Winning

by Nigel Short

Grandmaster Nigel Short realised that every tournament win has a unique narrative and challenge. In this exceptional chess book, Short discusses eight of his foremost tournament wins, describing the drama with insightful game annotations and entertaining anecdotes. For those wanting to win in chess, this book is the place to start.

English GM Nigel Short was one of the most successful chess players of the 1980s and 1990s and was still in the top 100 well into his 50s. The peak of his career came in 1993, when he challenged for the World Championship in a match against Garry Kasparov.

Genres: Chess

416 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2021

Reviews

[Justin Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It does not include the best games, nor does it include the best (most detailed or most explanatory) analysis. But it is still a good time. Reading it feels a lot like sitting in a pub with Nigel as he talks through his games. That makes it hard to put down. He often cracks self-deprecating jokes (e.g., "Even if such advanced, two-move tactics were beyond so feeble a calculator as myself...", p. 33), and he provides backstory on his competition (e.g., "There is no doubt he would have become World Champion ... had he been able to tame this particular demon", p. 83; "While my former coach .... description of him as a 'bluffer' was intentionally derogatory ... it was not entirely wide of the mark either," p. 98). One substantive thing that will come out of it (at least it did for me) is a stronger familiarity with the French Defense (from both sides) and with how to attack the Sicilian as white.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro excepcional, Nigel no se guarda nada de su experiencia como jugador (¡ni como bebedor!). Recomendado para todos los niveles