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Python Strategy
Tigran Petrosian is a titan of chess history. All agree he was a genius of strategy, defense and sacrifice, but didn’t he take too many draws? Possibly so, but when Petrosian selected and annotated his best games, that flaw disappeared, leaving only brilliance and profound chess understanding. As Garry Kasparov "My games with the 9th World Champion broadened my understanding of chess. Had it not been for these two defeats, I would possibly not have reached the top in chess."
This book is an English translation of a Russian classic that is a favorite of many grandmasters, including Mihail Marin and Levon Aronian. A literal translation of the Russian title might be 'The Strategy of Soundness' but Python Strategy is a better fit for Petrosian’s more ambitious games. As another World Champion, Max Euwe, once "Petrosian is not a tiger that pounces on its prey, but rather a python that smothers its victim."
This book is an English translation of a Russian classic that is a favorite of many grandmasters, including Mihail Marin and Levon Aronian. A literal translation of the Russian title might be 'The Strategy of Soundness' but Python Strategy is a better fit for Petrosian’s more ambitious games. As another World Champion, Max Euwe, once "Petrosian is not a tiger that pounces on its prey, but rather a python that smothers its victim."
- GenresChess
392 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2015
13 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Tigran Petrosian
19 booksTigran Vartanovich Petrosi︠a︡n, the world chess champion from 1963-1969
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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May 1, 2024Great book. Brilliant Games. Best World Champion of all time.
So, about the cover...
What the hell is the snake doing? Should it strangle the pawn? Is this the pun?
Who on earth thought it would be a good idea to use such saturated colors for the snake while the pawn looks like a disappearing ghost? Two different worlds which should never clash.
The more I look at the cover, the more the world becomes alienated. It does not seem like a three dimensional scenario, are there fractal dimensions? Does the bar on the top make it better?
Maybe this is a metaphor about life... maybe about memorizing positions versus understanding underlying ideas? Please, if someone understands, tell me. I am desperate. This cover broke me.
Besides, this does not look like a healthy snake (the uppermost part of the snake if you did not notice is especially estranged. But also the tip of its tail... But the whole snake does not match the pawn in dimensions...). I get this is a fast idea for a cover, but I really hope quality chess sees the problem in going only for quantity instead of quality. Quality chess, no quality photoshop.
The content of this book is really good. And this is what counts the most.
But still, the cover is really really bad. It bothered me so much I have removed the cover page from my pdf file and am really happy I did not buy the hardcover version!
So, about the cover...
What the hell is the snake doing? Should it strangle the pawn? Is this the pun?
Who on earth thought it would be a good idea to use such saturated colors for the snake while the pawn looks like a disappearing ghost? Two different worlds which should never clash.
The more I look at the cover, the more the world becomes alienated. It does not seem like a three dimensional scenario, are there fractal dimensions? Does the bar on the top make it better?
Maybe this is a metaphor about life... maybe about memorizing positions versus understanding underlying ideas? Please, if someone understands, tell me. I am desperate. This cover broke me.
Besides, this does not look like a healthy snake (the uppermost part of the snake if you did not notice is especially estranged. But also the tip of its tail... But the whole snake does not match the pawn in dimensions...). I get this is a fast idea for a cover, but I really hope quality chess sees the problem in going only for quantity instead of quality. Quality chess, no quality photoshop.
The content of this book is really good. And this is what counts the most.
But still, the cover is really really bad. It bothered me so much I have removed the cover page from my pdf file and am really happy I did not buy the hardcover version!
October 23, 2018
Although I have read several books by and about Tigran Petrosian, this book is perhaps the best! Petrosian provides tremendous insight into his personality and thought process.
The cover of the book exemplifies his original style that would smother his opponents with a boa constrictor-like strategy where they were often rendered helpless.
One of the more interesting things to note is just how tactical Petrosian was when he was younger. While not a sacrificial wizard like Tal, he did have a love for sacrificing the exchange, a tactic that he became well known for. But, it was fascinating to see his early games when he was more of a tactician than the smothering positional player that he later evolved into.
The cover of the book exemplifies his original style that would smother his opponents with a boa constrictor-like strategy where they were often rendered helpless.
One of the more interesting things to note is just how tactical Petrosian was when he was younger. While not a sacrificial wizard like Tal, he did have a love for sacrificing the exchange, a tactic that he became well known for. But, it was fascinating to see his early games when he was more of a tactician than the smothering positional player that he later evolved into.
January 22, 2024
At last! Finishing a chess book is a big deal because I don't get very much time to play through moves in the old style. I have a note from February 2016 affixed to game two of this 111 game collection, though, so I have been working on this one albeit sporadically for eight years...
But certainly a real pleasure, this. Tigran Petrosian was a chess player whose style probably resonates the most with my own; somewhat defensive and aimed at preventing the opponent from working up an attack rather than being drawn to attack oneself.
But those exchange sacrifices, goodness they really did sparkle.
But certainly a real pleasure, this. Tigran Petrosian was a chess player whose style probably resonates the most with my own; somewhat defensive and aimed at preventing the opponent from working up an attack rather than being drawn to attack oneself.
But those exchange sacrifices, goodness they really did sparkle.
March 8, 2020
chronological sampling of petrosian’s career. solid historical info sets off each chapter and the annotation is his own, providing a small window into the iron tiger’s thought processes. only minor drawback is that games aren’t more fully annotated. don’t let that deter you if you’re a fan of petrosian or just wanting to more fully explore his “python” style.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews