Nimzo-Larsen Attack (Everyman Chess)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent work
Review: "Nimzo-Larsen Attack" by Byron Jacobs and Jonathan Tait. In a clearly very thoroughly researched book the Nimzo-Larsen is explored in detail in almost 200 packed pages. There are a couple of nice features of this book which are rare in modern publications. Firstly at many points in each illustrative game, as well as sub-games and variations there are objective comments assessing the position or possible plans which definitely helps guide the student through the material. Although to be expected from CCIM Jonathan Tait, it is nevertheless pleasing to see so many correspondence games included. Often these are critical to the evaluation of particular variation featuring new ideas or more accurate assessments of known position but are often ignored by opening books which largely concentrate on over-the-board games. The authors are also objective in their statement that there is no theoretical advantage for white in this opening but clearly opening 1. b3, or 1.Nf3 followed by b3, is a sound and solid way to begin the game and one which is too easy to underestimate. I would expect to see many players attracted to playing this opening and this book should finally remove the taint associated with this opening that remained for years following Larsen's spectacular defeat by Spassky in the USSR-Rest of World 1970 Match.

Rating:
Summary: ... If combined with other openings...
Review: Byron Jacobs and Jonathan Tait's Nimzo-Larsen Attack tells how to start an attack sequence from the very first move, defeating common chess defenses even by masters. Basic elements and choices receive in-depth coverage.

Rating:
Summary: From my personal point of view.
Review: The authors are very honest in this book; this is not a winning with ..... that tells you how to crush black. On the other point the games shown are very complete and enjoyable, the authors did a fine work with the selection. Strategic ideas are clear and as a veteran in the nimzo-larsen attack I really recommend this book to you. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting opening, but complicated
Review: The book gives a very detailed description of the variations in the Nimzo-Larsen attack. This opening allows for a lot of improvitations, and therefore the variations are endless. I (as a beginner) was slightly disapointed in that the book is of an encyclopedic nature rather than a simple introduction to ...-book. This comes naturally from the nature of the opening, so simply consider this as a warning, if you are not looking for an opening encyclopedia on the Nimzo-Larsen attack.

Rating:
Summary: Miraculous
Review: This book, "Nimzo-Larsen Attack" by Byron Jacobs and Jonathan Tait, is, in a nutshell, one of the most beautiful chess books I have ever seen (I don't say this lightly, as I have 450+ books). There are a handful of books that sort of "stun" me with how brilliant they are. "Pawn Power in Chess" and "The Amateur's Mind" come to mind. Although this Nimzo-Larsen book is not an instructive manual like those classics, it is equally classic and equally stunning. If you see it on the shelf at a bookstore, it just looks like another Everyman opening book. But when you pull it off the shelf, the first thing you notice is its weight. It is 193 pages long, not 144 or 160 pages like nearly all other Eveyrman books. With its double-column format and dense print, it seems like about 500 pages worth of material. But of course length does not equal quality. What distinguishes this work is the incredible depth of its research and information, and its passion. These authors wrote as if they were being paid great sums of money for this work. In a note, they will compare a line to another game. But instead of just saying, "white/black was better," they say, "the remaining moves of the game were..." and give all the remaining moves, with important annotations. This is incredibly helpful, because in the Nimzo-Larsen you will frequently arrive at an equal middlegame with perhaps a slight plus for white, and your endgame skills will decide the day. So, it is essential that the authors did this. Consequently, you have hundreds and hundreds of complete games in the notes. You absorb and learn the opening. But do not get the impression that this is a data-dump. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a labor of love, that has to be seen to be believed. The annotations are insightful and meaningful, with constant note of transpositions (also huge in the N-L), and constant verbal evaluations of moves and positions and references to other sources (the bibliography is the largest I have ever seen). These games were put under a microscope, and we get to savor the results. I flipped forward to the end of the book, thinking, it can't be this good for 200 pages! Yet the quality and depth never lags, through all 69 main annotated games and all the others in the notes. I somehow feel that I cannot do justice to this book. It is so important to the aspiring chess player. It is so packed that I will never exhaust its tresures. The Nimzo-Larsen (1. b3 or 1. Nf3, 2. b3) is a great versatile opening to study. One reason for this is that it offers innumerable opportunities for transposition, such as to the English, the Reti, and the Queen's Gambit. It thus has flexibility, which is a key to success in modern chess. But, opening aside, this is a uniquely wonderful opening work. These authors treat every game like it is their one and only chance to teach, enlighten, and to bring out all they can about the game in question. The annotations are as good a blend of text and variations as I have ever seen. Spend some time with this book, and its qualities grow larger and larger, to the point that I am practically in disbelief to how amazing it is!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent work
Review: This book, "Nimzo-Larsen Attack" by Byron Jacobs and Jonathan Tait, is, in a nutshell, one of the most beautiful chess books I have ever seen (I don't say this lightly, as I have 450+ books). There are a handful of books that sort of "stun" me with how brilliant they are. "Pawn Power in Chess" and "The Amateur's Mind" come to mind. Although this Nimzo-Larsen book is not an instructive manual like those classics, it is equally classic and equally stunning. If you see it on the shelf at a bookstore, it just looks like another Everyman opening book. But when you pull it off the shelf, the first thing you notice is its weight. It is 193 pages long, not 144 or 160 pages like nearly all other Eveyrman books. With its double-column format and dense print, it seems like about 500 pages worth of material. But of course length does not equal quality. What distinguishes this work is the incredible depth of its research and information, and its passion. These authors wrote as if they were being paid great sums of money for this work. In a note, they will compare a line to another game. But instead of just saying, "white/black was better," they say, "the remaining moves of the game were..." and give all the remaining moves, with important annotations. This is incredibly helpful, because in the Nimzo-Larsen you will frequently arrive at an equal middlegame with perhaps a slight plus for white, and your endgame skills will decide the day. So, it is essential that the authors did this. Consequently, you have hundreds and hundreds of complete games in the notes. You absorb and learn the opening. But do not get the impression that this is a data-dump. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a labor of love, that has to be seen to be believed. The annotations are insightful and meaningful, with constant note of transpositions (also huge in the N-L), and constant verbal evaluations of moves and positions and references to other sources (the bibliography is the largest I have ever seen). These games were put under a microscope, and we get to savor the results. I flipped forward to the end of the book, thinking, it can't be this good for 200 pages! Yet the quality and depth never lags, through all 69 main annotated games and all the others in the notes. I somehow feel that I cannot do justice to this book. It is so important to the aspiring chess player. It is so packed that I will never exhaust its tresures. The Nimzo-Larsen (1. b3 or 1. Nf3, 2. b3) is a great versatile opening to study. One reason for this is that it offers innumerable opportunities for transposition, such as to the English, the Reti, and the Queen's Gambit. It thus has flexibility, which is a key to success in modern chess. But, opening aside, this is a uniquely wonderful opening work. These authors treat every game like it is their one and only chance to teach, enlighten, and to bring out all they can about the game in question. The annotations are as good a blend of text and variations as I have ever seen. Spend some time with this book, and its qualities grow larger and larger, to the point that I am practically in disbelief to how amazing it is!