The Chess Analyst

The experts say that CC (correspondence chess) is quite different from OTB (over the board) chess. I would go further and say that "books written by CC players are quite different from books written by OTB players". Mr. Jon Edwards book is a good example on how deep a CC player can analyse a game. The chapters on the French Defense are instructive even for those that don't play it in either side of the board. His views on the hedgehog structure are also something not be missed. I play CC and OTB chess and I'm sure this book is going to help me in both cases. A book that deserves to be read and consulted many times by the improving players.

I had to respond to the last reviewer, who doesn't get it. This is, in my opinion, one of the top 20 chess books of the past decade. I know, who's this Edwards guy. Just someone who has devoted himself to the game and who knows how to write.This is a wonderful read, with great annotations in the genre of the great chess books: Zurich 1953 and Tal-Botvinnik, 1960. The last reviewer said that Edwards is smug. What comes through here is someone who actually UNDERSTANDs the game well enough to communicate clearly. That's VERY rare in chess and makes this an important book to own and read. Finally, the last chapter, Uncle Fred's Gambit, is the funniest thing I have ever read in or out of chess.

Correspondence players should know to buy this book, its all other players that need to be told - this is a great book. If you think correspondence players play glacial, grueling games of chess - think again. Edwards plays the Benko Gambit, the Alekhine-Chatard Attack, and a Knight sacrifice against the Najdorf as early as move eight! The game Edwards - Hayward features thirteen sacrifices and was chosen as the APCT's 1993 Game of the Year by GM Arthur Bisguier. Had the combatant's been Kasparov - Anand, instead of Edwards - Hayward, it would have been celebrated worldwide as the game of the millenium. Rather than be a little known game where the author asks to "take ten minutes and give it a run through" as it "took two and a half years to produce." If you think correspondence players only follow book lines - think again. Edwards is "out of book" sometimes as early as move five and often battling opponents who are specialists in their particular variation who "have studied and codified their systems." There are games aplenty that exemplify this. Edwards has won numerous APCT tournaments, has twice won the APCT Game of the Year award, and is the 10th United States Correspondence Chess Champion. All the games from the championship are given with brief introductions but no annotations. He comes across as an affable fellow whom you wouldn't want to meet on the wrong side of a theoretical novelty. His joviality is evident in his style of writing, in the humorous story "Uncle Fred's Gambit," and in some of the chapter titles, such as: "Don't Feed the Pelikan", "Splits Can Hurt", and "Card-iac Arrests." His ferocity is evident when you play through the games. The Chess Analyst is an appropriate title as Edwards; likely due to the time spent on each position, has a knack for explaining positions in the utmost detail. Often speaking in terms of general concepts, weak squares, or with just plain hard analysis. He gets to the heart of the position. It's all here. Including supplementary games and input from guest annotators - such as GM Bisguier, along with analysis from his opponents - somewhat in the style of Gerzadowicz' Duelin' Notes. There is an index of openings and opponents. The interior artwork prefacing each chapter is attractive and adds to the caliber of the book.