Two instructional classics condensed into one practical volume!In 2014 the Russian Chess Federation started a wide-ranging programme aimed at the revival of chess in Russia. One of the first actions that were taken was commissioning legendary Belarusian chess coach Mikhail Shereshevsky to recapitulate and condense his famous training methods.In doing so Shereshevsky has created a totally reworked compendium of his acclaimed classics Endgame Strategy and The Soviet Chess Conveyor, with many new examples, exercises and discussions of various training methods. Furthermore, he has added a new and highly effective approach on how to calculate variations.Club players all over the world who wish to improve their game now have access to Shereshevsky’s famous training programme in one volume and can to build an opening repertoireHow to study the chess classics to maximum benefitHow to master the most important endgame principlesHow to effectively and efficiently calculate variationsThe Shereshevsky Method offers a unique opportunity to improve your game with one of the supreme examples of Russian chess training excellence. Studying this manual will enrich your understanding of chess enormously and help your progress on the way to chess mastery.
The book is an updated version of Endgame Strategy by the same author. I remember trying to study that book years ago having no success because of the advanced level required to benefit from it.
The current book discusses various topics such as the state of chess, computers and even some theoretical but really interesting discussions. It also contains parts of a book previously only available in Russian, so it is really a combination of those two previous books with the addition of really interesting insights on more recent publications by other authors.
My favourite part of the book was the commentary the author gives on other important books and the recommendations he gives out on what books to study.
Although the quality of the book and the knowledge of the author are evidently world class, the book doesn't deliver on the promise of its title. It recommends an approach to build an opening repertoire, one that I am planning to follow, and it also gives out general ideas on how to train young candidate masters, players who already are quite strong (around 2200 ELO) and are seeking to reach the master or even grandmaster level.
Unfortunately, most of the book buyers are not going to be strong uprising candidate masters and/or their trainers. That's the reason why I don't think a person looking for a book on how to improve in chess will benefit greatly from reading the title.
On a first reading I loved this book, it made me think hard about issues around the decision making process and the ways players choose their moves. It is a fantastic introduction to this subject, which leads the reader on to other authors and talks critically about their opinions.
Shereshevsky's endgame strategy classic I was already familiar with, but it was good to see him bring material up to date with more modern examples.
I'll let the information sink in, and then go through this book again!
Got lots of information on how to improve my chess further. Interesting thoughts on chess in general and chess training from the author as well as gathered from other people endorsed in the book. Definitely worth the read altough no specific training book and quite some excerpts from other books.
I think a lot of the instructional pieces of the book are over rated. Though, the writing on the politics, history, and lifestyle of the soviet chess machine, is really amazing. I would've preferred to read a full historical take on chess from Shereshevksky.