Nikitin: Coaching Kasparov, Year by Year and Move by Move, Volume II - The Assassin (1982-1990)

Autor: Nikitin, Alexander
Verlag / Hersteller: Elk and Ruby
Erscheinungsjahr: 2020
Sprache: Englisch
Buchumschlag: paperback
Seiten: 264

How Kasparov Became World Champion: Training Secrets from His Coach

Coaching Kasparov, Year by Year and Move by Move, Volume II by Alexander Nikitin offers an insider's account of Garry Kasparov's rise to dominance during the 1980s. Nikitin, Kasparov's long-term coach, second and mentor, reveals the training methods and strategic insights that transformed a talented junior into an unbeaten world champion.

This volume spans 1982–1990, covering Kasparov's first four world championship matches against Anatoly Karpov and the candidates tournaments that shaped his path. The book combines chronological narrative with detailed game analysis, making it essential reading for ambitious players, coaches and chess parents seeking to understand elite preparation.

Highlights

• Inside view of world championship match preparation and Kasparov's training regimen during his peak years
• Original scoresheets and games from Kasparov's training sessions, provided by the Kasparov family
• Analysis of opening preparation, middle-game strategy and the cross-fire tactics that defined Kasparov's style
• Contemporary games supplemented with modern computer-engine analysis by Grandmaster Dorian Rogozenco
• Chronological coverage of four Kasparov–Karpov world title matches and leading candidates tournaments
• Rare documentation of coaching methods from the Soviet training tradition at its height

Short-listed for the English Chess Federation Book of the Year Award 2020.

FAQ

What time period does this volume cover?
Volume II covers 1982–1990, a critical eight-year span that includes Kasparov's first four world championship matches against Anatoly Karpov and the candidates tournaments he won to earn his title shots.

What makes this book different from standard game collections?
Rather than isolated games, Nikitin presents Kasparov's development year by year through his own coaching perspective. The book includes original training-session scoresheets provided by the Kasparov family and combines them with modern computer analysis, offering both historical context and contemporary insight into the preparation that created a world champion.

Who is this book suited for?
The book serves ambitious players seeking to understand elite training methods, coaches looking to apply Soviet coaching principles, and chess parents interested in how world champions develop. It is also valuable for players aiming to improve their opening preparation and middle-game strategy.