Positional Attacks

by Joel Johnson

The third installment of the best-selling series of attack books - Formation Attacks, Formation Attack Strategies, and now, Positional Attacks is another 500 page book, full of great attack information with 532 fabulous attack games from all openings and all eras. The aim of Positional Attacks is to uncover the artistic side of attacking, one that is primarily centered on the creation and exploitation of weaknesses. Oh sure, there will be tactics; after all they cannot be avoided in chess - nor would we want to exclude them. But there is nothing quite like witnessing chess masters dissect their opponents with smooth, elegant, aggressive, positional attacking maneuvers. And, once again, the games provided in the book came from an in-depth global search for unique, inspirational, and original attacks from some of the world’s greatest attackers. Many of them toil in remote areas of the planet and have only a local following.

500 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2014

About the author

Joel Johnson, unlike nearly all other chess masters, started playing tournament chess at the advanced age of 17. But it did not take long before success struck, in just his third chess tourney, Joel won the 1972 Merrimack Valley High Chess Championship (Lowell, MA area). Less than six years later, Joel earned the National Master title, raising his USCF rating from 1342 to 2320, followed shortly thereafter, by earning the Life Master title. As a player, Joel is a tactical chess player that has won many chess tournaments during his roughly thirty-five years of playing chess at the Master Level. During the summer of 2007, Joel won the 2007 U.S. Senior Chess Championship.

Over the last few years, Joel has been the most active chess player in the state of Arizona, playing more than triple the number of USCF rated games, than the next most active player. In addition to playing, Joel was an award winning Editor of "Chess Horizons", the official state chess magazine for the state of Massachusetts and is currently the Games Editor for the magazine.

During his career, Joel has been involved in all aspects of chess, from organizing and directing chess tournaments, serving as a chess magazine editor, serving as a games editor, creating chess clubs, writing chess books (including the best selling "Formation Attacks" and the recently released "Fromation Attack Strategies"), winning many chess tourneys, to being a very highly sought after chess coach, possessing great communication skills and many successful students.

What people are saying about my books:

Life Master Brian Wall (USCF: 2213)
2 time Colorado State Champion ======================================================
I think I've died and gone to heaven. It's terrific to see Joel succeed with another instant classic.

Randall Hoch (USCF: 1891) - Texas
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I am finding it as enjoyable as your first one. The games you have chosen are not only instructive, but also very entertaining. Your books have given me appreciation and motivation to play attacking chess from move 1. ... So I have to credit you with showing me the way!

Michael Stewart (USCF: 2267) - Mississippi ===========================================
I got your new book, outstanding work!!! Better than the first if that's possible. Both books are attacking classics and should be on every chess players shelf.