Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov 2: 1985-1993

Bind 2 i Kasparovs selvbiografiske trilogi dekker perioden da han var FIDE-verdensmester og er både en fenomenalt kommentert partisamling og en innside-beskrivelse av folk og forhold i sovjetisk og internasjonal sjakk.

Ingen er vel mer leseverdig og passe avslørende enn Kasparov om hendelser i sjakkverdenen. I forordet skriver han at bruddet med FIDE i 1993 var uheldig og med store negative konsekvenser.

Boka inneholder 100 utvalgte partier både fra fire VM-matcher og andre matcher og turneringer. Partikommentarene til Kasparov er som alltid grundige og blant annet åpningsteoretisk innholdsrike og nyttige. Gir nok mest for spillere med ratingnivå fra cirka 14-1500 og oppover. De aller mest representerte åpningene er Kongeindisk 17, Engelsk 14 og Siciliansk 11.

Ellers en ny stor og flott bok i Kasparovs serie(r) med utgangspunkt i hans egen store og begivenhetsrike karriere.

Forlagets egen omtale

Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov: Part II is the second volume in a major three-volume series made unique by the fact that it records the greatest chess battles played by the greatest chessplayer of all-time.

Kasparov’s series of historical volumes have received great critical and public acclaim for their rigorous analysis and comprehensive detail regarding the developments in chess that occurred both on and off the board.

Part I of this series saw Kasparov emerging as a huge talent and eventually toppling his great rival Anatoly Karpov to gain the world title. This volume focuses on the period from 1985-1993 which witnessed two further matches against Karpov as well as Kasparov’s first title clash with a “non-Karpov” opponent when he successfully defended his title against Nigel Short in London in 1993.

Kasparov also emphasized his superiority over his opponents with spectacular results in both individual and team events. Kasparov won the board gold medal in three Olympiads (Dubai 1986, Thessaloniki 1988 and Manila 1992). The late 1980s also saw the emergence of the World Cup series which Kasparov utterly dominated, finishing either clear first or equal first at Belfort 1988 (11½/15), Reykjavik 1988 (11/17), Barcelona 1989 (11/16) and Skelleftea 1989 (9½/15). Other major tournament victories include Brussels 1987 (8½/11), Amsterdam 1988 (9/12), Tilburg 1989 (12/14), Belgrade 1989 (9½/11) and Linares 1990 (8/11).

In this period Kasparov emphasized his huge superiority over his rivals. Despite generally adopting an uncompromising, double-edged attacking style he almost never lost. The games in this volume feature many masterpieces of controlled aggression played against the world’s absolute best.