Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 256 pages
- Published by: Gambit Publications October 1, 2001
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 1901983439
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-1901983432
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Book Dimensions:
8.2 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
- Weighs: 12 ounces
Product Review
Lovers of romantic play will enjoy the chapter on the open center --
GM Lubosh Kavalek, WASHINGTON POST
Product Description
This book tackles fundamental questions such as: 'How should pawns be used to fight for the centre?' and 'How does the central pawn formation affect planning for both sides?' These issues are central to understanding chess. Marovic discusses central pawn-structures and their impact on play both in the centre and on the wings. He begins by surveying how the pawn's role in controlling the centre has been developed over the last 150 years, and how this has led to the refinement of concepts such as the 'dynamic' backward pawn and the positional exchange sacrifice. The bulk of the book is devoted to discussions of the main type of centre: Open Centre; Closed/Blocked Centre; Fixed Centre; and in particular the Mobile/Dynamic Centre.
Reader ReviewsLike this author's "Understanding Pawn Play in Chess", this book is a great addition to the library of any serious player wanting to improve his or her game. This book examines pawn structures in relation to the fight for the center. Again, the author uses complete games to help the student's understanding, and the same conversational tone of explanation that he used in his previous book. After an historical survey, he covers the Open center, Closed center, Pawn Majorities and Minority attacks and the Dynamic center. There are many fascinating games in this volume. As a chess instructor, I have found this book very useful because of the clarity with which Marovic presents his material. It is like having a greatly expanded and better organized version of the essay "Various Pawn Positions in the Center" by Alexander Kotov (in the collection of papers titled "The Art of the Middlegame" by Kotov and Keres). Those, like myself, who loved the article by Kotov will be ecstatic over this volume. One of the most difficult things in chess is to truly understand the role and power of the pawns. The books by Marovic will greatly aid that understanding.