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Years of Entertainment And Instruction

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: December 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Danish International Master Jacob Aagaard has already written several highly regarded chess books (Excelling at Chess, Excelling at Positional Chess, etc.) and he's shown that he can explain chess ideas quite clearly for well-read beginners and intermediate chess players.

He does the same here using Fritz 8 Chess Media System to seamlessly integrate video commentary with a synchronized chess board illustrating the principles and practice of developing an attack in chess. There are several lessons demonstrating such themes as including all pieces in the attack, development and speed in the attack, creating and exploiting color weaknesses in (you guessed it) the attack.

The lectures total about 3.5 hours and I think will be useful and entertaining for ambitious beginning chess players as well as very strong intermediate players. I have an over-the-board USCF rating that ranges from 1850-1950 and I found all the ideas familiar from my reading but I'm sure that most players my rating or less would be acquainted with the strategic and tactical ideas that Aagaard incorporates into his lessons. In other words, if you've read about speedy development, basic planning, king safety, material equality and have studied the elements of tactics you're equipped to follow Aagaard's commentary.

I found the both Attacking Chess Volume 1 and Attacking Chess Volume 2 fascinating and instructive. The CDs are like having an International Master or Grandmaster always available for a lecture on the art of attack. I've paid a lot more at tournaments in Las Vegas or New York to hear Grandmaster lectures and this is far superior in terms of information, ease of use and practical application. I mean I can stop the CD and play out the position on my own and return when I want.

There are no "secrets" revealed here that aren't available in books on attacking chess (for example, Vukovic's Art of Attack) and certainly books can give dozens of examples but, if you're ready for a change of pace from going back and forth between a book and chess board ,then these CDs are excellent for allowing you to concentrate just on the position. I've listened to all the lessons three times so far - and it's probably the rare chess player who looks forward to rereading the book he's just finished laboring over - and it's never once felt like study. I think of these CDs as valuable supplements for books rather than as replacements. I will be reviewing these CDs for years!

On the technical side you need: a) Windows Media Player 9 ( WMP version 10 so far doesn't work with Fritz Chess Media System b) Older versions of Fritz 8 need to download a small patch (called "gui8.exe') from playchess.com or chessbase.com and c) remember this is NOT a standalone chess program you need to already own Fritz8 or Shredder8 or Junior8 or etc.

Have fun, play well.

Makes A Great Chess Partner

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: December 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I recommend this for people who are refining their game before showing up at a noisy hall full of know it all brats, (know it all except how to be quiet!). High quality teacher. A+++++

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