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Lyudmil Tsvetkov
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The Fine Art of Chess Kindle Edition

by Lyudmil Tsvetkov (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 97 ratings
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This book contains 50 meticulously analysed games. Each and every move is annotated, with the average length of commentary reaching half a page or so per move.
The book will provide you with:
- detailed game analysis
- enhanced pattern recognition
- groundbreaking opening research
In the ballpark of 10,000 supporting variations back the careful explanations.
Add to this the history background, chess lore and abundant humour, and you get the picture.
The book that will make any chess player, regardless of his rating, 500 elos stronger. Lol.
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  1. Print length
    655 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    June 3, 2019
  5. File size
    45551 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is clear that TFAOC is a superior work (next to Irving Chernev's "Logical Chess") in almost all aspects, though." - Novacek's Chess Blog, Chess.com

"For the average clubplayer the book is full of pointers that teach you how to play chess with a bit more understanding than before... All in all, I think the book provides the same kind of general training to the average player that Chernev's classic work ("Logical Chess") did, and that made it so popular. The stronger player will accept large parts and probably debate others, but will surely be triggered to think about certain aspects of chess, which can help him to improve or vary his game." - IM Gerard Welling (Swordfish 55's Blog on Chess.com)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07SPFTJSZ
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 3, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 45551 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 655 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 107264858X
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 97 ratings

About the author

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Lyudmil Tsvetkov

Lyudmil Tsvetkov

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Lyudmil Tsvetkov served for a long time as a Bulgarian diplomat.

During his free time, he used to play chess and soon attained the title of

Bulgarian candidate master.

The rise of computer chess with the appearance of top-level programs like

Stockfish and Komodo soon captivated him entirely, and in late 2013 he decided

to quit his full-time job to be able to concentrate completely on playing and

analysing chess.

In 2010, he published a "Little Chess Evaluation Compendium," that is available

as a free download.

In 2012, he expanded considerably on it.

In the last couple of years he has been very active in contributing to develop

Stockfish, the strongest chess engine on Earth.

In 2017, he published "The Secret of Chess," a ground-breaking work, exploring

unchartered territories of chess knowledge.

2019 saw the release of "The Fine Art of Chess," a deeply annotated collection of highly instructive games.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
97 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Julio Alcalá
5.0 out of 5 stars At last!! The book I'd been longing for.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a great book, period! The book clearly, concisely and humorously tells you the ideas behind every single move and every single opening he shows. Straight forward, simple and with a rich entertaining language, this book doesn't make you feel like you're studying; it makes the study of the game really enjoyable. For a 1200-1400 player like me who loves simple, straight to the point things (and stand-up comedy), this is the perfect book. I saw my game and ratings improving after I had just analyzed 3 games. I'm very happy and excited. Kudos to the author! Thank you!
3 people found this helpful
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Burkhard A. Meier
5.0 out of 5 stars Dude is cool
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2024
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C’mon man!

Gotta live chess to understand esoteric teaching!

Even an ordinary deck of cards ain’t that ordinary after all!

Being a player does not mean you understand!

Nice try, though…
One person found this helpful
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rcjdk1
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for anyone who is serious about learning to play chess.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2020
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It is written with wit and is very readable. It does requires time and concentration. For someone who really want to significantly up their chess game this is the book for them. It is a very low price for what this book has to offer.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just another move-by-move book
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2019
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I own a couple hundred chess books, collected over many years. Only a handful have helped me gain any kind of mental approach that helped me beat the experienced (old) advanced beginners in our weekly group. Most of these wood pushers’ book knowledge evaporates after 2-4 moves, but their chess playing ability, while not tournament ready, is strongly competitive. So my dozens of openings books are basically worthless here.
The Fine Art of Chess is proving to be the chess book I’ve been searching for the last dozen years or so. With just a small sampling of the chapters and games, I’m starting to build a mental approach that surprises me. His detail in analyzing every move is not only not overwhelming but is as readable as a page turner novelist. So far, my biggest take-away is his ability to leave you with two- and three-move patterns that contribute to overall strategies.
For years I’ve spent most of my chess study time practicing tactics, which gives me much confidence in end games. Unfortunately my so-so openings and weak middle game often sabotage my even getting to the end game. I am now anticipating a shift in my overall game.
17 people found this helpful
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Loves to read
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Game Improvement
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2020
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I use this book with my students who play chess to follow the games and the author's analysis of nearly every move. Getting through each game takes time because he speculates what would happen if other available moves were made. However, this is where my students have found the greatest value and have become more thoughtful and competitive in their play.
One person found this helpful
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Salvatore Grasso
5.0 out of 5 stars Full explanation for each move, excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2020
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A collection of 50 games explaining each move done in a masterly fashion by Tsvetkov.
Will help you definately improve your game from the opening down to the endgame
Excellent book
One person found this helpful
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Bobcat
1.0 out of 5 stars Really Quite Bad...
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2020
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The five star reviews are shocking. This book will not improve your chess. Even if you're a lower rated player, reading this book is not going to help. It may in fact make you play worse because the fundamental approach to the way moves are described encourages a superficial understanding of the game.

When I was read over this I thought "there is no way the author is a very strong player." Indeed when I read the author's description, he's a candidate master.

Let me give one example - and there are 1000 examples in this book. In Game 7, we have 1. d4 Nf6. Now the author gives Nf6 a dubious "?!" Is he serious?? What a joke. A total lack of objectivity despite the fact that the way he writes proclaims that his assessment as the gospel truth. What nonsense.

He also thinks that 1. Nf3 is inferior to 1. e4 and 1. d4. You should occupy the center with pawns. I thought I was reading a book from 1900. I imagine a situation where I play a lower rated player and beat him in 16 moves starting with 1. Nf3 where I'm playing white. We do a postmortem and when I put 1. Nf3 on the board, he says "That's not a good move. You need to occupy your center with pawns." What a joke.

According to this author, 1 e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 is inferior. This lacks objectivity. Players make decisions based on many considerations. This is why chess is so confusing to the lower rated player.

The lower rated player reads Eric Schiller and they think that they need to answer 1. d4 d5 2. e4 with 2. ... dxe4. Some author says "the best way to refute a gambit is to accept it." What a joke. No wonder people don't get better at chess after many years. Look, for 99% of chess players it just don't matter. Maybe you like the Caro-Kann? So answer 1. d4 d5 2. e4 with 2. ... c6!? There's a logic to this. Why give your opponent the satisfaction of going into some theoretical lines of the Englund Gambit?

Why do you like your opponent so much?? (Unless it's a really cute girl - then accept the gambit. She'll beat you at chess and she'll rip your heart in two and step on it. But it'll be worth it.)

Yeah I'm convinced. If your goal is to become a worse chess player, then buy this book.

Even though I can afford $6 for this book I'm returning it. It's just a bunch of drivel that will ruin your play.
21 people found this helpful
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Christopher Bentley
5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive book with many games
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2021
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This book has so many games with detailed explanations, great for learning or just enjoyment if you like great chess games.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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talkshow
5.0 out of 5 stars Learn chess from the masters with funny comments.
Reviewed in Germany on February 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
A thick book, but written in a funny way. As if the characters were alive and playing hide and seek. There are also lots of good tips and you learn the rules of chess. I would be happy to recommend the book to others.
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Tibono
5.0 out of 5 stars Bonne approche didactique, ce livre agréable à parcourir m'a permis de nettement progresser.
Reviewed in France on January 20, 2020
Verified Purchase
Explications concrètes des choix et options de jeu : des parties de haut niveau sont expliquées pas à pas, avec l'identification de motifs (patterns) dont l'importance et la pertinence sont démontrées par l'évolution des parties.
Concrete explanation of the chosen moves and alternatives: high level chess games explained step by step, including patterns identidication; of which important role and relevance are demonstrated with the course of the games. In addition to the efficient educational approach, the book is pleasant to read thru, and enabled a step-up of my chess skills.
2 people found this helpful
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A. Macdonald
5.0 out of 5 stars A Monumental Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2019
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Essentially, the book is an attempt to demonstrate the teachings of LT's previous works in the format of books like Irving Chernev's 'Logical Chess', with move-by-move commentary.

It is clear that TFAOC is a superior work in almost all aspects, though.

While Chernev's book gives 33 games, LT presents 50; Chernev mostly addresses games from the Giuoco Piano or the QGD, LT covers a vast range of systems, from Bird's Opening, to the King's Gambit, to the Nimzo Indian; Logical Chess looks at players of a certain period, namely the early 20th century, when Capablanca and Alekhine reigned supreme; The Fine Art of Chess features 'gamers' (as LT would call them) from all eras- Morphy, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Fischer, Kasparov, Carlsen and even Stockfish are all present.

The list could go on, but I think I've made my point. Logical Chess is a terrific book, don't get me wrong; it's just that The Fine Art of Chess is a step ahead.

The Fine Art of Chess is a bit like journeying through chess history in a way no one ever has before; with LT as your tour guide (and Stockfish as the sidekick), you will be in great company as you spectate instructive games from the past.

The book includes a variety of different openings- 24 in total. LT sometimes even goes as far as to include mini-essays on some of the significant openings, with coverage of the mainlines and plans.

The book is divided into 7 chapters covering Initiative, King Attack, Outposts, Space, Endgames, Pawn Structure, and Deeper Strategic Concepts. Of course, these chapters include relevant games from top GMs of the past so that the reader is able to understand each concept to at least a reasonable level. My personal favourite sections were the ones on King Attack and Deeper Strategic Concepts, although all of them were thoroughly enjoyable.

I can only think of one detractor to The Fine Art of Chess's lofty stature: some of the humour. On one hand, LT can be totally serious- just giving out plain and simple chess wisdom; on the other, he can be light-hearted and jokey with "facepalm" and "Lo-ooool"s a-plenty. However, on the other end of the scale, some of the comments cross the line of being funny and verge towards being innapropriate, more than anything. In parts, LT says "Follow me on Twitter, like my Facebook" a few times. This is just a joke, since LT isn't actually trying to promote his social media, but I don't understand the purpose of lines like this. If I am not mistaken, a Knight was even described as "sh*tty", which I thought was unnecessary. Unfortunate. Maybe I just don’t understand LT’s sense of humour, in places.

It is worth mentioning that the first few games are easier to understand- the sort that you'd expect to see in games collections for beginners like... Logical Chess! However, the difficulty increases as the book progresses and by the end you find yourself dealing with concepts like 'twice-backward shelter pawns' and 'pointed pawn chains'.

I bought the e-book version of The Fine Art of Chess, which is the first time I had done so with any chess book. I found that the number of diagrams was sufficient for me to run through the games mentally. However, if I had a board and pieces to hand I would go through the games with them. This made wading through the jungles of sub-variations easier. I would advise you to go through the games with a board and pieces unless you feel reasonably comfortable with mental visualisations, when the book alone should be enough.

I truly believe that this book has a lot of interesting ideas and chess wisdom on offer, as long as you are willing to put in the effort needed to appreciate it. I would seriously recommend purchasing this book if you are interested in improving your chess.
12 people found this helpful
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F. Bush
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for all players
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2023
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I've played chess for over 50 years. Nearly 20 years ago I won my country's national correspondence chess championship. I don't hesitate to recommend this book especially to players looking to improve their play. I've got no connection with the author whatsoever.
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dr
5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr gut
Reviewed in Germany on April 11, 2020
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Prinzipien von Scachspiel sind hier sehr gut erklärt!
One person found this helpful
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