|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
Chessville
Advertise to Single insert:
|
My first experience with the Budapest Gambit was a thin, pale gray pamphlet that carried pages of moves followed by cryptic evaluations. Oh yes, there were a few complete games included; yet, to gain a better understanding, we would scour the available chess literature for any games in print. It was a time when Bisguier or Ljubojevic would essay the Budapest as a winning attempt. How times have changed. As I write this, there is news that Mamedyarov used the Budapest to draw no less a name than Kramnik. For me it was all the more joyous, as I had recently finished reading The Fabulous Budapest Gambit by Victor Moskalenko and once again felt the tugging of the Black e-pawn to bypass e6 on its way up the board. When I found out that a new book on the Budapest was coming out, my ears perked up. Curiosity followed when I found out the book would be written by a GM. Though the defense has been played by a number of GM's in the last three decades, I thought it was still on the "play only in case of emergency" list. I had played the Budapest for a few years and found that it was a lot of fun, but not anything to build a repertoire around. So I looked forward to seeing the book.
The charm of the book is easily found in the numerous pictures of past proponents of either side of the Budapest, which is quite unusual considering how little pictures have added to opening theory through the years. Combined with the interesting comments about the various lines, Moskalenko achieves a work which goes beyond the boundaries of just another opening tome. This is a work of craftsmanship and deep appreciation. Still, it is an opening book which bars us from judging it on merely its intrinsic merits. Here again, the book proved to be quite a bit more than I had anticipated. Analytical material is divided into five chapters, each chapter subdivided. For the Budapest adherent this is easily enough understood:
The beginning of each chapter presents a bit of history on the line and some general strategic concepts and points to look for. In each of the subdivisions Moskalenko goes into more detail with the typical tactical motifs each side is looking for, where certain pieces are favorably placed, what pawn breaks can be troublesome, and many other points that are neglected in too many books. The real meat of the book is contained in the 115 annotated games. Selection of games seems to have been based on historical merit, analytical value and depth of ideas that the players brought to the table. For example, the first three games were all played in the Berlin 1918 tournament and feature Rubinstein manning the white pieces. These games formed the basis of the 4.Bf4 line for 20 or more years and set the pace for research on the opening at the end of World War I.
I remember when I first tried to play the Budapest how I was impressed by some games, and then I obtained a pamphlet on the defense. It was one thing to see the games and quite another to work through the lines in the pamphlet; the magic didn't seem to come through in the analysis from the book. Moskalenko does an outstanding job of combining those experiences to make the opening more understandable and appealing.
As usual with "New in Chess"
books, the highest quality of production has been used. The cover is sturdy
and clean, clear well spaced printing makes it easier to read, and the
binding is first-rate. I couldn't find any manufacture or production
problems. I continue to be extremely impressed with the quality of books
coming from "New in Chess," which has become the best of any publisher since
I started playing (1972). It seems that each book from NIC will become a
prized possession. This is a fun book. The Budapest is an opening that has a certain cult feeling to it. GM Moskalenko has done an outstanding job in preparation, research and writing to develop a book that would be magnificent if it were only a collection of games. With the insight and analysis of the lines of the opening, I find this to be a model of an opening book. I haven't actively played the Budapest in 20 years, so there are likely to be some minor lines that don't get extensive attention; still, this book brings confidence and enthusiasm to an opening that has been either disregarded or discredited. I enjoyed reading the book and continue to appreciate going back to thumb through some of the pages, but most of all I am excited to play the Budapest again.
Thank you, GM Moskalenko!
|
The
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
