Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Another Step Forward


Today I noticed that 'Win with the Stonewall Dutch' has been promoted from 'Forthcoming Books' to 'New Gambit Chess Books'. There is no more information about distribution in Europe and the US, but I assume that will be added soon.
I really look forward to holding it my hands. Not only because I love books - and my own in particular - but also because I am curious how much of our last minute additions actually made it into the book.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

As you say, this is excellent news.

I am also looking forward to this,as the first "Dutch" book I am really interested in since the Bellin books. I have seen various others, and bought the Pinski one ( although I was not particularly impressed with it - too much old analysis and too few new ideas), but I do think that Bellin's Dutch books are a good standard and benchmark.

I saw a book by THomas Rendle, newly published last year, but could find no reviews, so did not pursue it. Do you know anything of it at all ? It seemed a more general Ducth repertoire book ?

At the moment I am putting my 'chess study time' ( as an amateur ) into playing the Bird, and also working through the 1909 St Petersburg Tournament book ( the new edition ), with Laskers brief, but very informative notes. The Stonewall Dutch will be a useful addition to slot into this, as the Black side of my chess-playing .

Sverre Johnsen said...

I don't have my copy of Bellin's book anymore but it was clearly the best in its time. Now it's clearly dated but still quite good as an introduction.

I am quite sure the Rendle book was cancelled after having been delayed several times. I think it was intended to be a repertoire book based on the Leningrad. Maybe it will resurface some time - there clearly must have been a manuscript under way.

I have never studied the St Petersburg tournament but I remember there was a game with the 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e4 London line. Does Lasker comment on that?

Good luck with your studies!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I had another look around for the Rendle book, and opinion, plus Everyman's web site ,seems to indicate that it has been cancelled. Interestingly, though, there are two glowing reviews on Amazon.co.uk for it ? So either it was out briefly and two people bought it, or...not :)

It was based on the Lenigrad Dutch as you mention.

Your website also had a few mentions as a good place for "Dutch" info...( see here for example http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1205407261/0).

It's definitely worhwhile all the effort you put in !

I am now going to dig out both the Bellin books I have ( his original "Classical Dutch" & "Winning with...") . I recall that the "Winning With..." was an update with re-organised material and more up to date.

I last did this when I found the Pinski book, hence the comment that Pinski wasn't that original.

The Simon Williams book was also recommended. DO you know anything of that ?

I will check the St Petersburg tournament later tonight. I know there are about 5 or 6 Dutch games, but I started thematically with the Vienna, Ponziani, Scotch, Bishop etc so have not reached the Queen Pawn openings yet.

It is surprising the effect this has had on my actual play of going through the tournament. Its a definite improvement !

Anonymous said...

St Petersburg 1909 London System. Well, this is Vidmar-Perlis, round 13 and only 13 moves to a draw ,so few comments. After 3. e4 Lasker comments "Albin's Counter Gambit for the first player". 3...dxe4 gives us "Better seems 3..Nc6". Then a lengthy comment on 8.Bxd5 that it would be better to take with the knight ( plus a number of variations ) concluding that, after his given variations, "White's bishops would be in an excellent position."

What you expected ? or not ?

[Event "St Petersburg International Tournament"]
[Site "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Date "1909"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Vidmar Milan Sr (YUG)"]
[Black "Perlis Julius (AUT)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Eco "D00"]

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e4 dxe4 ( 3...Nc6 ) 4.d5 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4
e6 7.Bc4 exd5 8.Bxd5 ( 8.Nxd5 Nxd5 9.Qxd5 Qxd5 10.Bxd5 f5
( 10...Be7 11.Bxe4 ) 11.f3 ) Be7 9.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 Nxe4 11.Nxe4
O-O 12.Ne2 Nc6 13.O-O 1/2-1/2

Sverre Johnsen said...

I like Williams' book even though he attempts the impossible. In 128 pages he covers not only the Classical Dutch but also Alekhine's 6...Ne4, some systems with early ...Bb4+ and the Anti-Dutch. I agree with the reviewer who wrote something like 'What he writes is good. The problem is what he doesn't write'. Williams sticks his neck out with some interesting analysis and some optimistic evaluations and may not be the most objective author out there but his style is engaging.

Studying an old tournament book can be quite fruitful. There are some pretty good new ones but for an aspiring player the classical games can be more instructive. The only chess book I have read from cover to cover is Bronstein's book on Zuerich 1953. It didn't revolutionize my results but I think it must have compensated somewhat for my declining tournament activity.

Sverre Johnsen said...

Thank you!

Mostly as expected but the comment about 3...Nc6 is interesting. I saw it recommended somewhere (Prie?) fairly recently and have not found anything convincing for White yet. The analysis in 'Win with the London System' is insufficient and must be improved and it will be nice to attribute the move correctly. Lasker was an extremely good player, far ahead of most of his contemporaries, but I have never enjoyed his annotations much - they are mostly too dry for my taste.

Anonymous said...

http://www.newinchess.com/DutchStonewall-p-1798&utm_campaign=1798_DutchStonewall&utm_medium=chessvibes&utm_source=chessvibes.com&utm_content=text-link.html

Sverre Johnsen said...

Thanks!

I noticed that it now is available in Europe according to Gambit's website.

Howard streit said...

The Week in Chess (TWIC) website is advertising the book as being available in their London store!

Sverre Johnsen said...

Thanks for helping me monitor the web!

It seems I will soon be only one that haven't got the book!

Sverre Johnsen said...

Now I see Niggemann too offers the book. Maybe it will reach Norway on Monday?

Anonymous said...

Its now available via the Book Depository ( an Amazon-like site, but with free world-wide delivery )http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781906454074/Win-with-the-Stonewall-Dutch.

Van Stockum bookstore in Den Haag( which boasts an excellent and expansive chess section ) doesn't have it in yet, but it is expected soon...