Customer Reviews

Chess at the Top, 1979-1984

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great book for the student. Imagine if Capablanca could really write and put things into simple terms that the reader could understand. That is what we have here, as Karpov writes from his throne in the days when his supremacy was absolute. But he never suffered from the arrogance (at least in his writing) that plagues the literature of Capablanca and Kasparov. He tells the story of a game objectively, but chock full of high quality advice. Karpov is the best guy to study, as his games shimmer with clarity, and you can emulate his opening style. Plus, he is a modern player who studies hard, so his openings are not occasionally ridiculous, as was Capablanca's, for instance, in the first game of his disastrous match with Alekhine. He never seeks complications, but always plays solid moves from which tactics logically arise. This is a great, great book. You should certainly buy it. I also own How Karpov Wins by Mednis, Karpov's Best Games by Karpov and the 1976 collection of his games by O'Connell and Adams. I think this is the most valuable of all of them. He was at his peak and most eager to talk, and he knew he would have a legacy.