Grandmaster John Nunn provides a complete chess education, covering decision-making methods and psychological factors in addition to the most important strategic and tactical methods.

Following on from his successful books Understanding Chess Endgames and Understanding Chess Middlegames , John Nunn fleshes out the theory by showing how World Champion Emanuel Lasker handled a wide variety of practical situations. We see how Lasker’s play, which his opponents found so unfathomable, was based on logic, extreme pragmatism and a deep understanding of how chess-players think.

• Covers topics not usually considered, such as queenless middlegames and manoeuvring

• Dissects strategic issues including piece activity, pawn-structure and bishop vs knight

• Looks at psychological aspects of chess, such as choosing lines which are most uncomfortable for the opponent

• Discusses how to handle inferior positions

• Explanations focus on general ideas rather than detailed analysis

• Features more than 100 of the most instructive examples from Lasker’s career

• Concludes with a selection of exercises, with full commentary and explanation

Emanuel Lasker from Germany - chess player, mathematician and philosopher - held the world title for 27 years, longer than any other champion. His victories against many of the all-time greats were based on an ahead-of-his-time understanding and had a subtle but profound influence on modern chess thinking.

Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures in world chess. He was among the world’s leading grandmasters for nearly twenty years, winning four gold medals in chess Olympiads. He is a much-acclaimed writer, whose works have won ‘Book of the Year’ awards in several countries. In 2004, 2007 and 2010, Nunn was crowned World Chess Solving Champion, ahead of many former champions.

Content:

005 Symbols

006 1: Introduction: Why Lasker?

010 2: Misunderstood Genius

016 3: Attack and Defence

016 King in the Centre

025 Weight of Numbers

028 Using the Whole Board

031 Attacking without Risk

034 Weakening the King Position

037 Opposite-Coloured Bishops

040 Sacrificial Breakthrough

052 Meeting Sacrifices

067 4: Piece Activity

067 Misplaced Piece

075 Improving Piece Position

081 Activity vs Material

086 Open File

088 Bad Bishop

095 5: Pawn-Structure

095 The Isolated d-Pawn

106 Pawn-Chains

111 Backward Pawns

116 Doubled Pawns

122 Central Pawn-Mass

126 Weak Colour Complex

132 6: The Endgame

132 The Two Bishops

135 Breakthrough

136 Endgame Initiative

142 Rook on the Seventh

145 7: Bishop vs Knight

167 8: Queenless Middlegames

182 9: Defending Inferior Positions

182 Making the Most of Your Assets

186 One Step at a Time

192 Changing the Character of the Position

197 When You Have No Active Play

200 Defending Inferior Endgames

207 Mishandling the Opening

214 10: Manoeuvring

228 11: Endgames: Making Something from Nothing

243 12: Playing for the Win

250 Looking for More

255 13: Fleeting Chances

261 14: The Critical Moment

268 15: Common Failings

268 Lack of Objectivity

275 A Sense of Danger

284 The Slippery Slope

286 Missing a Kill

289 Mishandling Tactics

293 Carelessness

297 Cashing in an Advantage

299 Losing Control

302 16: Exercises

308 Solutions to Exercises

318 Index of Lasker's Opponents

319 Index of Openings