Chess Book Reviews

Devious Chess: How to Bend the Rules and Win by Amatzia Avni, B.T. Batsford, London 2007. 144 p.p. £14.99

The book is divided into the following sections:

1: The Nature of 'Devious Chess' 42 pages

2: Principled Issues Concerning 'Devious Chess' 80 pages

Amatzia Avni is an Israeli psychologist. He is a FIDE master over-the-board and in composition, a former editor of the Israeli chess magazine, Schahmat and a regular contributor to Chess Monthly. He has written a number of books on chess psychology, including Practical Chess Psychology .

The first question the reader will want answered is 'What is Devious Chess'? In the mass information age we know that much of chess follows a very well-trodden path. Avni wants us to focus on an unconventional, risky, opportunistic, altogether more complex chess. He says, "We invite you to join us on a journey to a fascinating, out of the ordinary type of game. Readers will be enriched, hopefully some of them will dare to give this form of play a try themselves."

In the mass information age we know that much of chess follows a very well-trodden path. Avni wants us to focus on an unconventional, risky, opportunistic, altogether more complex chess.

Devious Chess helps you unlearn everything you've learned so far and adopt a fearless attitude towards the game. The titles of the book's chapters tell it all: Take your opponent into virgin territory; Raise the tension to boiling point; Master the ruses of the coffeehouse players; Discover the magic of peculiar moves; Has your opponent just made a blunder - or is it a trap? Here's a reliable way to answer that question and turn the tables.

All the rule-bending strategies and devious tactics in this entertaining book are illustrated with examples from real games and exercises for the reader.

If you can fathom the following game from one of the magicians of modern chess, you are well on the way to mastering the ruses of 'Devious Chess'. Note especially the moves 27 . Bc5! And 31 . Re4!!

If the game remains as much of a mystery to you, as to me, dear reader. Then just enjoy 'Devious Chess' for the unusual and daring chess it contains.

Korchnoy v Morozevich Biel, 2003

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.e3 cxd4 5.exd4 Nf6 6.Nf3 d5 7.Bg5 Ne4 8.cxd5 Nxg5 9.Nxg5 0-0 10.Qd2 Nd7 11.Bc4 Bh6 12.f4 Nf6 13.0-0 a6 14.a4 Bf5 15.a5 Rc8 16.Bb3 Qd6 17.Rfe1 Qb4 18.Ra3 Rc7 19.Ba2 Qd6 20.g3 Rfc8 21.Nf3 Bf8 22.Ne5 Kg7 23.Rb3 e6!? 24.dxe6 Rd8 25.Nf3 Qc6 26.Qf2 Ng4 27.Qg2 Bc5!! 28.Rb6!? [ 28.Kh1! was better] 28...Bxb6 29.axb6 Qxb6 30.e7 Rxd4! 31.Kh1 [ If 31.e8(N)+ Kf8 32.Kh1 Rd8 33.Nd5 Nf2+ 34.Kg1 Nh3+ draws.; or 31.e8(Q) Rd2+ 32.Kh1 Rxg2 wins for Black] 31...Re4!! (This remarkable move should draw) 32.Rxe4? [ 32.e8(N)+ Rxe8 33.Rxe8 Nf2+ is the draw; 32.Nxe4 Rxe7 33.Neg5 Rxe1+ 34.Nxe1 Nf2+ 35.Kg1 Nd3+ 36.Kf1 Qe3 37.Qe2 Qxe2+ 38.Kxe2 Nc1+ 39.Kf3 Nxa2 runs into danger] 32...Nf2+ 33.Qxf2 Qxf2 34.e8Q Qxf3+ 35.Kg1 Bxe4? [ 35...Bh3! 36.Qe5+ f6 37.Qxc7+ Kh6 was the correct way. After Morozevich's flights of imagination, we may forgive him the odd lapse.] 36.Qe5+ Kf8 37.Qh8+ Ke7 38.Qe5+ Kf8 39.Qh8+ ½-½