Customer Reviews

New Ideas in Chess

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

GM Evans, one of America's strongest post-World War II players before Fischer, clearly explains the fundamental concepts of modern chess theory. In "New Ideas" Evans resolves the game's dynamic complexities into the major elements of Pawn Structure, Force, Space, and Time. Using examples from his own games, he shows how these dynamic and static elements are conbined in winning play. Virtually every page illustrates a new theme such as "The Minority Attack", "Try to Keep Isolated Pawns Mobile" and "Converting Time into Pawn Structure." Each theme begins with a position from master play; Evans then works through the ensuing 8-12 moves with the reader to show how the theme is carried out in practice. This is a gem of a book that is as entertaining to read as it is educational.

Jeremy Silman, in his book "How to Reassess Your Chess," advises that players learn to recognize the "dynamic imbalances" in a position so as to develop the proper plan. Nowhere will you find greater clarity in how to assess a chess position than in Evans' "New Ideas." This was the first chess book I ever read nearly 20 years ago, and it's still one of the best. Recommended for anyone up to candidate master (expert) level.

If you are a 1200-1800 player who is not making much progress, try this book! Evans uses actual game examples to illustrate dozens of chess themes -- many of which it's likely you've never seen before. Each is a mini-lesson that breaks chess down into short segments that one can learn a lot from in a half-hour sitting. No long chapters here! Other books that are good adjuncts are Michael Stean's Simple Chess (surely an oxymoron if there ever was one) and Kmoch's Pawn Power in Chess.

I read this book more than 15 years ago from a library, and then bought a personal copy in '01. I didn't realized how good the book is until recently. Nimzovich's "My System" is too long, while Evans' New Ideas is too short. Evans also wrote the (very) short introduction for each game in Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games. Likewise, for each example in this book, Evans provides a brief introduction. There is much to learn from these short paragraphs but we have to pay attention to keywords.
The four chapters (2, 3, 5, and 6) were devoted to the four topics (Pawn Structure, Force, Space and Time) that Evans thought important for his own "system". I think even players at 2000 rating can still draw some good lessons from this books, especially chapters about Pawn and Space. I feel the two chapters Space and Time described more about the Strategies and Tactics, and when and how to use them. But how much do I know about chess? Just a personal opinion. Evans knows much more than I.
The example's headings can be grouped together on a piece of paper as a checklist, for quick recollection for chess student to sort out for what to do at each stage during the game.
Evans didn't provide complete games but gave a quick snapshot at each critical position and explained from there on. Because the number of moves of each example is too few, it does not look that impressive. Actually, with careful look and following his explanation, we can see that the analysis is rather detailed.

PS: This book could be called "Evans' My System". I didn't see many "new ideas" in this book, maybe couples of them. But the rest of ideas could be found in the work of older chess masters and writers. Another title could be better match, "New Way to See (or Present) Chess Ideas". And again this is just another personal opinion.

As the typical USCF Class C player I can say with assurance that this book is the one I wish I'd had when I started playing 35 years ago! Each chapter has a series of positions that is possible to follow without a chess board so you can study and read this book anywhere. Lots of mini-lessons and by following them without the board you can help define your chess vision. My chess partner is using this book and I'm seeing his game improve by leaps and bounds. I know it helped my game and it will be one of the books I refer to time and time again. I've read it twice already and both times I can say I got something out of it. Buy the book! You can't go wrong with the price and you could pay a lot more and not get as good a lesson set.

The ideas are presented in such a clear and simple language that I truly believe this is a must have for beginners and intermediate players who are serious about their play. The author carefully develops and describes the most important elements that need to be taken into account during every game of chess: Space (The center, mobility, the control of unoccupied squares, stability, etc.), Time (Development, gambits, pins, etc.), Force (Relative values, sacrifices, etc.), and Pawn Structure (Mobility, passed, connected, isolated and backward pawns, determining a strategy from pawn structure, etc.).

A full chapter is devoted to quiz positions where one can test the principles and techniques behind the ideas learned through the book. I bought this book as part of a used chess book collection on an auction, and I was not disappointed at all with this title. The book systematically showed me how to think and analyze typical situations that as a matter of fact I have encountered during actual play.

The book uses descriptive notation, but I guess this is just a matter of preference and it actually doesn't affect the quality and usefulness of the information presented. Nevertheless you should take this into account in case you prefer algebraic notation.

This was the second book on Chess I recall seriously *studying-and-working-out* from front-to-back. Most Chess works by other authors than Larry Evans -- seemed more like just collections of positions, problems and puzzles [with little explanation] -- or the other extreme of abstract theory with very long explantions of unending transitions and variations on lines of play. Sometimes, themes and counter-themes, and their players and counter-players, were used in attempts to work-out the thematic ideas. All of those books and attempted approaches did not seem to have the central-balance of "New Ideas in Chess". Larry Evans was able to explain strategy, tactics and themes on primary chess-play in a clear and sharp way that I could quickly follow via the example positions and visual diagrams and their lines of play.

The four main elements of Pawn Structure, Force, Space and Time are demonstrated and clarified with ease in this fine modest-sized manual. In comparison, "Modern Chess Opening Theory" by A. S. Suetin, has these same four elements in long detail, needing long concentrated effort to follow. But, having "New Ideas in Chess" as an aid, one can begin to follow other works such as Suetin. Via Larry Evans, one is able to get a good idea of Pawns-Force-Space-Time, usable in game-play. A major virtue of "New Ideas in Chess" is the way ideas, their sub-ideas and the variations of those -- are presented in natural order of affinity -- so, there is ongoing effective resolution from abstract styles and schools of chess-play via Pawns-Force-Space-Time down to tactics and game-play. Always Clear Ideas in Chess +++

You can go online to ossimitz's chess page and get the ChessBase files associated with all of these games in this book--as annotated.

I'm telling you--Ossimitz is doing a real service to the authors of the chess book game collections on his/her site. It definitely makes you want to buy the book. In fact, I would not buy books that don't have the ChessBase files.

If this review does not make sense--you're probably just learning chess and have never heard of ChessBase. In that case, buy this book because it's good for beginners as well as intermediate level (Class A and expert) players.

What a gem this book is for players 1800 USCF and below! Ideas clearly explained and demonstrated. Fun to read. Bargain-priced! You'd pay twice as much for half the info from other authors. This is an excellent example of Dover Press's classic chess series.

The bulk of Evans' book is composed of four chapters: pawn structure, force, space, time. He doesn't give complete games. On the one hand, complete games better reflect real chess. On the other hand, positions better isolate the relevant idea. I prefer complete games, but am not an absolutist. Ultimately, Evans serves to provide snippets of advice ("try to keep isolated pawns mobile"). This is basic strategy, similar to Amateur's Mind and other books. Much appreciated is the quiz, 35 positions that aren't simply tactical.

Others have noted that Evans overplays the "new ideas" bit. Also, the bookend sections are possibly skippable. This isn't an "essential" book -- there are others that cover the same ground -- but is good and affordable.

An excellent book that shows how to use the elements of chess such as time and space in order to defeat your opponent. This is a great book. It belongs in the top ten of the best books ever written on chess. The ideas in it are explained very well. Mastery of the ideas in this book can very well make one a master at chess.