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Understanding Chess Middlegames
The three-times World Chess Solving Champion distils the most useful middlegame concepts and knowledge into 100 lessons that everyone can understand.
Following on from his successful Understanding Chess Endgames, John Nunn turns his attention to the middlegame - the phase of the chess battle where most games are decided, yet the one that has received the least systematic treatment from chess writers. With the outstanding clarity for which he is famous, Nunn breaks down complex problems into bite-sized pieces.
In the case of attacking play, we are shown how to decide where to attack, and the specific methods that can be used to pursue the enemy king. Positional play is described in terms of the major structural issues, and how the pieces work around and with the pawns. Nunn explains how to assess when certain pieces are better than others, and how we can make use of this understanding at the board. Readers will never be short of a plan, whatever type of position arises.
Each lesson features two inspiring examples from modern chess, annotated honestly and with a keen focus on the main instructive points. Both sides' ideas are emphasized, so we get a clear picture of the ways to disrupt typical plans as well as how to form them.
Following on from his successful Understanding Chess Endgames, John Nunn turns his attention to the middlegame - the phase of the chess battle where most games are decided, yet the one that has received the least systematic treatment from chess writers. With the outstanding clarity for which he is famous, Nunn breaks down complex problems into bite-sized pieces.
In the case of attacking play, we are shown how to decide where to attack, and the specific methods that can be used to pursue the enemy king. Positional play is described in terms of the major structural issues, and how the pieces work around and with the pawns. Nunn explains how to assess when certain pieces are better than others, and how we can make use of this understanding at the board. Readers will never be short of a plan, whatever type of position arises.
Each lesson features two inspiring examples from modern chess, annotated honestly and with a keen focus on the main instructive points. Both sides' ideas are emphasized, so we get a clear picture of the ways to disrupt typical plans as well as how to form them.
232 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2011
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284 people want to read
About the author
John Nunn
137 books44 followersJohn Denis Martin Nunn is an English chess grandmaster, a three-time world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician. He is one of England's strongest chess players and once was in the world's top ten.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 18, 2021
Helpful overview of numerous concepts that are relevant for the middlegame stage.
I rate the book 3 stars because some of the concepts did not seem as relevant as others (maybe to get a sum of 100 total), and some of the game fragments did not perfectly convey the intended concept.
Overall, a well executed effort.
I rate the book 3 stars because some of the concepts did not seem as relevant as others (maybe to get a sum of 100 total), and some of the game fragments did not perfectly convey the intended concept.
Overall, a well executed effort.
October 9, 2019
This book is simply amazing.
Author starts with misconceptions in chess and then explains all the important middlegame subjects with 2 instructive example. Another brilliant Nunn effort.
Author starts with misconceptions in chess and then explains all the important middlegame subjects with 2 instructive example. Another brilliant Nunn effort.
July 18, 2023
In the process of working through this book but I already have some thoughts.
I'm grateful that there is a book with such a comprehensive analysis of middlegame ideas. As Nunn himself points out, middlegames are often nebulous and difficult to analyze, so having a book which attempts that is commendable in and of itself.
That being said, what I've seen of the book so far has been a real mixed bag. Some of the sections have good explanations about specific situations and offer general points that can be applied across different scenarios. However, other sections feel as though Nunn is trying to show off how great his analysis is compared to other masters without clearly discussing the "why". I understand that analyzing games and deducing alternate moves is important to developing tactics and strategy, but there really needs to be basic principles which are reinforced by the analyses.
For instance, there is a section titled "Creating a Plan" which I assumed would discuss concepts of developing and implementing a plan once you're out of the early game. (This was of particular interest to me because I'm at a point in my play where I need to work on my middlegame.) Instead of any kind of guidelines or concepts, the two-page section was just analysis of a pair of games with little to no clear discussion of the players' plans.
This makes me wonder what the target audience is for this book. Is it intermediate and advanced players? Can beginners get anything out of this? Is this what the accepted method of learning chess looks like, just analyzing moves within games without clear explanations as to why those moves matter?
I bought the book so I will endeavor to complete all the lessons, but I'm already feeling a bit let down by what I've seen. Perhaps it will pick up.
I'm grateful that there is a book with such a comprehensive analysis of middlegame ideas. As Nunn himself points out, middlegames are often nebulous and difficult to analyze, so having a book which attempts that is commendable in and of itself.
That being said, what I've seen of the book so far has been a real mixed bag. Some of the sections have good explanations about specific situations and offer general points that can be applied across different scenarios. However, other sections feel as though Nunn is trying to show off how great his analysis is compared to other masters without clearly discussing the "why". I understand that analyzing games and deducing alternate moves is important to developing tactics and strategy, but there really needs to be basic principles which are reinforced by the analyses.
For instance, there is a section titled "Creating a Plan" which I assumed would discuss concepts of developing and implementing a plan once you're out of the early game. (This was of particular interest to me because I'm at a point in my play where I need to work on my middlegame.) Instead of any kind of guidelines or concepts, the two-page section was just analysis of a pair of games with little to no clear discussion of the players' plans.
This makes me wonder what the target audience is for this book. Is it intermediate and advanced players? Can beginners get anything out of this? Is this what the accepted method of learning chess looks like, just analyzing moves within games without clear explanations as to why those moves matter?
I bought the book so I will endeavor to complete all the lessons, but I'm already feeling a bit let down by what I've seen. Perhaps it will pick up.
February 10, 2016
Until I actually attain any semblance of basic skill in chess and until I'm able to discern a one star chess guide from a five star one I'm going to assign them all five stars.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews