All players who aspire to chess mastery need to learn the techniques for winning a won game: that means they must better recognize the positional advantages they already have and know how to use them to get closer to victory. The examples laid out here will help them do exactly that. Each one comes from the most brilliantly played games at the Women’s and Men’s United States Championships in the past 20 years—games that have won a special $2,000 prize for excellence, donated by Paul M. Albert Jr. Players at all levels will benefit from the moves presented, described, and illustrated here, all with illuminating commentary.
Danny Kopec is one of the most talented home-bred players in the US. Dr. Kopec was New York High School Champion at 14, National Master at 17, Scottish Champion in 1980, 2nd-equal in the Canadian Closed in 1984, and International Master in 1985. He is an active player, journalist, writer, chess educator and scholar. His competitive results with top-flight chess professionals have always been remarkable. He has also delivered many chess courses, lectures, published seven highly recognized chess books, and has developed eight highly regarded instructional videos (18.5 hours). Over the past 16 years Kopec's Chess Camp, has become world renowned.
In parallel with his chess career, Dr. Kopec has pursued an academic career in computer science with research in artificial intelligence, software methodology, and computer science education. For more than 20 years Kopec has been testing and evaluating hundreds of human and machine chess players in the UK, Canada, and US in order to quantify their overall chess strength, their specific deficiencies and definite abilities. In bridging his chess and academic interests, Kopec has developed a reputation as perhaps the world's greatest exponent of chess knowledge.
