samsloan
2012-05-13 22:45:49 UTC
The Soviet Chess School
by Alexander Kotov and Mikhail M Yudovich Sr.
Introduction by Sam Sloan
“The Soviet Chess School” ISBN 4871874613 is a completely different
book from “The Soviet School of Chess” ISBN 4871878198 . “The Soviet
Chess School” is not an upgrade, revision or a sequel to “The Soviet
School of Chess”. It is an entirely different work, even though it is
by the same two authors and the title is almost exactly the same.
“The Soviet School of Chess” was first published in 1951 in Russian
and then translated and published in English in 1958. “The Soviet
Chess School” was first published in 1983 in Moscow USSR. It does not
appear ever to have been published in Russian.
One wonders why they did this, publishing two books by the same
authors with almost exactly the same name, but with completely
different content. It certainly causes problems for readers and for
sales. Buyers think they are getting a bargain when they buy “The
Soviet Chess School”, because the price is lower than the price of
“The Soviet School of Chess”.
However, the reason for the lower price is the newer book is smaller.
“The Soviet School of Chess” is 512 pages. “The Soviet Chess School”
is only 228 pages.
“The Soviet Chess School” covers a broader time period, starting with
the invention of chess, 1500 years ago. It states that chess came to
Russia in the 11th or 12th centuries and not from Europe but directly
from Persia or Arabia. This is demonstrated by the different names for
the chess pieces, such as “Ladia” meaning boat in contrast to the
European word “rook” for the same piece and “Ferz” or vizier for the
piece that is called “Queen” in most European languages.
“The Soviet Chess School” states that the Tzars of Russia, Ivan the
Terrible (1530-1584), Peter the Great (1672-1725) and Paul I
(1754-1801) were all chess players. It recounts incidents of them
playing chess, including a visit in 1781 by Paul I to Paris where he
visited a chess club.
The first Russian Chess Master was Alexander Petrov (1794-1867) and
examples are provided of his play and games in “The Soviet Chess
School”. Petrov is only mentioned briefly in passing in “The Soviet
School of Chess”. The first games in “The Soviet School of Chess” are
by Chigorin (1850-1908). It then progresses through games by lesser
known players and ends with games by (very weak) female players.
None of the games and chess positions in “The Soviet Chess School” are
also in “The Soviet School of Chess”. The games in “The Soviet Chess
School” are in modern Algebraic, 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3, whereas “The Soviet
School of Chess” uses Descriptive, 1. P-K4 P-QB4 2. Kt-KB3, although I
have translated all the games into Algebraic in the back in my
reprint.
“The Soviet Chess School” has biographies and lots of games and
pictures by players such as Kasparov, Karpov and Spassky whereas these
players are not mentioned in the 32-years earlier work “The Soviet
School of Chess”.
Comparing these books to each other is like comparing apples to
oranges. They are completely different, so it cannot be said that one
is better than the other.
One difference is that “The Soviet School of Chess” is filled with pro-
Soviet propaganda. For example, it states: “The rise of the Soviet
school to the summit of world chess is a logical result of socialist
cultural development.” There is little of that sort of propaganda in
“The Soviet Chess School”.
If forced to choose between the two, I would prefer “The Soviet School
of Chess”. It is one of the most important books ever written on
chess. It starts with the pre-Soviet Era with the beginning of the
19th century and recounts not only the histories of their greatest
players up to 1951 but also the history of their ideas. A biography is
provided for each of these great players plus examples from their
games and their contributions to chess knowledge and chess opening
theory. Many of the players mentioned in this book are unknown outside
of this book as they died during the Great Purges of the 1930s or
during the war years. Thus, a study of “The Soviet School of Chess” is
essential to anybody seeking to learn the histories of chess players
and chess ideas.
However, the more modern player who simply wants to learn how to score
a victory over a rival will probably find more information about how
to improve your game in “The Soviet Chess School”.
Alexander Kotov was both one of the strongest chess players in the
world and one of the best writers. He was born on 12 August 1913 in
Tula, Russia. He seemed to be headed for the World Chess Championship
with his overwhelming victory in the 1953 Stockholm Interzonal. His
score of 16.5-3.5 against some of the strongest players in the world
was three points clear of second place. Bobby Fischer is a subsequent
Interzonal said that he was trying to beat Kotov's record, but was
unable to do so.
Kotov is also famous as a chess teacher, especially for his work
“Think Like a Grandmaster”, which profoundly influenced an entire
generation of aspiring young chess masters. Kotov also wrote many
books that have not been translated into English. He died on 8 January
1981 in Moscow.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Yudovich (Senior) was born on the 8th of June
1911 in Roslavl, Russia. He was awarded the titles of IM in 1950, IMC
in 1961 and GMC in 1973, and was the USSR Correspondence Champion in
1966.
He had a son, Mikhail Mikhailovich Yudovich, Jr., who was born 26
February 1932 in Russia. Although a master, the son never achieved the
fame of his farther.
Sam Sloan
San Rafael California
USA
May 13, 2012
http://www.amazon.com/dp/4871874613
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ISBN=4871874618
by Alexander Kotov and Mikhail M Yudovich Sr.
Introduction by Sam Sloan
“The Soviet Chess School” ISBN 4871874613 is a completely different
book from “The Soviet School of Chess” ISBN 4871878198 . “The Soviet
Chess School” is not an upgrade, revision or a sequel to “The Soviet
School of Chess”. It is an entirely different work, even though it is
by the same two authors and the title is almost exactly the same.
“The Soviet School of Chess” was first published in 1951 in Russian
and then translated and published in English in 1958. “The Soviet
Chess School” was first published in 1983 in Moscow USSR. It does not
appear ever to have been published in Russian.
One wonders why they did this, publishing two books by the same
authors with almost exactly the same name, but with completely
different content. It certainly causes problems for readers and for
sales. Buyers think they are getting a bargain when they buy “The
Soviet Chess School”, because the price is lower than the price of
“The Soviet School of Chess”.
However, the reason for the lower price is the newer book is smaller.
“The Soviet School of Chess” is 512 pages. “The Soviet Chess School”
is only 228 pages.
“The Soviet Chess School” covers a broader time period, starting with
the invention of chess, 1500 years ago. It states that chess came to
Russia in the 11th or 12th centuries and not from Europe but directly
from Persia or Arabia. This is demonstrated by the different names for
the chess pieces, such as “Ladia” meaning boat in contrast to the
European word “rook” for the same piece and “Ferz” or vizier for the
piece that is called “Queen” in most European languages.
“The Soviet Chess School” states that the Tzars of Russia, Ivan the
Terrible (1530-1584), Peter the Great (1672-1725) and Paul I
(1754-1801) were all chess players. It recounts incidents of them
playing chess, including a visit in 1781 by Paul I to Paris where he
visited a chess club.
The first Russian Chess Master was Alexander Petrov (1794-1867) and
examples are provided of his play and games in “The Soviet Chess
School”. Petrov is only mentioned briefly in passing in “The Soviet
School of Chess”. The first games in “The Soviet School of Chess” are
by Chigorin (1850-1908). It then progresses through games by lesser
known players and ends with games by (very weak) female players.
None of the games and chess positions in “The Soviet Chess School” are
also in “The Soviet School of Chess”. The games in “The Soviet Chess
School” are in modern Algebraic, 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3, whereas “The Soviet
School of Chess” uses Descriptive, 1. P-K4 P-QB4 2. Kt-KB3, although I
have translated all the games into Algebraic in the back in my
reprint.
“The Soviet Chess School” has biographies and lots of games and
pictures by players such as Kasparov, Karpov and Spassky whereas these
players are not mentioned in the 32-years earlier work “The Soviet
School of Chess”.
Comparing these books to each other is like comparing apples to
oranges. They are completely different, so it cannot be said that one
is better than the other.
One difference is that “The Soviet School of Chess” is filled with pro-
Soviet propaganda. For example, it states: “The rise of the Soviet
school to the summit of world chess is a logical result of socialist
cultural development.” There is little of that sort of propaganda in
“The Soviet Chess School”.
If forced to choose between the two, I would prefer “The Soviet School
of Chess”. It is one of the most important books ever written on
chess. It starts with the pre-Soviet Era with the beginning of the
19th century and recounts not only the histories of their greatest
players up to 1951 but also the history of their ideas. A biography is
provided for each of these great players plus examples from their
games and their contributions to chess knowledge and chess opening
theory. Many of the players mentioned in this book are unknown outside
of this book as they died during the Great Purges of the 1930s or
during the war years. Thus, a study of “The Soviet School of Chess” is
essential to anybody seeking to learn the histories of chess players
and chess ideas.
However, the more modern player who simply wants to learn how to score
a victory over a rival will probably find more information about how
to improve your game in “The Soviet Chess School”.
Alexander Kotov was both one of the strongest chess players in the
world and one of the best writers. He was born on 12 August 1913 in
Tula, Russia. He seemed to be headed for the World Chess Championship
with his overwhelming victory in the 1953 Stockholm Interzonal. His
score of 16.5-3.5 against some of the strongest players in the world
was three points clear of second place. Bobby Fischer is a subsequent
Interzonal said that he was trying to beat Kotov's record, but was
unable to do so.
Kotov is also famous as a chess teacher, especially for his work
“Think Like a Grandmaster”, which profoundly influenced an entire
generation of aspiring young chess masters. Kotov also wrote many
books that have not been translated into English. He died on 8 January
1981 in Moscow.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Yudovich (Senior) was born on the 8th of June
1911 in Roslavl, Russia. He was awarded the titles of IM in 1950, IMC
in 1961 and GMC in 1973, and was the USSR Correspondence Champion in
1966.
He had a son, Mikhail Mikhailovich Yudovich, Jr., who was born 26
February 1932 in Russia. Although a master, the son never achieved the
fame of his farther.
Sam Sloan
San Rafael California
USA
May 13, 2012
http://www.amazon.com/dp/4871874613
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ISBN=4871874618