Logical Chess : Move By Move: Every Move Explained

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I had heard of games leaving impressions on people before, but after playing chess more than 40 years, it had never happened to me. Now, I get to say that Rubinstein-Salwe, Lodz, 1908 (game #20) left a deep impression on me. I found it in least a half a dozen other books, annotated by everyone including Kasparov. It was called a perfect model game - and here it was, in this book that I first saw it, despite having known about Rubinstein for a long time. I could not have been more stupid in ignoring this book so long, not to mention being wrong about all of the above. Aim for small advantages and accumulate them, only later search for ways to combine them because these must exist, however deeply hidden Look at squares to protect rather than pieces, then whenever you need to move a piece into strategic squares there’s already defense laid long ago.

There are some brilliant ideas expressed in this book. A very modern table containing a comparison of the mobility of pieces in terms squares they could move to - which I had seen in one of Dan Heisman's books and thought it was a great invention. It has the the thoughts of a human master-level player, which are, mistakes and all, better than the all computer analysis lines that anyone can generate. My goal in reading books like this is to incorporate into my subconscious as many master game patterns as possible: moves humans make, explanations humans give. In that respect, again flaws and all, showing the moves and some of the simple ideas behind the moves, even the repetition of some bits of advice, was perfect for me.Developing knights because you know where they belong (C3,F3) compared to Bishops, certainty is your friend.

Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening): follow up e4/e5 f3/c6 normalcy with searing Bb5 that pressures the Knight, and opens line to pinning king’s pawn. Also Mentioned: Episode 221 with Chris Callhan, Lichess Study Featuring Logical Chess Move by Move: https://lichess.org/study/Wn7aMkPy, Jen Shahade, Mike Klein, Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings, The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played When describing a move similar to one previously described, most books do not repeat the analysis previously given. This book purposely repeats the analysis and rationale over and over (phrased slightly differently each time) to drill the concept into the reader’s mind. I found this helpful. I had truly written this book off as: a) old with old fashioned explanations; b) written by someone who just "popularized" chess, and not a real player; and c) rumored to be full of errors.

The rare game collection that also succeeds as a textbook. The games are extremely well chosen, and if the repetitive first move analysis becomes tiresome the rest if perfectly on target. Wish I had a hard copy. As its reputation suggests, a fine book with which to start a collection. Since the book was written decades before I was born, I wish I had seen it when I was 10. At least then I would not have had such an ego problem and there were no chess engines to argue with. I would have also had time to play over the games again and again. Game 27: After 25: Count up moves that white can make (by each piece) and find it is 42 to B’s 17, 250% more efficient, a critical advantage of mobility despite no advantage in material. Chernev was extremely well-read in chess literature, and shares insights of many grandmasters, as these insights are illustrated in the games in this book. The reason the master didn’t see the path to shorter # is he’s playing out a sequence he’s already seen many moves before, to its inevitable conclusion, that it takes a few moves more is so meaningless.