Numerous books have emerged on chess tactics, with many more to come. And that is hardly surprising, given the pivotal role tactics play in chess. Mastering and applying tactical twists often decide between victory and defeat.
100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know offers a unique perspective. While presenting a diverse array of tactical themes, the book focuses not only on general positional features like undefended pieces or an exposed king but also on the specific arrangement of chess pieces, a crucial factor in executing successful tactics. Focusing on typical piece configurations allows you to evaluate and decide more quickly and efficiently in certain positions.
In addition to this book, there is also The 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know Workbook. In this workbook, you can test the knowledge gained in this book with over 500 exercises.
And now the book is also available on Chessable! IM Kostya Kavutskiy presents the course in over 15 hours of video explanations. Below175
This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with English grandmaster Matthew Sadler.
Often called "the world's strongest amateur", Matthew is a former two-time British Chess Champion. He is also active as a streamer and author, and of course as the beloved book reviewer for New In Chess Magazine. In our last conversation with Matthew, we talked at length about "Game Changer", his critically acclaimed book about Google's AlphaZero chess engine. This time, we discuss even more recent developments in (computer) chess, such as the recent string of odds games played by Leela and the Freestyle "world championship".
Interviewed by Dirk Jan Ten Geuzendam, Matthew previews the year 2025, discusses his fascination with Leela, talks about some classic chess books, and even gives an interesting take on the stale-growing GOAT debate in chess, among many other things.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
2:16 – Matthew’s fascination with recent odds games played by chess engine175
Of course, we are mainly into print ourselves. However, the content of our books is also available in various electronic formats. We have our Interactive eBook library at https://www.newinchess.com/booksdigital, and on Forwardchess.com, you can get all the eBooks of the New In Chess group.
Some of our books are very well suited for a slightly different format, and that’s where Chessable comes in!
On February 6th, Chessable announced the winners of the 2024 Chessable Awards. You can check all the winners in the 15 categories on their excellent blog, but here, I want to highlight a few related to the New In Chess group.
Chessable Course of the Year – The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional PlayFrom the report: “The famous Woodpecker Method has long been regarded as one of the best ways to supercharge your tactical skills. But last year, GM Axel Smith published the sequel and it’s proving a great way to hone your strategic skills too.”
You can check out the course or have a look at the book.
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Dutch grandmaster Loek van Wely.
One of our return guests, Loek needs no introduction for our regular listeners. An eight-time Dutch national champion, Loek had his career peak in 2001, when he made it to the world top 10 with a rating of 2714. Besides his own achievements on the chess board, Loek is a successful coach, who has worked with stars like Gata Kamsky, Vladimir Kramnik (2007), Veselin Topalov, and more recently the Italian national team and Dutch grandmaster Max Warmerdam.
With an incredible 25 appearances in the Masters group, Loek is the most experienced Tata Steel Chess Tournament player alive. Going back all the way to 1989, Loek has faced off with virtually every strong contemporary player at the event, from Viktor Korchnoi to the Polgar sisters as well as every World Champion of his era. Interviewed by Dirk Jan Ten Geuzendam, he looks back on the performances of several top players at this year’s175
Paul Morphy might be one of the most interesting personalities in chess history. In his latest book, The Real Paul Morphy, award-winning author Charles Hertan brings you everything you need to know about Paul Morphy's life, chess, and legacy in a single volume.
Of course, this does not go unnoticed, and Mark Capron, editor of The Chess Journalist, not only reviews the book but also has an extensive interview with Charles Hertan in the latest issue of the magazine.
“The Chess Journalists of America was created to help promote and encourage chess writing and communication in its myriad forms. They encourage chess journalists and writers, editors and publishers, and creators and producers of digital media to exchange information and ideas for their mutual benefit.” (https://chessjournalism.org/)
The review and the interview are excellent reads if you are curious and would like to know more about the unique book on one of the greatest players of all time or the man behind it.
Below are some175
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