Igor Yanvarev "Tactical Mastery of a Chess Player. Volume 2. Basics of Calculation Techniques". Andrey Elkov Publishing House, Moscow, 2025 - 392 p. Before you is the second book from the three-volume work by International Master I.K. Yanvarev, a famous trainer, author of the fundamental work "The Old Indian Played by Tigran Petrosian" (2010), which received recognition from readers and was republished abroad. The three-volume work is united by a common idea - tactics and combinations in chess. In fact, this is a turnkey textbook, it explains everything from scratch to an advanced level. The second volume is devoted to the basics of calculation techniques, such topics as the tactical "spectrum" of a position, concentration of attention, inclusion of imagination are considered, the "tree of variations" is interpreted in a new way, the practical component is emphasized - the economy of calculation. A separate chapter allows the reader to assess their ability to calculate variations and outline ways to eliminate weaknesses. Each chapter ends with a large number of carefully selected examples for independent solution. Unlike other similar publications, the author examines chess tactics as a single whole, in combination with strategy and elements of psychology. It is based on the original author's methodology, which has proven itself well when working with chess players of various qualifications. Excellently selected examples, a clear logical structure and consistency in the presentation simplify the understanding of the material. For a wide range of chess fans.

Hundreds of thousands of novice chess players have held in their hands the solution books of “1000 chess problems” for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years of study. These collections became winners of the “Chess Vseobuch of Russia” competition. We decided to combine our three books into one so that the future grandmaster would have more opportunities for improvement and choice of material. It will also be easier for students and coaches to regulate the speed of the material. In the first parts of our book, novice chess players will get acquainted with all possible types of checkmates. Then, future grandmasters will learn to deliver magnificent double blows with a queen and a knight, promote a pawn to a queen. Studying according to this solution book, you will also master the pin, learn to cover yourself from the enemy's pieces, block the enemy's forces, destroy the most reliable fortresses, distract and entice his royal majesty and much more. Work with the book as with a textbook, and do not forget to write down the solutions under each diagram! The correct solutions are at the end of the book. For the widest range of chess fans.

The answer book of an international grandmaster and an experienced coach (among whose students is A. Grischuk) Bloch's Maxim contains over 1200 combinations from practical games and specially compiled examples. All tasks are characterized by intense struggle, in which the goal is achieved by single moves. The book is intended for both young and adult amateurs, and for masters. The arrangement of examples by topic allows you to use the book not only as a task book, but also as a textbook. Of particular interest are over two hundred specially compiled by the author overstressed positions in which white wins the only way during the course of white, and black wins during the course of black. These examples, as well as over 50 fragments from the parties of the author and his students, are published for the first time.

International Master Tibor Karolyi and FIDE Master Tigran Gozalyan have prepared a major work (in two volumes) about the life and work of the 9th world chess champion Tigran Petrosyan (he held the title from 1963 to 1969).  Volume II (1963-1984) tells about Petrosyan's victory in the 1963 world title match over Mikhail Botvinnik, about the grandiose two-match confrontation with Boris Spassky in 1966 and 1969, about all his candidates' matches after losing the title – against Bobby Fischer, Viktor Korchnoi and other world-class opponents. All tournaments and matches of the second half of Petrosian's chess career are presented, up to his last performances in 1983. The authors subjected 175 complete games and fragments to an in-depth analysis (using modern computers). Not all of them have been deeply studied and commented on before, but even then the book provides a significantly improved analysis. Among Petrosyan’s opponents – world champions and contenders Kasparov, Karpov, Fischer, Spassky, Tal, Smyslov, Botvinnik, Korchnoi and Bronstein, as well as Timman, Larsen, Reshevsky, Belyavsky, Polugaevsky, Portisch, Romanishin and many others. Special attention is paid to his coaches – Alexey Suetin and Igor Zaitsev. 

The Caro-Kann defense is one of the most popular modern openings, which is firmly included in the repertoire of most elite chess players. The author of the book, a well-known grandmaster and theorist, offers a full repertoire for black in response to 1.e4, explains in detail the main strategic ideas of each option and gives the exact order of moves, offers a number of novelties in current schemes. In each chapter, alternative plans for black are considered, so that the reader can make a choice according to his taste, and it was more difficult for the opponent to prepare. Much attention in the monograph is paid to correspondence games in which players use all the achievements of modern technology. All analyses during the work on the manuscript are checked on powerful computers. Carefully selected positions for the solution will help the reader to consolidate the acquired knowledge. The 2nd edition supplements the section with the 10 most interesting current parties. The book is addressed to chess players of any level – from amateurs to professionals.  

The book by grandmaster and experienced coach Alexander Galkin is dedicated to the strongest piece on the chessboard – to the queen. Using the example of episodes from games of modern grandmasters (the vast majority of games date back to 2020-2023) and his own grandmaster practice, the author tries to generalize, and in some places even clarify the methodology for understanding and playing queen endings, as well as other types of endgames with the presence of queens ) On the desk. The book presents various ratios of material – “queen against queen”, “queen and minor piece against queen and minor piece”, “queen and rook against queen and rook”, “queen against two rooks”, “queen against rook and pawns”, “ queen against a rook and a minor piece”, “two queens against two queens” – practically the entire spectrum of encountered endgames of this type. The material is structured in such a way that the reader can get maximum benefit from studying the examples of queen endings and its other derivatives offered by the author. The book is aimed at advanced chess players, is useful for coaches and can be recommended to a wide range of chess fans.

The authors continue to study typical opening and middlegame positions. Royal Fortress No. 2 has pawns on squares f7, g6, h7 (or f2, g3, h2), and they are usually joined by another defender – bishop on g7 (g2). This formation is called fianchetto, it is found in many popular openings, such as the Catalan Opening, King's Indian Defense, Grunfeld Defense and a number of others.  The authors analyze in detail the techniques of attack, defense and counterattack. Most examples – from the creativity of modern chess players (for example, a separate chapter is dedicated to the strongest Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi); they are complemented by parts that have become a classical heritage. The book contains about 300 positions for independent solution, so it is not only a textbook, but also a solid problem book. Grandmaster Konstantin Chernyshov, head of the Interregional Grandmaster School in Kostroma, and his daughter International Master Natalya Kareva – experienced coaches, whose students include grandmasters and masters, champions of Russia and Europe among juniors.  The book is addressed to young chess players and their mentors. 

This new book by the many-times world champion Anatoly Karpov and the author of more than fifty books, grandmaster Nikolay Kalinichenko, is devoted to one of the most complicated and strategically deep openings & mdash; the Queen's Gambit Declined. Using games played by the strongest grandmasters, it describes the interesting ideas which have appeared in the main development systems of this opening. Along with games from recent years, the book presents the most important encounters from the chess heritage. And of course, it includes games by Anatoly Karpov himself & mdash; a great expert on the Queen's Gambit, who generously shares with the reading his unique understanding of the concepts involved. The book is aimed at strong players, but it will also be of interest to a wide range of chess enthusiasts.

This tutorial is addressed to those who want to learn to play chess on their own and improve further. The lesson-based method of presentation, as well as numerous exercises, contribute to the consistent assimilation of the rules and laws that form the basis of the chess game. The book contains extensive educational material, which is presented to the reader in accordance with modern pedagogical principles. The purpose of this manual is to train chess players of the III category (rating up to 1800). The textbook can also be used for classes in groups - it covers the material of existing programs of the first year of study in children's and youth chess schools.