Book Recap #4 : Alexander Kotov's Think Like a Grandmaster with NM Christopher Chabris

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! 😀

0:00- Chris provides a background details and shares why he wanted to discuss this book.

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

9:00- What was happening in the chess world when this classic was first published, in 1971?

Mentioned: 1971 in Chess (link includes top 10), Zurich 1953, GM Bobby Fischer, The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein by GM Genna Sosonko,

16:00- We segue into some biographical details about GM Kotov.

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

22:00- For what level of chess player is this book best suited?

24:30- 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/

25:00- We dive into the opening paragraph of the book and discuss the structure of Think Like a Grandmaster.

Mentioned: My System, Chess Fundamentals, Lasker’s Manual of Chess, Tree of Analysis, Candidate Moves

33:00- What have other authors written about the idea of “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

45:00- We exchange some of our favorite quotes from the book. There are some fun ones. :)

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

1:03:00- We highlight a few of our favorite games that are mentioned in Think Like a Grandmaster

Mentioned:Rossolimo-Nestler 1950, Chessgames.com Membership, Plater-Botvinnik 1947

Im Peter Romanovsky, GM Mark Taimanov

1:10:00- What are the chess improvement takeaways from this book?

Mentioned: Sergey Belavenets, GM Salo Flohr, Gm Vassily Smyslov, GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Jacob Aagaard, IM Erik Kislik, Blumenfeld’s Rule

1:21:00- How useful for your chess improvement is this book?

1:23:00- What would we change about this book if we could?

Mentioned: Quality Chess Books

1:25:00- 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.

Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating, Improve Your Chess Now

1:28:00- Thanks to Chris Chabris for sharing so much great insight. You can keep up with him on Twitter or reach him via his website.

Mentioned: Maryland Chess Association, Donate to support the Washington International here:

Tournament Director Michael Regan’s Perpetual Chess Appearance

1:31:00- In keeping with our tradition, I leave with 2 blindfold chess puzzles. Here is the piece placement and the diagram links.

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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Release date

Lydbog: 21. februar 2020