Customer Reviews

The Middle Game in Chess (Dover Chess)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a great book for the average player (below master strength). It thematically reviews the principles in one's approach to assessing middle game positions (e.g. from positions which demand attack to inferior positions that demand vigilant defence). It will complement other middle game books like Silman's "How to reassess your chess" and of course Nimzowitzch's "My system". However, this book is not thick in examples. Nonetheless, one can build upon the existing principles and apply these to one's analyses of one's own chess games and when analyzing other's games as well. That is why I regard this as just an introduction to the middle game in chess, but a very good one nonetheless. Get these classic books (which incidently are cheaper as well) rather than superficial books by Yasser Seirawan, which are just modern replicates of books by old chess masters.

Znosko was the Silman of our time and one of the strongest GMs of the early part of the 20th Century. In his day he was considered one of the best chess teachers and it's amazing his books have held up for over 50 years. This book is still standard reading by the Soviet school of chess and actually covers almost all of the key concepts covered by Silman in his Reassess your chess book. In fact it is recommended by the Dvoretsky school (Specifically mentioned in the Positional play book) why? Because the principles taught are still relevant, space, time, material balance, open lines and Tempo (Nowadays called development). The game examples are from the greats, Capa, Alekhine, Tarasch etc. Also some of the ideas have been forgotten and are now being revived. I think a newly minted International Master said it best " The reason I made the jump from Fide master to IM was mainly due to study of tactical variations and working through Znoskos's Middlegame book"

Finally its written in Znosko's famous easy reading style.

I've read countless chess books and this is definitely the most memorable! Millions of books exist for opening and endgame play, while the heart of chess (the middlegame) gets sub-par treatment. Znosko-Borovsky perhaps targets the A-B class player but the Masters of the game will find this a great way to brush up, while the C-D class players should look at this as their chess 'Bible'.

This books shows that great chess learning need not cost a fortune. Very similar to the teaching approach of Reuben Fine's Ideas Behind the Chess Opening. With few examples, but very thorough in practical and effective positional ideas of middle game play. This may not be the most interesting book for future Tals or the Fischers (attacking players) of chess but great for the Petrosians and the Karpovs (positional players).

At times the author wrote as if he was writing a novel instead of a chess book, but it is still a good book. There are some problems with it though. I can't stand Descriptive Notation (1.P-K4 P-K4, 2.N-KB3 N-QB3, etc.). He also assumes way too much out of the reader. Such as, after showing an even position he states a line of moves and ends with,"And White is clearly better and wins". What truly makes it irritating is when I put the position on Fritz and let the computer play it out it draws everytime. So where is the clear win? The way Znosko breaks down chess into the three elements (Time, Space, & Force) is awesome. I wish Jeremy Silman would have done it this way in his book Reassess Your Chess. But if both books are purchased and studied I believe the reader will come out ahead. Overall, a good book, not the best, but good. Definitely worth the cover price at least.

***This review pertains to the out-of-print Dover edition***

Eugene Znosko-Borovsky's "The Middle-Game in Chess" is the sine qua non of chess instruction for the Amateur. There is no other book like it.

Written by an exiled Russian Nobleman who served the Czar as an officer in the Russo-Japanese war and played in tournaments with some of the greats of the early twentieth century, The Middle-Game in Chess is a primer on chess fundamentals for beginners and intermediate players which examens the middle-game using a systematic approach, as a set of elements, just as every decent beginner's book does. What separates it from the scores of other books on the middle-game (usually manuals on attack or defense) is Znosko-Borovsky's unique approach to the three elements of the game: time, space and force, and how they intertwine in the conduct of a chess game.

Other writers will tell you that time is important, or that Bobby Fisher's use of it was masterful, but only Znosko-Borovsky tells you how to understand its exact nature in a concrete way. With his unique gift for explanation, Znosko-Borovsky teaches a simple, easily-used method for assessing positions and moves on the basis of time and space and then uses it to illuminate games by great players on the basis of that understanding, The practical result of reading this book and Practicing the principles in it can be a rapid and substantial increase in playing strength in a very short time.

If you are willing to put in the work, you can read the Middle-Game in Chess and go over every example in it in the course of a week or so and then spend a few months playing games where you consciously apply the principles in it. If you do this, you, too may find as I did, that The Middle-Game in chess is one of the only books ever written that can give you hundreds of rating points worth of understanding from only one source.

I cannot recommend it highly enough.

This book is excellent in its detailed analysis of various situations.The only criticism that I have is the poor quality of the diagrams. They are faded and, therefore, difficult to read.

This book is old but it is still a good chess study book. I not only recomment this book by the author but all his chess books. They are all excellent. I was pleased with the service by the seller.

The diagrams in this edition, which are essential to understanding many of the examples the author gives, are illegible. Imagine trying to read any chess book where the diagrams appear to be illegible photocopies of the original edition.

A nice book with a wide scope. Definetly a book not suited to the beginner.