Ludek Pachman (1924–2003)

This is the third and final book in the 1978 set by Ludek Pachman which looks at play on the wings. Unlike the first two volumes, I found a couple of errors here. Pachman was Czechoslovakian, and the books in my library are English translations by Sam Sloan in 2012. Unfortunately, they were translated in English descriptive notation which is somewhat out of date so the books may have limited interest to current chess players, and would have been of somewhat greater interest had Sloan taken the time to convert the notation to the common algebraic or symbolic.

Nevertheless, it is good to see these in print as classics in chess literature. A condensed single volume exists as well, but contains far fewer examples. I found the final chapter on the limitations of chess engines interesting from a 1978 perspective. We've come a long way. Overall, 4 stars for classical value and instruction still relevant to today's modern play.… (more)

Ludek Pachman was one of the great chess masters and teachers of the past. His legacy includes a win over Bobby Fischer in 1959. This is the first of a three volume set of instructional books, expanded from the original book first published in 1963. Although this book dates from 1975, the concepts are still valid, and the game examples are appropriate. My copy is an English translation by John Littlewood and is written in English descriptive notation, not the more recent trend toward algebraic or symbolic… (more)