Taylor, True Combat Chess

International Master and former US Open Champion Timothy Taylor draws upon his wealth of personal experience to offer an instructive and entertaining account of how to improve your understanding of chess and your results. This book is awash with invaluable advice and helpful tips on all stages of the game - opening, middlegame and endgame. Taylor emphasizes the practical aspects of chess: how to really make the most of your ability; how to win at all costs; and how to absorb the lessons of defeat to come back stronger.

Grab every advantage over your opponents and be in the best possible shape for battle. True Combat Chess will show you the way

- An essential guide to winning chess
- Full of useful advice on improving results
- Ideal for players of all levels

Contents

Bibliography

Introduction 7

1 The Critical Move 9
I'm a rook up, I must be lost! 13
If I had known better, I wouldn't have developed a piece 19
Two rooks on one square That should work! 27
A blunderful opportunity 33
Rooks belong behind passed pawns - sometimes! 38

2 Opening Preparation 48
Dreev who
I'm special - someone prepared just for me! 55
Inadequate preparation and positional misevaluation leads to victory 63
Chess has come to this! 70
"I won it last night, at two in the morning!" 74

3 The Endgame and the Clock 82
Seventeen moves in two seconds 85
Blitzin' don't pay 95
I think too much 103
Thirty second buzzer chess 110
Saved by Anand! 120

4 Winning the Won Game 130
Unlucky thirteen 132
"But darling, why didn't you play it " 139
"You mean all I get is one measly pawn " 145
"Material is even, how about a draw " 150
Three pawns ain't enough 156

5 Beating a Grandmaster 163
Bobby Fischer would have killed me 163
Grandmaster dodges phantom punch 175
The Nimzowitsch implodes 180
I take the master class - but don't pass! 184
Routine play don't pay 193

6 Underground Innovation 198
Never trust a kid eating muesli 199
Play at your own risk! 203

Index of Openings 206

Index of Complete Games 207