Paring Chess to its Essence

by John D. Warth

Back to Basics: Strategy by Valeri Beim, Russell Enterprises 2011,

Paperback, Figurine Algebraic Notation, 224pp. $22.95 (ChessCafe Price:
$18.95)

It is a good thing I was taught not to judge a book by its cover; otherwise, I
Book would have passed over this gem by Viennese international master Valeri
Beim. The confusing cover art depicts a chess queen, her open midsection Lessons in Chess Strategy
Reviews with exposed pendulum clockworks, and an explosion of letters and numerals by Valeri Beim
in a confetti of colors and sizes. What the artist had in mind, I will leave to
our astute readership to interpret.

This volume of the Back to Basics series targets intermediate club and
tournament players who might want a more solid grounding in strategic
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principles and chess fundamentals. More advanced players will be familiar
with these important concepts, but the author has interposed a myriad of
interesting illustrative games that anyone can learn from and enjoy.

Unlike other writers, Beim doesn't make the mistake of assuming too much
about what his readers might already know. In explaining the basics, the
author has a knack for paring chess to its essence. The author shows us, both
in words and with copious diagrams, how to evaluate positions. Only then can Chess Strategy for
we proceed with a plan. Club Players
by Herman Grooten
The author has divided his treatise topically, with subjects including piece
development, control of central squares, exploiting two distanced weaknesses,
principle effects of pawn structures, piece coordination, the strengths of
bishop-pairs, when to implement plans, and the strengths and effects of
Rating Chart controlling open lines. However, no index is provided for themes or games.
Awful –
Beim's approach reminds me of another great instructor, Australian and world
Poor – correspondence champion and author, Cecil Purdy. Like Purdy, Beim's
strength is clarity, as in this example, from Chapter Three, "The Center":
Uneven –
Kramnik – Kasparov, Novogrod 1997
Good –

Great – Soviet Chess Strategy

by Alexei Suetin
Excellent –

[FEN "5r2/1p3q1k/r2p3p/1NpPb3/P1n1Pp2/
5R1Q/5P1P/2B3RK"]

"What strikes you first? That both the center squares which are
unoccupied by pawns are securely controlled by black pieces, and that
White's heavy pieces are concentrated on the kingside, where the open g-
file is so attractive – but here his minor pieces stand, temporarily far
removed from that side of the board. And of course, the weaknesses:
White's pawn at a4 is doomed; its demise will open a path for Black's
 rook into the enemy camp. White, for his part, intends to remove the f4-
pawn, although this will not be so easy."

For less experienced players, Beim's principled approach might seem more
lucid than those aimed at more advanced players. Books with less text and
more lines of analysis can be confusing and tiresome, even for experts.
Instructively, Beim reminds us that tactics without strategic goals are of little
use.

Beim emphasizes the over-arching importance of pawn structure on strategy.

Pawns, he says, are the slowest and most critical aspect of positional change.
Their moves can create permanent weaknesses, and mistakes in pawn
structure are costly and often unfixable. Pawns alone move without looking
back and so must advance with caution.

Positional weaknesses are the topic of Chapter Five, where Beim includes the
game Smyslov – Simagin, played at Moscow in 1955 to illustrate
evaluational specifics:

[FEN "8/2n2rkp/4p1p1/p1N3P1/1pP2P2/
4PK2/P7/3R4"]

"At a glance, it is obvious that White has the advantage in this position.
It can be measured four ways: (a) his control of the only open file; (b)
his more active king; (c) his more active knight; and (d) his more active
pawn configuration on the kingside. The number of isolated pawns even
favors Black: he has one, White has two. As Smyslov convincingly
demonstrates, only White can reap any benefit from the opponent's
isolated pawns. The reason is simple: he has something he can do with
it, while his opponent has nothing! The difference in activity of all the
elements of the position, without exception, between the two sides
explains why this should be so. The game continued..."

37.Ke4 h6 38.Rd6! hxg5 39.fxg5

"Now all four of White's pawns are isolated, but Black gains very little
from it, for the reason already cited. Meanwhile, White's pieces forge
irresistibly ahead, invading the enemy's position."

39...Kf8 40.Rc6 Ke8 41.Ke5!

"A very useful moment for anyone who wants to learn the technique of
realizing an advantage. White could have won a pawn; but after 41.
Nxe6 Re7 42.Rxc7 (how terrible it would have been to lose this game,
which is what would happen after 42.Ke5?? a4 43.Kf6 Rxe6+ 44.Rxe6+
Nxe6 45.Kxe6 b3) 42...Rxe6+, Black would gain definite counterplay –
better than he had up till now. And an important element in good
technique of realizing an advantage is just this: knowing how to keep
one's opponent from gaining more counterplay than he deserves from
his previous play! So Smyslov refuses to take the pawn, choosing
instead to strengthen the position of his pieces still further."

General readers will enjoy the play-by-play analysis of this book, along with
its ample diagrams. (Many page spreads have four to seven diagrams!) More
advanced players will enjoy the many astutely-chosen games that illustrate
selected strategies and plans. It is unfortunate that so few guidebooks can do
this. Even computer databases, for all their limitless strengths, crunch just lists
of moves: it is usually left up to the user to sort, digest, and apply all the data.
Anyone who has ever watched the playing engine Fritz calculate moves at
light-speed has probably experienced this kind of analytical frustration.

Principles of chess are best understood when explained both verbally and
visually. Books take a person-to-person approach, especially so in the hands
of a caring teacher. Databases have their place, of course, and I would be a
less effective instructor and player without my own, but it is heartening that
good writers are still out there and able to sort, analyze, and interpret this
wonderful but incorrigibly frustrating game. This is a good, but not ground-
breaking book hidden beneath a terrible and confusing cover.

My assessment of this product:

Order Back to Basics: Strategy

by Valeri Beim

A PDF file of this week's review, along with all previous product reviews, is
available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.

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