Book Review: Chess Strategy - Edward Lasker

Finally I made time to read the book "Chess Strategy" by Edward Lasker.

The approach used is very different from other books I've read on the subject: rather than introduce individual strategic concepts/motives and let the reader weave them together, this book takes a holistic, common-sense approach to the opening, end-game and middle-game plans. Everything is reduced to common-sense, which makes understanding and remembering concepts that much easier (bye-bye to rote memorization of moves/variations).

That's about half the book. The other half includes around 50 annotated games bearing references to the concepts discussed earlier, explaining why a move was good/bad (again based on common-sense).

The book uses descriptive notation, but it is quite easy to follow. I found this work simply awesome!

---
Many thanks.
Prady.
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/HungryForChess
Partner FB group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/195960723787552/

NagaSkakiLevel3_vs_Pradeep_20131218_01

In this game, Edward Lasker's common-sense training has succeeded in keeping me on track and not making wasteful pawn moves, not attacking pieces that can freely move away and so on. It also helped me identify and ignore empty threats and illusions. I believe reading this was another sure step on the path of improvement.


Of course, I hope not only to keep this up, but also to do much better in days to come. So all comments and instructional discussions are welcome.


---
Many thanks.
Prady.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HungryForChess
Facebook partner group https://www.facebook.com/groups/195960723787552/

Hungry For Chess: Facebook Page

Now, Hungry For Chess has a dedicated community magazine page on Facebook! The goal is to have a common place to share thoughts and ideas related to chess, to share games and comments, to hold productive discussions, and to help each other improve. It is an open magazine, and people of all ages and playing strengths are welcome.

If you are hungry for chess, you are invited to like this page and participate actively:
https://www.facebook.com/HungryForChess

The magazine will also share some posts with a growing community group, "Are You Reti", and another community page "Chessconversations". The respective URLs are:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/195960723787552
https://www.facebook.com/chessconversation

Together we hope we can have lot of fun on the path of improvement.

---
Many thanks.
Prady.

Video on Attack by GM Damian Lemos

Loved this video by GM Damian Lemos where he explains the attacking ideas behind every move by white in this stunning encounter between Emanuel Lasker and Johann Bauer:

http://www.onlinechesslessons.net/2013/11/25/how-to-attack-grandmaster


---
Many thanks.
Prady.
More links at http://www.facebook.com/groups/195960723787552/