Greetings readers! All kinds of exciting things have been happening here. Among them, I became Scottish Champion after scoring 7 points in 9 games, all against tough opponents.
When it comes to Quality Chess business, we are gradually getting organized after moving offices. I’ve been enjoying the fresh challenges that come with the Chief Editor role, and will be letting you know about a few new titles in the days ahead.
Today we are talking about Tiger’s Chaos Theory, one of my favourite projects in recent memory. I’m so glad to have been the editor for this one. There is nobody quite like Tiger and we are delighted to have him as an author. To give just one example, there is a certain game featured in the book, in which Shirov sacrifices his queen for two minor pieces, which Tiger has spent a total of more than fifty hours analysing, returning and re-returning to it over the past twenty-or-so years! Fortunately, only a small portion of his analysis ended up in the book, but it gives you some idea of how Tiger commits to things that interest him. One of the goals of this book was to cut away the excesses and distil down to the key insights Tiger has gleaned from his at-times obsessive approach to chess positions that have fascinated him.
Before finalizing the work, Tiger and I had regular Skype chats, generally focusing on whichever chapter was next to be finished. The general pattern was that each chapter contained some fantastic chess content and insights, but it needed a bit more clarity and structure to improve the reader’s experience. I’m proud to have played a small role in getting the book over the finishing line, in addition to the normal editing process that followed.
You can read the excerpt here. Around the time we went to print, Tiger was happy when I told him that working on this book has opened my mind to different ways of thinking about chess. I have no doubt that readers will gain a tremendous amount from this book, in terms of both chess improvement and overall enjoyment.
I’ll leave you with a snippet of Tiger’s writing – just one of many anecdotes sprinkled through the book:
More than twenty years ago I ran into a grandmaster who criticized me for not drawing. “A strong chess player plays at least 50% draws”, he said, and it was obvious that he did not consider me a strong player. I put forward my own opinion, which was closer to “never take a draw unless it is absolutely necessary”. Perhaps I stated my opinion before he stated his; probably so.
Some months later, I ran into him again, and this time he said: “I spent a day looking through your games.” I was pleasantly surprised and asked, “So what did you think?” He replied with something like: “I never had such fun before.” I am still, to this day, impressed by the backhandedness with which he complimented me. It could have meant “your games are fun to watch”, but in reality it carried a strong sense of “your games are laughable.” With such precision and without wasting a word, I don’t think I have ever been mocked in a more sophisticated way. Moreover, there was some truth to it! Did I really have to play all those sacrifices? Sometimes, when I go through my own games, I come to side with his description.
Good afternoon Andrew,
I hope you are getting to grips with your editing role.
I had a couple of questions that you may be able to help me with please?
1) I can see Castellanos’s Nimzo book should be out very soon. I wanted to ask if the second book will be hot on it’s heels (before Christmas, say), will he recommend 4…dxc4 (The Vienna) and will it also cover 1 d4 Nf6 Sidelines?
2) In a post earlier this year by retiree JS, he mentions Castellanos’s two books, but also says there are two other unannounced opening books that could be published this year. Is there any more information available on these as yet?
As always, thank you for your time, and congratulations on your recent result in Scotland. Well played!
James
Thanks for the good wishes James. As to your questions:
1) Yes, the companion volume is close to being finished. Kostis has edited most of it already, and we are just waiting for Renier to finish working on some final details before we can typeset the book.
Renier will be recommending the Vienna, and yes it’s a complete repertoire after 1.d4 Nf6.
2) Not yet, but I have just emailed the respective authors to find out where we are with these titles. I hope to make an announcement on at least one of them in the near future.
I wonder if we could be a bit more invasive and also ask which system Renier recommends against the Catalan?! 🙂
Good afternoon Andrew,
I hope you are enjoying your afternoon,
I was just going through my database, and I had a quick look at the Vienna. If I may be a bit more bold, could I ask if, after 5 e4, does Castellanos recommend the Vienna lines with 5…Bb4 or is it perhaps the lines with 5…b5 (and a later 6 e5 Nd5 7 Nxb5 Nb6) please?
Thank you for your help.
James
I believe it is 5…b5 indeed.
Good morning Andrew,
That’s great stuff. I am very much looking forward to the two books from Castellanos. Thank you for your prompt reply.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Middlewave – I will reveal that Renier favours an early …dxc4 against the Catalan, so it integrates nicely with the Vienna and ensures that we are covered for transpositions where White combines Nc3 with a kingside fianchetto.
Makes perfect sense, curiosity more or less satisfied until the book is published. Much appreciated!
Hi James,
I won’t give any more repertoire details just now. You know how these things work: if I answer your question, someone else will ask about a choice slightly later in the line, and it goes on and on.
Kostis will return from holiday next week and it won’t be long before the excerpt and abridged variation index are available in all their glorious detail.
Fair enough! Thank you Andrew! :0)
Good evening Andrew,
I just wanted to ask if you had any potential date you are hoping to release the excerpt Castellanos’s upcoming second book please?
Also, I am predicting (hoping!) the following lines feature in the book:
1) Vienna: e4 line with 5…b5
2) Vienna: e3 line with 5…a6 6 a4 b6 (rather than 6…c5)
3) Catalan: 4…dxc4 with the main line being a6/Nc6/Rb8 and after 8…Nfd2, 8…e5
I am not fishing, but I wanted to write them down so I could compare them with the excerpt.
James
Hi James
Not that I want to plug other books but The Modernized Queen’s Gambit Declined by Thinkers Chess covers these Vienna lines, and Nikos Ntrilis Playing 1 d4 d5 A Classical Repertoire covers the Catalan line.
I am also really hoping the Vienna/Catalan book by QC is out this year.
Good morning Nick,
Ntirils is his 1 d4 d5 bookactually doesn’t cover the line I want to see. He covers 7…Bd7 and not 7…Rb8. The lines are different.
Thank you very much for letting me know about Thinkers book. I will have a look at that. The lines I mentioned are actually all covered by Keetman in her Fierce Vienna course on Chessable.
There is no specific target date, other than as early as possible without compromising on quality. Kostis is due back from holiday tomorrow and he will get right back to editing the few remaining chapters.
Fantastic! This set of books is one of the few books I am very much looking forward too this year.
Enjoy your day and thank you for a quick response.