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Date: 13 Jun 2007 22:38:35
From: R.P.
Subject: good tactic book
Hi,

currently I read "chess tactic for advanced player" from Averbakh and I like
the book very much because it tries to break down the combinations and tactic
patterns into elementary atoms. So it does not only present examples and exercises
but develops a theory of chess tactic. Who knows other books about chess tactic
which are written in the same manner ?

Robert




 
Date: 15 Jun 2007 23:44:23
From: help bot
Subject: Re: good tactic book
On Jun 15, 8:57 am, "Chess One" <inn...@verizon.net > wrote:

> another useful title is Combinative Motifs, by M. Blokh, which i think is
> also contained in some Convekta software, though I recommend the book, and
> is good for beginning players and grandmasters alike
>
> it not only looks at tactics in great depth, it shows, as the title
> suggests, combinations of them, this theme, then that theme


The original poster seems to have started off with a
book on *advanced* tactics, so I think he might tackle
Blokh's work, and then move on to what I do: just
replay grandmaster games and try to spot all the
obvious tactical mistakes. One example was in the
game between GMs Shirov and Aronian, where the
former tossed away his shot at the title. In fact,
when I found myself in terra incognita in my RedHot
game where I am experimenting with the Gruenfeld,
I looked over a few games in this opening to see
how Black keeps from getting his wayward Queen
(I am in the risky Qxa2 line) from looking silly, and
one of the *few* wins that came up was against
GM Shirov! Unfortunately, his choice of moves for
White made no sense at all, so this wasn't of any
real help. Lucky for me, my opponent has moved
first B-d3 and then later B-e2, thankfully, handing
me a free tempo. It always helps to get such a
gift when one is up against the ropes, about to
get pummeled.

-- help bot



 
Date: 15 Jun 2007 00:33:25
From: help bot
Subject: Re: good tactic book
On Jun 15, 12:42 am, "R.P." <i...@randspringer.de > wrote:


> Yes, I think too the most important thing is to repeat and repeat the
> tactic patterns. Nevertheless Averbakh tries to analyze the magic behind
> the combinations and this gives a better understanding of tactic
> (at least for me).

A long time ago, Hans Kmoch wrote a book in which he
attempted to break down such concepts as backward
pawns, hanging pawns, passed pawns and so forth. The
vast new terminology he created did not go over so well,
but in reading about these concepts I learned a good deal
as to *why* certain pawns, for instance, should not be
advanced far ahead of their brothers, and why they should
"hunt" enemy pieces in packs, not alone.

All well and good, but tactics come first! Even in the
current world championship cycle, while replaying a
deathly-dull endgame between GMs Shirov and Aronian,
I found that both players missed crucial tactics near the
end of their drawn game; fairly simple tactics involving
a fork (missed by GM Aronian) and then a simple
maneuver (missed by GM Shirov) which could very well
have cost him a shot at the title. Of course, this pales
in comparison to the missed mate-in-one by world
champion Kramnik in his computer match.

-- help bot




  
Date: 15 Jun 2007 12:57:05
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: good tactic book

"help bot" <nomorechess@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:1181892805.615894.128660@q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 15, 12:42 am, "R.P." <i...@randspringer.de> wrote:
>
>
>> Yes, I think too the most important thing is to repeat and repeat the
>> tactic patterns. Nevertheless Averbakh tries to analyze the magic behind
>> the combinations and this gives a better understanding of tactic
>> (at least for me).
>
> A long time ago, Hans Kmoch wrote a book in which he

quite so, and Kmoch is something of a chip off the old Blokh

another useful title is Combinative Motifs, by M. Blokh, which i think is
also contained in some Convekta software, though I recommend the book, and
is good for beginning players and grandmasters alike

it not only looks at tactics in great depth, it shows, as the title
suggests, combinations of them, this theme, then that theme

cordially phil innes

> attempted to break down such concepts as backward
> pawns, hanging pawns, passed pawns and so forth. The
> vast new terminology he created did not go over so well,
> but in reading about these concepts I learned a good deal
> as to *why* certain pawns, for instance, should not be
> advanced far ahead of their brothers, and why they should
> "hunt" enemy pieces in packs, not alone.
>
> All well and good, but tactics come first! Even in the
> current world championship cycle, while replaying a
> deathly-dull endgame between GMs Shirov and Aronian,
> I found that both players missed crucial tactics near the
> end of their drawn game; fairly simple tactics involving
> a fork (missed by GM Aronian) and then a simple
> maneuver (missed by GM Shirov) which could very well
> have cost him a shot at the title. Of course, this pales
> in comparison to the missed mate-in-one by world
> champion Kramnik in his computer match.
>
> -- help bot
>
>




  
Date: 15 Jun 2007 11:26:25
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: good tactic book
help bot <nomorechess@hotmail.com > wrote:
> A long time ago, Hans Kmoch wrote a book in which he attempted to
> break down such concepts as backward pawns, hanging pawns, passed
> pawns and so forth.

`Pawn Power in Chess'. Available from Dover for almost no money.

> The vast new terminology he created did not go over so well,

Yeah, a lot of his terminology is pointless -- he introduces a complex
term and then hardly ever uses it. But a lot of it is good. For
example, I believe the term `lever', which is in moderately common use
today, is due to Kmoch.

Very interesting book; taught me a good deal. But, returning to the
topic...


> All well and good, but tactics come first!

Indeed.

Must. Practise. Tactics. More.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Strange Beefy Smokes (TM): it's like
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ a pack of cigarettes that's made from
a cow but it's totally weird!


 
Date: 15 Jun 2007 06:42:57
From: R.P.
Subject: Re: good tactic book
Am Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:40:01 -0700
schrieb Ron <ronaldinho_m@hotmail.com >:

> In article <20070613223835.3f87d5aa@jeschken.quark.de>,
> "R.P." <info@randspringer.de> wrote:
>
> > currently I read "chess tactic for advanced player" from Averbakh and I like
> > the book very much because it tries to break down the combinations and tactic
> > patterns into elementary atoms. So it does not only present examples and
> > exercises
> > but develops a theory of chess tactic. Who knows other books about chess
> > tactic
> > which are written in the same manner ?
>
> The truth is that there really isn't that much "theory" of chess
> tactics. Once you've gone through that elementary stuff once or twice,
> it's really all about drilling, and pushing yourself to see more and
> more through practicing harder and harder problems.
>
> In my opinion, once you've got the basics down, it's probably a good
> idea to pick up a drilling program like CT-Art of Chess Tactics for
> Intermediates and just focus on that.

Yes, I think too the most important thing is to repeat and repeat the
tactic patterns. Nevertheless Averbakh tries to analyze the magic behind
the combinations and this gives a better understanding of tactic
(at least for me).

BTW what does the people think here about the "tactic server"
http://chess.emrald.net/. Does it help to improve the tactic skills ?

Robert


 
Date: 14 Jun 2007 19:47:06
From: help bot
Subject: Re: good tactic book
On Jun 14, 12:40 pm, Ron <ronaldinh...@hotmail.com > wrote:

> "R.P." <i...@randspringer.de> wrote:
> > currently I read "chess tactic for advanced player" from Averbakh and I like
> > the book very much because it tries to break down the combinations and tactic
> > patterns into elementary atoms. So it does not only present examples and
> > exercises
> > but develops a theory of chess tactic. Who knows other books about chess
> > tactic
> > which are written in the same manner ?
>
> The truth is that there really isn't that much "theory" of chess
> tactics. Once you've gone through that elementary stuff once or twice,
> it's really all about drilling, and pushing yourself to see more and
> more through practicing harder and harder problems.
>
> In my opinion, once you've got the basics down, it's probably a good
> idea to pick up a drilling program like CT-Art of Chess Tactics for
> Intermediates and just focus on that.


A lot of it consists in familiarity with different types of
positions, which is obtained over the course of years
of practice. But things can be broken down into the
various types or motifs of tactics, such as fork, pin,
skewer, back rank mate and so forth. In addition to
books like the one mentioned earlier, there are of
course the ultimate tactical training devices known to
man: computers! Q: Deep Fritz, how many moves do
you see ahead? A: Only sixteen -- but that's much more
than world champion Kramnik sees, when there is an
obvious mate on the move!

-- help bot



 
Date: 14 Jun 2007 09:40:01
From: Ron
Subject: Re: good tactic book
In article <20070613223835.3f87d5aa@jeschken.quark.de >,
"R.P." <info@randspringer.de > wrote:

> currently I read "chess tactic for advanced player" from Averbakh and I like
> the book very much because it tries to break down the combinations and tactic
> patterns into elementary atoms. So it does not only present examples and
> exercises
> but develops a theory of chess tactic. Who knows other books about chess
> tactic
> which are written in the same manner ?

The truth is that there really isn't that much "theory" of chess
tactics. Once you've gone through that elementary stuff once or twice,
it's really all about drilling, and pushing yourself to see more and
more through practicing harder and harder problems.

In my opinion, once you've got the basics down, it's probably a good
idea to pick up a drilling program like CT-Art of Chess Tactics for
Intermediates and just focus on that.


 
Date: 14 Jun 2007 03:05:45
From: richardfkennedy@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: good tactic book
> currently I read "chess tactic for advanced player" from Averbakh and I like
> the book very much because it tries to break down the combinations and tactic
> patterns into elementary atoms. So it does not only present examples and exercises
> but develops a theory of chess tactic. Who knows other books about chess tactic
> which are written in the same manner ?

There are a couple of new books out which show promise, two volumes of
"Predator at the Chessboard" by Ward Farnsworth. You might check them
out at www.wardfarnsworth.com.

Rick