Well, it's a nice book. GM Tukmakov analyzes 105 games (most are complete games, some are just game fragments) and focuses mostly on middlegame positions where one side engaged in some risky play, often to generate winning changes or to try and stop a negative trend. There is a lot about the practical psychology of this kind of risky play, and game analysis showing why this approach can often be successful in practice.
Is it an educational book? Well, I don't know really know how to answer that question. It's not a book that will teach you the fundamentals of chess, for sure. It deals more with the psychology of competitive play and the practical aspects of "raising the stakes" and forcing your opponent to find some good moves. There is also some insightful analysis of some complicated middlegame positions.
The book is more practical than theoretical and consequently I would guess it would be more useful for serious tournament players looking for some practical advice from a strong GM about engaging in risky play. In some senses it is written at a fairly advanced level, and someone below 2000 elo might have problems understanding some of the comments, although I think most of the book would be accessible to 1800+.
I liked the book a lot, but it is one of the books that some people might find really useful, and others not.
It's really helpful.
Hello everyone!
Could you please give me any information about this book and would you recommend it?
"Risk & Bluff in Chess: The Art of Taking Calculated Risks" by Vladimir Tukmakov. I can't figure out whether it's an educational book or it's just fun to read but what it shows wouldn't be so useful to improve one's game.
Thanks for your help.