Latest Updates:
Normal Topic Good book that explains the ideas in the Spanish (Read 7257 times)
Antillian
God Member
*****
Offline


Brilliance without dazzle!

Posts: 1757
Joined: 01/05/03
Gender: Male
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #8 - 10/07/06 at 11:38:16
Post Tools
Looks like I have gotten lots of good suggestions. Thanks folks.
  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
TalJechin
God Member
*****
Offline


There is no secret ingredient.

Posts: 2892
Location: Malmö
Joined: 08/12/04
Gender: Male
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #7 - 10/07/06 at 10:19:09
Post Tools
J-dog wrote on 10/06/06 at 17:56:36:
I learned quite a lot about the Ruy Lopez from the following books:

The Application of Chess Theory by Yefim Geller
-good stuff on the Chigorin, Zaitsev, and Smyslov lines
-REMEMBER! Geller helped advise Kasparov in the Ruy Lopez for his match with Short.  This guy knows what he's talking about!

I Play Against the Pieces by Svetozar Gligoric
-one of Geller's main rivals, helped develop the Lopez theory in mid-20th century.
-good stuff on Chigorin, Zaitsev, Smyslov ideas

Dynamics of Chess Strategy by Vlastimil Jansa (NOT: Dynamic Chess Strategy !, different book)
-interesting explanations of Delayed Steinitz and Moller/New Archangel

These aren't the typical repertoire books, but I learned a lot about the Ruy Lopez from these gentlemen's words!

Also Shirov's DVD on the Spanish and Andy Martin's ABC's of Ruy Lopez DVD might be worth looking into... Smiley


There's also Mastering The Endgame 2 volumes (open + semi-open  & closed openings) by Shereshevsky and Slutsky, looking at the openings from the perspective of the ending but usually giving the entire games. It may be out of print nowadays but well worth it if you can find them on ebay or similar.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
kylemeister
God Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 4901
Location: USA
Joined: 10/24/05
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #6 - 10/06/06 at 17:59:14
Post Tools
dsanchez wrote on 10/06/06 at 12:10:11:
It seems to me that the Ruy Lopez is such a vast system that it is more difficult than other openings to distill all its nuances into a working understanding of thematic ideas.  However, choosing one of the early deviations might make this task easier.  Maybe the Exchange variation, or the Steinitz variation.

Andrew Martins Chessbase DVD on the Spanish offers a White repertoire based on the Steinitz variation.  (At least I think it's called the Steinitz variation: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 -- not to be confused with the Steinitz defense: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6.)

The DVD is good, althought not as good as his DVD on the Scandinavian, IMO, because it does not offer the same kind of unwavering objective or consistent themes.  

I also see 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d4 a lot on ICC.  Not sure what this is called, but it seems a popular way to cut through some theory.

Shaw's Starting Out book covers a lot of ground, from the 3rd move deviations all the way to Marshall systems and Main Line Closed.  It can help you identify and recognize which variations are which, but there's really not enough room in one book to explain each one of these systems in any detail.


There was a book/pamphlet on 5. d4 (5. 0-0 Be7 6. d4 often comes to the same thing) back in the 1970s, with the rather cheesy title "Meet CARL (The Center Attack in the Ruy Lopez)", but I don't think that or any other name has ever generally caught on.  I recall a strong US postal player (maybe R. A. Cayford, though I could be wrong) writing that he usually played the early d4 in early rounds of OTB tournaments, "which usually enables me to get a good night's sleep a lot sooner" or some such.

I think the upcoming book on (principally) the Flohr-Zaitsev (from Black's perspective, co-authored by the young Norwegian GM Leif Erlend Johannessen) published by Gambit sounds interesting.


  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
J-dog
Senior Member
****
Offline



Posts: 283
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Joined: 11/15/05
Gender: Male
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #5 - 10/06/06 at 17:56:36
Post Tools
I learned quite a lot about the Ruy Lopez from the following books:

The Application of Chess Theory by Yefim Geller
-good stuff on the Chigorin, Zaitsev, and Smyslov lines
-REMEMBER! Geller helped advise Kasparov in the Ruy Lopez for his match with Short.  This guy knows what he's talking about!

I Play Against the Pieces by Svetozar Gligoric
-one of Geller's main rivals, helped develop the Lopez theory in mid-20th century.
-good stuff on Chigorin, Zaitsev, Smyslov ideas

Dynamics of Chess Strategy by Vlastimil Jansa (NOT: Dynamic Chess Strategy !, different book)
-interesting explanations of Delayed Steinitz and Moller/New Archangel

These aren't the typical repertoire books, but I learned a lot about the Ruy Lopez from these gentlemen's words!

Also Shirov's DVD on the Spanish and Andy Martin's ABC's of Ruy Lopez DVD might be worth looking into... Smiley
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
LeeRoth
God Member
*****
Offline


I love ChessPublishing.com!

Posts: 1520
Joined: 10/22/05
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #4 - 10/06/06 at 13:28:20
Post Tools
You might also have a look at John Emms's Easy Guide to the Ruy Lopez.  It's written from the White side, but I find it offers plenty of help to Black.

Best,
LeeRoth
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Antillian
God Member
*****
Offline


Brilliance without dazzle!

Posts: 1757
Joined: 01/05/03
Gender: Male
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #3 - 10/06/06 at 12:45:06
Post Tools
Ah, looks I mananged to find one online afterall. I used the bookfinder.com and it directed me to the British version of Amazon.com. Thanks for the tip. Seems they only had one copy and it is new!
« Last Edit: 10/06/06 at 14:21:58 by Antillian »  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
dsanchez
Full Member
***
Offline


24.Nh1!?N

Posts: 182
Joined: 01/24/06
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #2 - 10/06/06 at 12:10:11
Post Tools
It seems to me that the Ruy Lopez is such a vast system that it is more difficult than other openings to distill all its nuances into a working understanding of thematic ideas.  However, choosing one of the early deviations might make this task easier.  Maybe the Exchange variation, or the Steinitz variation.

Andrew Martins Chessbase DVD on the Spanish offers a White repertoire based on the Steinitz variation.  (At least I think it's called the Steinitz variation: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 -- not to be confused with the Steinitz defense: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6.)

The DVD is good, althought not as good as his DVD on the Scandinavian, IMO, because it does not offer the same kind of unwavering objective or consistent themes. 

I also see 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d4 a lot on ICC.  Not sure what this is called, but it seems a popular way to cut through some theory.

Shaw's Starting Out book covers a lot of ground, from the 3rd move deviations all the way to Marshall systems and Main Line Closed.  It can help you identify and recognize which variations are which, but there's really not enough room in one book to explain each one of these systems in any detail.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Alias
God Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 1512
Location: East of the river Svartån
Joined: 11/19/04
Re: Good book that explains the ideas in the Spani
Reply #1 - 10/05/06 at 21:25:17
Post Tools
You can still find the "Mastering The Spanish" book. I got it myself just a few months ago in new condition. Try Amazon market place, Bookfinder or eBay.
  

Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Antillian
God Member
*****
Offline


Brilliance without dazzle!

Posts: 1757
Joined: 01/05/03
Gender: Male
Good book that explains the ideas in the Spanish
10/05/06 at 18:52:18
Post Tools
Hi there,

I am a 2100 FIDE player and I have decided to switch from the Pirc to playing 1...e5.  I have the book Play 1 e4 e5 by Nigel Daives, which I find to be quite good. However, I would like a companion book that is more foccused on the ideas: key strategies and tactics.

Can anyone recoomend a good book that explains the ideas really well? Someeone that is equivalent to the first part of Pirc Alert would be idea.  I have heard that Mastering the Spanish (Batsford Chess Library) (Paperback) by Daniel King, Pietro Ponzetto was very good in this regard. But this book is no longer available.

Can suggestions anyone?
  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Bookmarks: del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Google+ Linked in reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Yahoo