In many ways this book is complementary to the last Batsford book reviewed - "Studying Chess Made Easy" by Andrew Soltis. Soltis gave us sound advise on how to study and now the International Correspondence Chess Master, Paata Gaprindashvili, gives us the material to study. It is amazing that Batsford should produce two books simultaneously that provide us with a complete study course. "Critical Moments in Chess" gives us a progression of critical moments throughout a game when the result of the game depends upon a few positions that demand close examination and a clear resolution. Thus we are advised how to recognise the critical positions and then, how to identify why that position is critical and how best to press forward any advantage that may be lurking in that position. The chapter headings will give some idea of how the author sets about that task. 1. Critical moments. 2. Critical moments: struggle and capture of the initiative. 3. Critical moments: development of the initiative, creation of an attack. 4. Critical moments: obtaining and retaining the advantage; creation of counterplay; taking over the initiative from the opponent, etc. 5. Critical moments: delivering the decisive blow. 6. Exercises. Together with a preface, pages of solutions and an index to players, this book has 271 pages and is well worth the recommended price of £15:99. The essence of the book is encapsulated in the first paragraph of the first chapter:- "Almost every game has its own critical moments. Moments, where you have to decide questions about the initiative, advantage, where situations of conflict arise. Such moments have great significance, having an influence on the further course of the struggle. In games there will usually be 2-3 critical moments. They will arise in very different situations, but most frequently during 1) the struggle for the initiative; 2) development of the initiative, creation of the attack; 3) delivery of as decisive blow." The remaining chapters delve deeper into these concepts giving explanations on particular examples. Here the author considers the various types of critical positions - clear and hidden. Clear critical positions are those where the object of conflict is present and the conflict is obvious. Hidden is where the object of conflict is concealed and the conflict itself is not present. This is a rather difficult concept to grasp but the many examples given clear the air. Following each of Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 are exercises that you are required to solve containing the theme of the chapter. These also demonstrate the various techniques that can be employed in the realisation of the object of conflict. It is very instructive to work through these examples, bearing in mind the theme of the chapter. Then follows the real meat of the book in 170 examples of critical positions taken from actual play that you are required to solve. However, here you are not given a clue as to what concepts apply and one is consequently placed in a position one would be when actually sat at the board. Solutions to all examples are contained on 167 pages and are well explained with reference to the particular concept that they illustrate. Here are some examples taken from various parts of the book.
Solutions can be found HERE. Paata Gaprindashvili is a former European Correspondence Chess Champion and has another distinguished title to his name in the Batsford Chess Series - "Imagination in Chess". Having also been a trainer, he is well experienced in explaining the vagaries of play in a clear and precise manner. At times his English is rather stilted, but this does not detract from the flow of the text. This book is well recommended as a "stand-alone" exposition on recognising and solving critical situations but particularly recommended as a workshop to complement the Soltis book. Bill Frost April 2010
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