Schacksnack

In this video, IM Thomas Engqvist reviews the classic chess book Play Like a Grandmaster (Batsford, 1978) by Alexander Kotov.

Together with Think Like a Grandmaster, this is one of the most influential instructional works ever written for ambitious chess players. Whereas Think Like a Grandmaster focuses primarily on the calculation of variations, Play Like a Grandmaster examines three further qualities required for master-level play: positional judgement, planning, and combinational vision.

Thomas explains Kotov’s approach to positional understanding, including Steinitz’s fundamental principles and the importance of evaluating the key elements of a position. The book’s famous discussion of planning is also explored, from single-stage plans to more complex multi-stage plans, which Kotov divides into three categories: positions where everything is clear to the end, positions where something can be seen ahead, and positions that lead into subsequent darkness.

The video also covers Kotov’s treatment of combinations, including his classification system and the relationship between motif, means, and theme. Throughout the review, illustrative examples are discussed from the games of great players such as Kotov, Alekhine, and Karpov.

This is a highly recommended book for ambitious club and tournament players, particularly from around 1800 Elo upwards, but it contains valuable lessons all the way to master and elite level.

Have you read Play Like a Grandmaster? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.