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Chess for Life
In this thought-provoking, wide-ranging and often inspiring book, the authors examine how chess style and abilities vary with age. The conventional wisdom is that greater experience should compensate for a loss of youthful energy, but with so many of the world elite currently in their twenties, chess is increasingly looking like a young man’s game. By making a number of case studies and interviewing players who have stayed strong into their forties, fifties and beyond, the authors show in detail how players can steer their games towards positions where their experience can shine through. Interviewees
• GM John Nunn
• GM Yasser Seirawan
• GM Nigel Short
• GM Judit Polgar
• GM Keith Arkell
• GM Pia Cramling
• FM Terry Chapman
• GM Jon Speelman
• GM Sergei Tiviakov
• WIM Ingrid Lauterbach
By examining so many aspects of chess, the authors have written a work that ends up transcending its subject-matter, and becomes a text on how and why we love chess, the means by which we can play successfully whatever our age and level of play, and how chess is truly a game for life.
Matthew Sadler is one of the strongest British players of recent decades. Having become a GM in his teens, he twice won the British Championship and was awarded an individual gold medal at the 1996 Olympiad. After concentrating on an IT career for more than a decade, he returned to high-level chess in 2010 and quickly regained a spot in the world top 100. Matthew’s struggles to bring his game back up to speed after his long break were part of the inspiration for this book. Natasha Regan is a Women’s International Master from England who achieved a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University. While pursuing a successful career as an actuary in the insurance industry, she has raised a family and maintained a strong interest in chess and other board games, including Go.
• GM John Nunn
• GM Yasser Seirawan
• GM Nigel Short
• GM Judit Polgar
• GM Keith Arkell
• GM Pia Cramling
• FM Terry Chapman
• GM Jon Speelman
• GM Sergei Tiviakov
• WIM Ingrid Lauterbach
By examining so many aspects of chess, the authors have written a work that ends up transcending its subject-matter, and becomes a text on how and why we love chess, the means by which we can play successfully whatever our age and level of play, and how chess is truly a game for life.
Matthew Sadler is one of the strongest British players of recent decades. Having become a GM in his teens, he twice won the British Championship and was awarded an individual gold medal at the 1996 Olympiad. After concentrating on an IT career for more than a decade, he returned to high-level chess in 2010 and quickly regained a spot in the world top 100. Matthew’s struggles to bring his game back up to speed after his long break were part of the inspiration for this book. Natasha Regan is a Women’s International Master from England who achieved a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University. While pursuing a successful career as an actuary in the insurance industry, she has raised a family and maintained a strong interest in chess and other board games, including Go.
- GenresChess
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 2, 2016
I'm a fan of Matthew Sadler going back to the extensive book reviews that he used to do for New In Chess magazine. I also followed with interest his return to tournament play a few years ago, something I've been dabbling with myself the past 10 months or so, with surprising - though modest - success. This is the perfect book for someone who is returning to chess competition after a long layoff, especially if that person is no longer "young" (something I grudgingly admit to).
Of particular interest to me were the chapters on Nigel Short and Sergei Tiviakov (who coincidentally has adopted and is now the leading authority in the world on an opening variation I was employing vs. 1...e4 back in 2005 when I ceased playing). The format of this book includes Sadler and his co-author putting forward about a dozen "role models" - chess players who have continued to play in their "older" years. All of their stories were fascinating to me.
The research and statistics included in this book are exhaustive and impressive. Coming from Sadler, though, the level of detail was not surprising.
If you're not a serious chessplayer, or have at least been involved in chess competition, this book would probably not interest you. But if you are, I suspect you'll love it.
Of particular interest to me were the chapters on Nigel Short and Sergei Tiviakov (who coincidentally has adopted and is now the leading authority in the world on an opening variation I was employing vs. 1...e4 back in 2005 when I ceased playing). The format of this book includes Sadler and his co-author putting forward about a dozen "role models" - chess players who have continued to play in their "older" years. All of their stories were fascinating to me.
The research and statistics included in this book are exhaustive and impressive. Coming from Sadler, though, the level of detail was not surprising.
If you're not a serious chessplayer, or have at least been involved in chess competition, this book would probably not interest you. But if you are, I suspect you'll love it.
May 14, 2022
One of my favorite chess books by one of my favorite chess authors. It's a shame he isn't playing at the top anymore.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews