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Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition (Read 11383 times)

kylemeister God Member Offline Posts: 4989 Location: USA Joined: 10/24/05	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #13 - 03/03/13 at 18:04:04	Post Tools	Print Post
	I studied the first edition of this book, er, quite some years ago, and it is perhaps odd how often I still tend to associate things with it. Just as a random example, I was looking at a bit of .pgn today, and this reminded me of a game Hernandez-Berliner and a comment that occupying d6 with a rook in such a structure is "painless" for (in these cases) Black. Download game in pgn format


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Fromper Senior Member Offline GrandPatzer Posts: 378 Location: Chicago, IL, USA Joined: 03/12/10 Gender:	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #12 - 03/03/13 at 16:32:10	Post Tools	Print Post
	I have the 1995 McKay version in algebraic notation, which I never got around to reading. Now you've all got me wondering if I should buy the new one or read the one I have. Just for background, I used to be rated in the 1700's USCF, but I'm just coming back after about a year and a half break, so I'm very rusty. I'm mostly focused on tactics right now to get my head back in the game, as well as reviewing my opening repertoire to refresh my memory on the details I used to know. Then I'll get back to studying endgames and middle game strategy.

	GrandPatzer!!! 1777 peak USCF rating - currently 1620 from coming back rusty
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ErictheRed God Member Offline USCF National Master Posts: 2534 Location: USA Joined: 10/02/05	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #11 - 03/01/13 at 19:56:23	Post Tools	Print Post
	I basically agree with you Whitecraw, except to say that 1) Soltis' book was unique in that it encompassed so many different structures in one volume, and 2) you'd be surprised at how many fairly strong players don't understand typical plans in many middlegames. I know plenty of 2100+ players that could benefit greatly from this book. A more specialized book on the Scheveningen Sicilian may be a much better way to learn how to play those structures, but for sheer breadth of middlegames covered, Soltis' book is phenomenal. I hope to get the new edition soon.


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whitecraw Junior Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 74 Joined: 11/05/03 Gender:	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #10 - 02/25/13 at 17:31:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	Now, ... I did say it was a quick flick Soltis does deserve huge credit for updating this book. It was first written 37 years ago!! I don't know of any book that was updated by the original author after such a long time. And in it's time, yes it was seminal, there was nothing like it, even Kmoch's Pawn Power In Chess (1959), and Fines Ideas In the Chess Openings (1943) were not as relevant to modern pawn structures in the 1970's any more. However, personally, I rarely use Soltis's book now, except to maybe quickly orientate myself into a new opening by looking at some of the basic structures. I have found that a good grounding in middle game planning (readily available in many books these days) and the introductory chapters that are present in many "good" opening books is sufficient. I put Watsons 3 vol set in that category. Maybe that's an indication of the target audience target. I'm in the 1800-2000 bracket, and I think it has "maximum" usefulness for those around 1600-1800. Although, there are always little gems to be found for every player.


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Uhohspaghettio God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 515 Joined: 02/23/11	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #9 - 02/23/13 at 06:54:08	Post Tools	Print Post
	whitecraw wrote on 02/21/13 at 16:53:13: I had a very quick flick through it at a local bookstore. There were a couple of additional chapters, one on the "Ruy Lopez" centre (c3,d4,e4 -v- c5,d6,e5), I forget the other one, I think it was a Gruenfeld type structure. There was also more material on English Attack type Open Sicilian structures with f3,g4 etc. The games were updated as well, but I had no chance to look at them in detail. There was no preface or any commentary about the 2nd edition, which was a surprise. My impression is that when it was released, the 1st edition of this book was very good (I have it), but now there are so many opening books that discuss pawn structures in much more detail. I am thinking of the 3 volume Watson series on Mastering the Chess Openings. If Soltis had updated it, I would have hoped to have had a much more extensive update, since there is so much more competition out there on the bookshelves now. If he's added a few more chapters with totally new structures and extended others, I think that's all that can be asked for. There was only a handful of structures in the book to begin with, I think it's brave of him to try to match the rest of the book with new sections. I also can't see how such a seminal book on general pawn principles and mechanics, that got almost universally excellent reviews can seriously be compared to books explaining open book theory in meticulous detail.


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dfan God Member Offline "When you see a bad move, look for a better one" Posts: 766 Location: Boston Joined: 10/04/05	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #8 - 02/22/13 at 21:05:26	Post Tools	Print Post
	The previous (McKay) edition was in algebraic notation.


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whitecraw Junior Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 74 Joined: 11/05/03 Gender:	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #7 - 02/22/13 at 20:25:07	Post Tools	Print Post
	I'm 99% sure it does, but you know I don't even think of that. Being brought up on Batsford books from the 1970's written in descriptive notation, I have never understood what was so hard about that notation to learn. There are SO many great chess books out there in descriptive that it's worth it. Now, ... if only I was prepared to learn German or Russian to read a chess book


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Gerry1970 Senior Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 482 Joined: 02/01/06	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #6 - 02/22/13 at 18:33:26	Post Tools	Print Post
	Does it now have algebraic notation? Thanks, Gerry


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whitecraw Junior Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 74 Joined: 11/05/03 Gender:	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #5 - 02/21/13 at 16:53:13	Post Tools	Print Post
	I had a very quick flick through it at a local bookstore. There were a couple of additional chapters, one on the "Ruy Lopez" centre (c3,d4,e4 -v- c5,d6,e5), I forget the other one, I think it was a Gruenfeld type structure. There was also more material on English Attack type Open Sicilian structures with f3,g4 etc. The games were updated as well, but I had no chance to look at them in detail. There was no preface or any commentary about the 2nd edition, which was a surprise. My impression is that when it was released, the 1st edition of this book was very good (I have it), but now there are so many opening books that discuss pawn structures in much more detail. I am thinking of the 3 volume Watson series on Mastering the Chess Openings. If Soltis had updated it, I would have hoped to have had a much more extensive update, since there is so much more competition out there on the bookshelves now.


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Larsen_fan Full Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 111 Location: at the board Joined: 02/23/11 Gender:	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #4 - 02/21/13 at 01:10:06	Post Tools	Print Post
	I told my son that there was this great book we would have to get and my wife overheard the conversation from another room. Somehow the words "pawn" and "porn" sound like each other........... Anyway, to those who have already readthe book: What is the target audience of the book rating wise?


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dfan God Member Offline "When you see a bad move, look for a better one" Posts: 766 Location: Boston Joined: 10/04/05	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #3 - 02/20/13 at 20:24:11	Post Tools	Print Post
	I'd be interested to hear how much has changed in the new edition. I have the old one and was thinking about going through it again.


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ErictheRed God Member Offline USCF National Master Posts: 2534 Location: USA Joined: 10/02/05	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #2 - 02/20/13 at 18:33:38	Post Tools	Print Post
	The original was one of my favorite chess books ever (I've pushed it all over this forum), so I'll definitely get a copy if it has new material. I'm in the middle of moving, though, so it might be a while before I sit down and look at chess again. In fact, I've just arrived on the Big Island, Hawaii (where I grew up but haven't lived for years), so it might be a while before I sit down and take chess seriously again...


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gwnn Senior Member Offline Posts: 472 Joined: 03/21/11	Re: Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition Reply #1 - 02/18/13 at 11:50:32	Post Tools	Print Post
	Thanks for the tip, I've been meaning to get that book for a while and now I have a very good reason to.


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alyechin Full Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 133 Joined: 09/22/09 Gender:	Pawnstructure Chess by Andrew Soltis New Edition 02/18/13 at 09:27:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	Batsford released a new edition: http://www.amazon.com/Pawn-Structure-Chess-Andrew-Soltis/dp/1849940703/ref=sr_1_... I was surprised to find games from 2012 in it!


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