Application of Chess Theory

by Efim Geller, Yefim Geller, Yeffim Geller

Yefim Geller has been one of the world's foremost grandmasters over the past four decades, during which time he has established a reputation as being the leading Russian authority on opening theory. In this annotated collection of his own games, Geller shows the practical benefits of a sound understanding of opening strategy.

Genres: Chess, Games

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[notgettingenough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm curious to know if the reason I get no votes for my chess book reviews is because I'm female. Comments are welcome, if it turns out you all think my chess reviews are strictly gender-neutral rubbish, please do say so. I've written a chess book that was well-regarded, and more recently BCM loved some articles I wrote for the mag, so I can handle whatever you throw at me.

The rest of this was written in 2010 and received one vote from an incredibly discriminating GRer who only votes for the very best stuff.

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This happens to be by my bed at the moment.

Geller's career spans decades and he is one of those players more than capable of beating world champions - he has a plus score against most he has played - but I'm guessing could never become a world champion because he did not excel at match play. He had more than one terrible trouncing at this form of the game.

But I think we can say of chess more than of any sport, that there is no room at the top. To become world champion at chess is so hard! At the moment we are watching this fabulous tussle between Anand and Topalov. Geller's description of his ongoing duel with Gligoric brings to mind the role of the Catalan in this match:

Quite often the chess world witnesses some curious creative duels which sometimes last for several years. They proceed according to the following typical scheme. Two players have played a game. On meeting each other again, they choose the same variation, without any prior agreement, of course, thus adding a psychological struggle to the purely chess struggle. Over each of them, like a sword of Damocles, hangs the anxious thought: why is the opponent repeating the previous game? On what move has he prepared a surprise, and has he in fact prepared one? Should I wait for the unpleasant surprise, or should I be the first to deviate from the familiar path? And if I deviate, then when and how?

One can add that the mere kibitzer shares in this anxious excitement. Is Anand going to play the Catalan yet again? Has Topalov a new response? Tomorrow there is another game. Anand has just lost with black so will he retreat to the Catalan? The comfort of something he has a plus score with so far - 2.5/3 - would have to be tempting him. He bounced back from such a situation in game two employing it. I'm guessing he's going to try it again....

[TheF7Pawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few in Fischer's era who scored well against Bobby. Geller was "dynamic" before dynamism became chic. Here's a book of his 100 best games, all of them well annotated and strategically explained.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book is not mentioned as one of favorite chess books by many of chess players, along with Bobby Fischer's 60 Memorable Games this is one of them if not best. Geller is a huge opening specialist and the book is divided according to openings. This made his contribution to chess theory more apparent. At the end of book Geller gives his victories against world champions in a separate section which shows his legacy amongst the World Champions.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great games (though I'll admit I have no idea what the title meant...Soviet blowhardedness again, no doubt). The section featuring all his wins against world champs was however a bit of an ego trip.

[Joyson]

good book to read chess theory