Garry Kasparov on Fischer : Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 4 (My Great Predecessors)

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but Kasparov has an ATTITUDE!
Review: I recently received my copy of the book - and it has been like a new toy at Christmas, I can hardly put it down. The focus of this book is the one and only Bobby Fischer, many consider this player be simply the greatest chess master who ever lived. And there have not been many good books on this player recently - GM Andy Soltis's book, ("B.F. Re-discovered"); being one happy exception.

This eagerly anticipated book is well crafted, a high-quality volume designed for many years of enjoyment. Every fan of either Garry or Fischer will definitely want to reserve a spot for this work on their favorite book-shelf. (And Garry has corrected earlier mistakes; this effort actually has several indexes and a bibliography.)

This volume is really two books in one. The first part of this work is devoted to three players: Sammy Reshevsky, Miguel Najdorf, and Bent Larsen. (Three of the greatest non-Soviet players of the last 100 years.) This part of the book looks to be excellent, I am sure that there are many, many, many hours of enjoyment to be had in this section.

However, I purchased this volume for the look at Fischer - this is the part that holds my attention and fascination. Fast forward to Chapter Two on, 'Robert, the Eleventh.'

This section begins with a rather startling revelation - I had heard rumors of this before, but never anything resembling actual confirmation. There is a fairly decent biography; it details Bobby's first steps with chess poignantly and accurately. The first game, (# 50); is a rather lukewarm analysis of one of Fischer's most famous games. (Vs. Donald Byrne, New York; 1956. "The Game of The Century.") {See my web page for a more complete analysis of this game.}

Another thing you should understand is that I have been studying chess my whole life, I grew up with the book, "My Sixty Memorable Games." I am intimately familiar with most of these games, many I have studied so often that they feel like old friends to me. And they are also semi-sacred to me, without a study of these great contests, I am sure I would have never become a Master myself. This is why I object to this <Modern School> of annotating. (Anytime a miniscule improvement is found, this gives the writer license to decorate time-honored chess moves with undeserved question marks.) As in previous volumes, Kasparov shows a heavy, ham-handedness in his annotations. He virtually suffocates and degrades these games with all kinds of appellations to the various moves. Consider game # 52, page # 222. (Versus Larsen, 1958 - a famous Dragon. This game was beautifully annotated by Fischer himself.) For example, he gives White's 15th move a dubious mark. (?!) I think here it is more of a question of style, Fischer would almost never willingly block in his own Bishops. In fact, one wonders if Garry's own ego would ever allow him to be truly objective. He seems determined to criticize and denounce Bobby Fischer, (and his play) ... as if in an effort to cement his own place in chess history.

There are other things about this book that I object to as well. After Fischer's famous contest with Panno, (Game # 80, page # 346); Garry just could not resist sticking in one of his own games. Like a little kid who craves recognition for his work - "See? Look what I did?" This is SUPPOSED to be a book about Bobby Fischer! (Lack of focus. Again!)

I decided to take one game in this book, and subject every move to the microscope of the computer. (Vs. B. Spassky, 1972. # 103, page # 438) I was hoping to find zero errors, but alas this was not the case. I found mistakes that ranged from the very minor, to the more moderate type, and at least one that must go into the, "My Goodness!! What happened there?" category. (I will save the details for the next update of my web page on this very famous game.) Kasparov certainly recognizes this game's importance, just the fact that he spends like seven pages scrutinizing it is significant; as well as the 8-10 exclams that he uses to decorate the various moves in this titanic clash. IF you want a different perspective on this game, see GM Yasser Seirawan's excellent book, "Winning Chess Brilliancies."

I must also take issue with the statement made after Black's fourteenth move, 14...a6. He quotes a famous game - Timman vs. Geller, Hilversum, NED; 1973. Then he states that this game: "Practically speaking, put the 8.cxd5 variation out of use." This is such a silly, foolish and stupid statement; I feel obligated to take Mr. Kasparov to task on this one.

I have practically every reference book ever printed in English, and I have 1-2 dozen books on the Queen's Gambit Declined alone. The latest book on this opening calls 8.cxd5, {still} "the time-honored main line." Dozens of players still use this move on a regular basis. [See the game: GM S. Mamedyarov (2657) - GM S. Lputian (2634); / FIDE WCh, KO / Tripoli, LBA; (Round 2.4), 22,06,2004.] If this line isn't being used anymore, why are these two top players ... still fooling around with it? And the real punch-line is that the column in MCO-14 on 8.cxd5, is based on the following encounter: IM Luc Winants - GM Garry Kasparov; Brussels, 1987!!!

This book is definitely better - especially in terms of the quality of analysis - than many of the previous efforts, but it is far from perfect. The editorial/product description calls this book: "a must for all serious chess players." (I would definitely not go that far!) However, it is fair to say that this is a serious chess book, any player who is serious about improving his game or is interested in the history of chess - would benefit from a close study of the historic chess battles in this volume. But it falls far short of Garry's previous work in books like, "The Test of Time." (Recommended.)


Rating:
Summary: Vindictive at most...
Review: In my opinion Fischer was not measured with the same tape that Kasparov used for his other predescesors. I read the previous tomes that were generous in compliments and compassion for the previous world champions. For instance, Alekhine's allegued Nazi views were just touched upon with an apologetical point of view (those were the times during war...) Kasparov favoritism for Soviet chess players is also flagrant and makes a great effort to make Spassky look great when, of all former world champions, he was a swindler (and a great one.) that earned his Botvinnik used the Soviet apparatus to promote his chess career and he didn't show great superiority over Bronstein whose father was declared "enemy of the state" (can anyone play knowing that there might be a retaliation against your family should you decide to steal the world chess championship?) All in all, there is no balance in Kasparov's book and one can sense his animosity against Fischer in his writings. Sure enough, previous world champions have shortcomings and great things but all of them should have been measured with the same measure of equanimity. And, of course, computers will be able to detect flaws in games from the past but that doesn't demerit the greatness of former world champions. I can only hope that Kasparov doesn't apply the same hateful attitude towards Karpov and be more balanced in his views.

Is the book worth owning? Yes it is. The analyses are superb and Kasparov is a great anotator. Can you overlook Kasparov's attitude towards Fischer? If so then buy the book...

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as the first two books by Kasprov
Review: This is a fine book. The analysis befits a champion and the surveys of Fischer and others are well-written. I can't disagree the Kasparov has a little attitude and an unwritten agenda is to suggest that if the two played Kasparov would be the victor. But that only makes the book better as Kasparov searches prior analyses by Fischer to make corrections and additions. Anyone below 2,500 who says the analysis is flawed is simply using a computer. The analysis can be demanding and occasionally a point is not completely explained. Nonetheless a fine book.