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Poll closed Question: What was the Opening Book of the Year for 2013?
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The King's Gambit ~ Shaw    
  23 (32.4%)
The Open Spanish ~ Mikhalevski    
  6 (8.5%)
The Panov-Botvinnik Attack ~ D'Costa    
  0 (0.0%)
Kotronias on the King's Indian, V. 1: Fianch    
  4 (5.6%)
GM Repertoire 12: The Modern Benoni~ Petrov    
  3 (4.2%)
Playing the French ~Aagaard & Ntirlis    
  14 (19.7%)
The Ultimate anti-Grunfeld...~Svetushkin    
  2 (2.8%)
A Practical White Rep. w/ 1.d4 &2.c4~Kornev    
  4 (5.6%)
GM Repertoire 14: The French Defence v 1~Berg    
  0 (0.0%)
The Perfect Pirc-Modern ~Moskalenko    
  3 (4.2%)
GM Repertoire 14: The French Defence v 2~Berg    
  5 (7.0%)
Cunning Chess Opening Rep. for White~Burgess    
  7 (9.9%)




Total votes: 71
« Last Modified by: Smyslov_Fan on: 02/12/14 at 16:31:48 »
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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) John Shaw wins 2013 Opening Book of the Year! (Read 125161 times)
Bibs
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #12 - 01/08/14 at 08:18:28
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This is all probably getting a bit sidetracked. My job is in academia, so I rather prefer everything to be referenced properly. That said, it struck me that Shaw gave credit mostly where it was due. Seemed quite a humble write really. And I did rather like it.

Surprised to see the Panov book there. The writing was terse. But, different opinions, and that's fine.

Well, no biggies this year for me. Everyman was mostly just one author, so no there of course. Never has an editor been so absent.

Nominate:
"Playing the French" NN and JA
"King's Gambit" - Shaw
(Both QC, 2013)
  
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BPaulsen
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #11 - 01/08/14 at 04:31:01
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tony37 wrote on 01/07/14 at 20:23:06:
whether a bibliography is useful to you is not relevant, it's there for those who are interested in the sources used, and that's it
not many people are interested in the ISBN number of a book, or wherever it was printed, should that be omitted to save space?


When determining the quality of a book it isn't useful at all to me.

I am aware of why they are put in. If someone views it as an important factor to their judgment of a book's quality, then by all means insist on it. What I rejected was Stefan's idea that it should be a mandatory requirement. Let each person form their own criteria.
  

2288 USCF, 2186 FIDE.

FIDE based on just 27 games.
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TonyRo
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #10 - 01/07/14 at 21:13:40
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For what my opinion is worth, I'm mostly with Stefan on the issue of a proper bibliography and quoting the sources of your analysis. I wasn't aware that this was an issue for Shaw, but I'm both willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and also fairly certain that even with the questionable material removed, he'd likely still win!
  
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tony37
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #9 - 01/07/14 at 20:23:06
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ghenghisclown wrote on 01/07/14 at 20:12:37:
BPaulsen wrote on 01/07/14 at 17:00:24:
All that matters to me is the analysis contained in the work, so I disagree with Stefan. Bibliographies have never done anything for me, so I see no reason it should be an important factor in my vote. That said, it is more likely that the better books have one; I find it unlikely chesspub will vote for a book without one. My vote goes to Shaw's work on the King's Gambit.



Yes, I agree with this. Citations are very important in academic and student works where plagiarism is a big deal and information has to be cited lest an academic with an agenda simply makes things up. There is a "scientific" tradition there. An openings book is an entirely different matter, and a bibliography has never been useful to me ....not to mention that it's mostly obvious where the author draws his/her research from.

whether a bibliography is useful to you is not relevant, it's there for those who are interested in the sources used, and that's it
not many people are interested in the ISBN number of a book, or wherever it was printed, should that be omitted to save space?
  
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ReneDescartes
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #8 - 01/07/14 at 20:18:10
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I can't believe Shaw doesn't have it locked up. He's got my vote. What a monumental piece of research, and on an opening that is more notable for its unique historical and philosophical importance than for any kind of contemporary criticality! An act of devotion.

Agree with ghenghisclown and others about the references. Lasker wanted to copyright chess games, but I'm glad it didn't happen. Perhaps Stefan or others were not credited where it would have been nice to do so, but that's hardly as serious a matter here as it would be in an academic work.
  
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ghenghisclown
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #7 - 01/07/14 at 20:12:37
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BPaulsen wrote on 01/07/14 at 17:00:24:
All that matters to me is the analysis contained in the work, so I disagree with Stefan. Bibliographies have never done anything for me, so I see no reason it should be an important factor in my vote. That said, it is more likely that the better books have one; I find it unlikely chesspub will vote for a book without one. My vote goes to Shaw's work on the King's Gambit.



Yes, I agree with this. Citations are very important in academic and student works where plagiarism is a big deal and information has to be cited lest an academic with an agenda simply makes things up. There is a "scientific" tradition there. An openings book is an entirely different matter, and a bibliography has never been useful to me ....not to mention that it's mostly obvious where the author draws his/her research from.
  

"Experience is a dim lamp, which only lights the one who bears it."
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TonyRo
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #6 - 01/07/14 at 17:18:12
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I would likely vote for Shaw's book, but if we are compiling possibilities for a final poll I'd also nominate:

Kotronias on the King's Indian, Volume One: Fianchetto Systems, Quality Chess, Sept 2013
Grandmaster Repertoire 12: The Modern Benoni, Marian Petrov, Quality Chess, June 2013
  
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BPaulsen
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #5 - 01/07/14 at 17:00:24
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All that matters to me is the analysis contained in the work, so I disagree with Stefan. Bibliographies have never done anything for me, so I see no reason it should be an important factor in my vote. That said, it is more likely that the better books have one; I find it unlikely chesspub will vote for a book without one. My vote goes to Shaw's work on the King's Gambit.
  

2288 USCF, 2186 FIDE.

FIDE based on just 27 games.
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #4 - 01/07/14 at 11:04:04
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I own 3 books which apply for Opening Book of 2013:

John Shaw, The King's Gambit, Quality Chess 2013

Victor Mikhalevski, The Open Spanish, Quality Chess 2013

Lorin D'Costa, The Panov-Botvinnik Attack, Everyman Chess 2013
  
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #3 - 01/07/14 at 10:26:43
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Stefan Buecker wrote on 01/07/14 at 08:01:16:
When an author doesn't quote his sources properly, his book should not be eligible as "Chesspub Book of the Year".

When an author quotes other sources, which is usually the case for books written on popular openings, a bibliography is a must. Else this book should not be eligible. - Does the latter point seem too strict? I don't think so. The Chesspub Forum should strive to establish a standard. I believe that publishers and authors have an ability to learn.


I do think this is too strict. If a nominated book suffers from these (or any other) shortcomings, it is open to any of us to point them out in this forum. Members can then take these comments into account when casting their votes.
  
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #2 - 01/07/14 at 08:01:16
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When an author doesn't quote his sources properly, his book should not be eligible as "Chesspub Book of the Year".

When an author quotes other sources, which is usually the case for books written on popular openings, a bibliography is a must. Else this book should not be eligible. - Does the latter point seem too strict? I don't think so. The Chesspub Forum should strive to establish a standard. I believe that publishers and authors have an ability to learn.
  
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Re: 2013 Opening Book of the Year
Reply #1 - 01/07/14 at 07:57:53
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John Shaw, The King's Gambit, Quality Chess 2013
  
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Smyslov_Fan
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John Shaw wins 2013 Opening Book of the Year!
01/07/14 at 06:06:51
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Hi,

Please use this thread to discuss and nominate the Chess Pub's 2013 Opening Book of the Year!

The rules are simple:

Any chess opening book that was first published in 2013 is eligible. If it is a reprinting of a previous edition, it is not eligible. If it is a major reworking of a previous edition, it is eligible. Grey areas will be decided by the voters.

Please include the full title, author, and publication date of any book you wish to nominate.

We will have a poll for the winner in late February to early March. We generally have declared a winner by March 15th. Depending on how fast we work, we may have a winner by March 1st.
« Last Edit: 03/01/14 at 22:01:15 by Smyslov_Fan »  
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