting to see a different oppinion. Added it to the list of books to read in the future!
You are one of the best teacher. Cheers
Nice video coach, it would be great if you added a video part to to chessable course for this book.
Got this book few days back . Thanks for your review Andras ✌️👏
can you list your Top 3 books?
Always with the great reviews making me lustful to order the book right away. Fortunately I already have Chess Structures on my list and can resist without a gargantuan struggle. :-)
Hope you enjoy it!
Just now it's on my bedside table but I will take it to the board soon. Need to play through many of the structures on the board to make it stick and it's a really good book. 👍
Have fun!
This is just what im looking for i think!
I really love your book reviews Coach Andras. Please review the book of Nick Maatman's the hidden laws of chess. big fan from the Philippines🤩
I just started this book! Well, on Chessable. Do you think the Chessable or normal version is better?
Except for the positional exercises in the back of the book, you need to play through the games and give each move a lot of time and effort. The actual book is better at that.
Good question. I try the chessable version at moment because only this really forces me to think (and finally move!) on my own. Active learning...
There was a series of books on different openings which did something approximate. But each book was only on one opening, so the series was expensive. I don't recall the authors (Spanish I think, maybe Bellon & someone) or the titles.
Maybe you are thinking of "The Read and Play Method" series? Published back in the 1990s, prehistoric times 😉
Just finished Power of Pawns or “Die Macht der Bauern” from Hickl. Also brilliant and a good starting point from which to move to the Rios book. Also, both are structured ina similar way.
Guess what I am recording for chessable right now?!
@@ChessCoachAndras great stuff! Thrilled to see/hear more about it.
I'll be getting this book as soon as I have finished "Logical Chess" by Irving Chernev.
Andras is an amazing promoter for chess books. When he reviews one, it's hard to resist ordering it immediately, which I actually have. :-) Anyway, if you're reading Logical Chess, I think most coaches would tell you Chess Structures is a bit advanced for your next book. I'd check out Andras's book recommendation playlist, and if you want other opinions, book videos on ChessDojo. Some of those have interesting discussions, sometimes featuring Andras as a conversation partner.
Have you read Simple Chess? Similar to Logical Chess? That and Best Lessons of a Chess Coach have been helpful.
@@noahz There are two books titled Simple Chess, one by Michael Stean and the other by John Emms. Stean's is widely considered a classic.
Great review coach!
Glad you liked it!
I have this book on chessable and a hard copy. I want to read it but it's so hard for me to know where to start.
Start with the chapters related to the openings you play or with chapter 1... :)
I started it with the types of pawn structures that arise from the openings of my choice. Najdorf 1and 2 and Grunfeld and then progressed to the least common in my repertoire, such as the maroczy and the caro structures
Agreeing with the above but many openings can create various structures. Think it's good to know all of them broadly and special attention to a few which are more likely to appear based on ones openings.
Great review!
Glad you enjoyed it
Isn't the bishop salvageable after Rxe8( 08:43)? First, an intermezzo with Bb2+ then take the white rook on e8...
Oh dear, another title on my wish list. (I work through about 2 books/year and have 10 books on my list).
Would you recommend the Chessable version over the paperback?
It’s up to your personal learning style , whichever you like more!
Go with paperback! It is not a puzzle book but a book of illustrative games. Just my opinion as someone who read paperback cover to cover
Chessable forces me to active learning, so I go through this book that way.
Andras I must ask what is your accent? I love accents and I haven’t been able to figure yours out. Did you emigrate to Australia from Europe as a young adult? When you say ‘pawn,’ I hear ‘pón’. Which I think might would come through from some west Slavic / Balkan languages?
But then again, I’m an isolated American - so I may be completely off base!
Just ordered the book. Really looking forward to reading through this 🙂
Not a secret, he immigrated from Hungary
@@skriabinfly cool, thanks! 😀
I had a Hungarian co-worker of mine get two books signed i owned called “chess endgame lessons” by a guy named Pal Benko.
How does this one compare to Ivan Sokolov's Winning Chess Middlegames: An Essential Guide to Pawn Structures?
Sokolov is focused only on a few structures
I think Sokolov's, Rios' and the recent one by Tiviakov, ALL THREE complement one another excellently.
@@nicoterradas I also have the one by Andy Soltis.
This is far more thorough and easier to follow for lower rated players.
Im just a casual player of chess and someone gave this book to me. Is it worth reading for a beginner?
No. The book is for advanced players. Get the book "Discovering Chess Openings, by John Emms. It teaches you everything you need to know about openings (for now). Easy and very interesting. And get one of those puzzle books.
@@finchgould6538I second that.
Which would be the other two books in your top three? ;-)
Is the book free
No. (What is free these days?)
@@ChessCoachAndras ok how much is it
@@MarvellousT-ou4il Can't you find that out yourself?
@@ChessCoachAndras content coach and masterclasses
*promosm*
?