Winning starts with planning before the game, teaches legendary chess coach Vladimir Tukmakov. In this ground-breaking book he shows how chess preparation has become a systematic process and how today’s top players make their game plans.

The most important aim of modern preparation, both for professionals and for ambitious amateurs, is to get a playable position that you understand better than your opponent.

The role of the computer in preparation has grown tremendously and Tukmakov explains how top grandmasters use their ‘Metal Friend’. He warns that professionals should not put too much trust in chess engines and should analyse more deeply themselves.

Club players, on the other hand, should reduce their time in front of the machine to a minimum. Tukmakov explains what amateurs should do in order to arrive at the board well-armed: study the classics, analyse your own games without a computer, and know yourself.

A special chapter is devoted to must-win situations: when the outcome of a tournament, a match or even a whole life depends on a single game. With lots of brilliant examples, inside information and amusing anecdotes, Modern Chess Preparation is not only highly instructive, but also a joy to read.

“Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, and having a sober awareness of your own shortcomings, will pay dividends at any level, from beginners up to World Champions.”

A former Ukrainian champion, Grandmaster Vladimir Tukmakov (born 1946 in Odessa) won many tournaments and came second in three Soviet championships. After his active career he became an esteemed chess coach. He was non-playing captain of the Ukraine team that won gold at the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, 2004.

GM Luke McShane:
"I really like this book (..) Tukmakov's discussion of the modern game is highly astute."

Martin Rieger, Rochade Europa Magazine:
"Tukmakov has created a unique symbiosis: a training book with stories. Qualifications such as 'brilliant' or 'wonderful' are really far too stale for this work (..) This book will most probably become a classic in chess literature."

IM Arthur van de Oudeweetering, ChessVibes:
"There is a lot of thought-provoking stuff in the book."

Jeremy Silman, author of 'How to Reassess Your Chess':
"A fascinating and original (useful!) book about chess prep, but not the kind you've ever been exposed to before (..) Exhilarating reading (..) This chapter [2: The Computer Era] is nothing less than brilliant (..) Overall this book is beautifully written and deeply thought out."

Jonathan Adams, Australasian Chess Magazine:
"Easy to follow by the avarage club player."