Perpetual Chess Podcast
Perpetual Chess Podcast
Ben Johnson
Book Recap #4 : Alexander Kotov's Think Like a Grandmaster with NM Christopher Chabris
1 hour 40 minutes Posted Feb 21, 2020 at 12:00 pm.
Chris provides a background details and shares why he wanted to discuss this book.
What was happening in the chess world when this classic was first published, in 1971?
We segue into some biographical details about GM Kotov.
For what level of chess player is this book best suited?
Perpetual Chess Recaptured is brought to you in part by Chessable. If you are looking for a great improvement manual for club-level players, check out Chess Strategy for Club Players by IM Herman Grooten here: https://www.chessable.com/chess-strategy-for-club-players/course/27755/
We dive into the opening paragraph of the book and discuss the structure of Think Like a Grandmaster.
What have other authors written about the idea of “candidate moves”?
We exchange some of our favorite quotes from the book.   There are some fun ones. :)
We highlight a few of our favorite games that are mentioned in Think Like a Grandmaster
What are the chess improvement takeaways from this book?
How useful for your chess improvement is this book?
What would we change about this book if we could?
We share our closing thoughts on the book, including the reading of  a quote from IM Kostya Kavutskiy about why he included it in this fun and popular YouTube Video Top 4 Overrated Chess Books.
Thanks to Chris Chabris for sharing so much great insight.   You can keep up with him on Twitter or reach him via his website.
In keeping with our tradition, I leave with 2 blindfold chess puzzles. Here is the piece placement and the diagram links.
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Show notes
We are back with another edition of Chess Books Recaptured, a monthly bonus pod where we break down the highlights, best quotes and chess tips to be derived  from a classic chess book. This month, I am lucky that a friend of the podcast, USCF Master, author, and renowned Cognitive Scientist Christopher Chabris, has agreed to join me to discuss the classic Soviet era book, Think Like a Grandmaster, by GM Alexander Kotov. Lots and lots more details and timestamps below. Enjoy! 😀
Mentioned: Christopher Chabris’ Perpetual Chess Interview, October 9, 2018, 
Recommended by Perpetual Chess guests, GM Rafeal Leitao, GM R.B. Ramesh, and Adult Improver Stepian Tomic (aka Hanging Pawns), Book versions- Batsford paperback, Kindle version,  GM John Nunn, FM Graham Burgess 
Mentioned: 1971 in Chess (link includes top 10),  Zurich 1953, GM Bobby Fischer,  The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein by GM Genna Sosonko, 
Play Like a Grandmaster, GM Mikhail Botvinnik, GM Vassily Smyslov, GM Grigory Levenfish, The Soviet School of Chess, The Soviet Chess School, Averbakh-Kotov 1953, Averbakh-Kotov Kingscrusher Video, LiChess Analysis Board, GM Viswanathan Anand 
Mentioned: My System, Chess Fundamentals, Lasker’s Manual of Chess, Tree of Analysis, Candidate Moves 
Mentioned: IM Mark Dvoretsky’s Attack and Defense, Move First,Think Later, by IM Wlly Hendricks, Improve Your Chess Now by GM Jonathan Tisdall, Secrets of Practical Chess by GM John Nunn, GM Jacob Aagaard, GM Eugene Perelshteyn on Perpetual Chess, GM Arthur Yuspov 
Mentioned: GM Mikahil Botvinnik, GM Miguel Najdorf, Mr. Mike Shahade, Sitsfleisch, Spassky-Korchnoi 1968, Game 7, Hot-Cold Empathy Gap, IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Blueprint: Time Management, GM Alexander Grischuk 
Mentioned:Rossolimo-Nestler 1950, Chessgames.com Membership, Plater-Botvinnik 1947 
Im Peter Romanovsky, GM Mark Taimanov
Mentioned: Sergey Belavenets, GM Salo Flohr, Gm Vassily Smyslov, GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Jacob Aagaard, IM Erik Kislik, Blumenfeld’s Rule 
Mentioned: Quality Chess Books
Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating, Improve Your Chess Now 
Mentioned: Maryland Chess Association, Donate to support the Washington International here: 
Tournament Director Michael Regan’s Perpetual Chess Appearance 
Puzzle #1- 
White- Pawns on c5, d5 and f4, king on b2
Black- Pawns on d7, e7 and h7, King on b5 
Puzzle- 
https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=RHhuFi0hv1fonVvn7AHKZPBb3dE65H4q4k9H27j+iKB/hlMfqSErCmr2NcYnwHmJ
Solution 
https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=PyQ8CWaYgNLRBSbjvHE34rLBbU3Gt9h8bfgm1g/pKsKRGnSA46tFfsapiV3sUxPt
Puzzle #2-
White- Pawns on f2 and g4, Bishop on f5, Queen on h8, King on d8
Black- King on g5 
Puzzle- 
https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=MGHFVw9/+CFYT8LQnSRn80+L5fcqpbxWlMLIBI2RP8uTrfCE3KgfhsKbj/pwrIw2
Solution-
https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=Hq/Y1By5LdPw3sRhFRdNF7dtVRn9oT8SgVFc92ZAWSkTS+BhVMmpF3OOdhSq3tIZ
 
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