Positional Decision Making in Chess | Boris Gelfand

"Positional Decision Making in Chess" by Boris Gelfand is a highly regarded book that provides deep insights into chess's strategic and positional aspects. Gelfand refers to his own games and classic examples from chess history to explore how strong players think about the game positionally.

He delves into concepts like pawn structure, weak squares, piece activity, and long-term imbalances, showing how these elements influence decision-making on the board. The book is known for its in-depth explanations of positional play and the reasoning behind critical decisions in a game, offering readers a chance to step into the thought process of a top-level Grandmaster. Gelfand shares his experiences as a world-class player and his career at the elite level.

• Typically suitable for intermediate to advanced players seeking strategic improvements
• Grasp the importance of understanding the game’s fundamentals
• Develop a solid foundation for positional decision-making
• An excellent strategic guide that delves into the intricacies of positional play
• Key themes include: Playing in the Style of Akiba Rubinstein, The Squeeze, Space Advantage, Transformation of Pawn Structures, and Transformation of Advantages
• Enjoy instructive anecdotes of famous players and chess history that explain his positional approach to the game

Reader’s Reviews:

The book is incredibly easy to read - I finished it in just a week. I absorbed much information without being overwhelmed by endless variations, which was fantastic! My only critique is that it covers the Chebanenko Slav a bit too much, though I felt like an expert on that opening by the end. Chapters like "The Squeeze" and "Space Advantage" alone make the book worth its price! - B Tols

This read is enjoyable, with instructive chess anecdotes about famous players and chess history. The games were engaging to go through, and Boris’s commentary was both entertaining and insightful. As someone rated just above 2000, I found the content easy to follow. I highly recommend this book! – ChessTitan

About the Author:

Grandmaster Boris Gelfand won the European Junior Championship in 1987 and reached No. 3 in the World in 1990. He has led the Israeli team to numerous medals at both European and Olympiad level. Gelfand won the 2009 World Cup and has participated in six Candidates cycles, winning it in 2011. He lost the 2012 World Championship match in the play-off. At 46 he is still winning tournaments ahead of the best players in the world, in many cases men half his own age.

Other Details:

Paperback
Pages: 288
Dimensions: 16.8 x 1.1 x 24.2cm
ISBN-13: 9781784830052