Paata Gaprindashvili

There is much published on chess tactics, strategy, openings and endings, but little on how to come up with imaginative solutions through logical thinking and evaluation. This book is dedicated to that task and provides over 700 'fresh' positions, incorporating a variety of schemes of thought for the reader to solve. The examples emphasise the power of logical and resourceful thinking, quick wit and imagination. In each chapter the author presents little-explored concepts, such as progressive and reciprocal thinking, to help the reader achieve decisive results and to make fewer mistakes in calculation.The material has been accumulated by the author over many years as a trainer and will be of great benefit to competitive players seeking to improve their methods of thinking.

Every chess player could use an invisible friend to whisper: “This is the critical moment; your next move could win the game.” Well, this unique guide can be that friend! It helps players learn when to ignore the obvious move and look for the powerful, decisive one—so they can seize the initiative and gain the winning edge. To illustrate his invaluable lessons, the author analyzes 280 games from major competitions, and shows how the world’s greatest masters recognize and exploit “critical moments” to achieve their victories.

• A unique exploration of those pivotal moments in which chess games are won or lost – if you know how to spot them• Packed with invaluable tips and tricks on identifying critical moments, illustrated with examples from 280 chess games• Fascinating new book from the author of Imagination in Chess, which has built up a cult following in the chess worldThis exciting and unique book deals with an aspect of chess that is hard to pin those monumental moments in a game when the tide turns and the course of the game is altered. It outlines the different types of critical moment, explaining how to spot them and, crucially, how to combat them, seize the initiative and turn the game to your own advantage. To back up the theory, the author has provided deep analysis of 280 chess positions from games by some of the greatest players in the world.