Jon Speelman's Best Games (Paperback)

~ Jonathan Gm Speelman (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: International Chess Enterprises; First American Edition edition (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879479605
• ISBN-13: 978-1879479609
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #296,903 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ready for some heavy analysis?, October 1, 1998

By A Customer

Speelman has a reputation for exhaustive analysis and deeply conceived endgame strategies. This book certainly reinforces both of these descriptions, but Speelman also shows a bloodthirsty side! His organization is a bit unusual, dividing the games into two general sections ("Growing up as a Chessplayer" and "Themes"). This has certain advantages, but given the depth of his commentary (sometimes spending more than two pages on a single move), I would prefer a more traditional format. The games are entertaining and instructive. I have always been a fan of Speelman's style, and this book ranks among the year's best. However, I wonder how many readers will actually go through every comment of this densely packed trove.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unusually frank and human record of a grandmaster's thoughts, February 12, 2005

By	T. D. Welsh (Basingstoke, Hampshire UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jon Speelman is one of the strongest British players ever, having reached the Candidates' Tournament and beaten some of the world's top grandmasters. His style is exceptionally interesting, combining pragmatism with fantasy, and he is an authority on the endgame. When Speelman gets unhappy with his position almost anything can happen, and his opponents are chronically aware of the "swindling hazard" they incur by gaining an advantage against him. In one of the games in this splendid collection, he sacrifices his queen for a couple of minor pieces - a transaction which, in a lesser player, would look like a downright blunder - then consolidates his position and clinches a win against a strong opponent by the most logical of moves. Such exploits invite comparison with the legendary David Bronstein, who arguably would have been world champion if he could have overcome his boredom with humdrum chess.

Speelman is one of the game's great fighters, as witness his wins against players like John Nunn, Nigel Short, Tony Miles and Viktor Korchnoy. This book also includes his two draws against Kasparov - one of them from a position with tripled isolated pawns! - which must have left the Baku maestro fuming and frustrated.

This book is hugely instructive from the practical player's point of view, because it gives insights into how chess games are really decided at the highest level. None of your crystal-clear strategic crushes here, consistent from first move to last. Speelman is breathtakingly candid about his thought processes and the sometimes apparently random factors that make the difference. A study of his games is bound to make anyone's play more resilient and resourceful - as well as being great fun and, occasionally, awe-inspiring.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for the ambitous player, April 2, 2000

By	L. Amaral (Sao Paulo, Brazil.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are a middle rated and (hopefuly) an ambitous player this the book for you. Plent of in deep analyzes and good advice.