Here & There
May 7 - 13

Book Notes
The modern classic, Secrets of Spectacular Chess, is now in a largely expanded second edition, in which authors Jonathan Levitt and David Friedgood share their joy and appreciation of chess beauty, engulfing readers with a wealth of amazing and magnificent examples from the aesthetic side of the game.

In Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Keybook II, this exciting opening is brought up-to-the-minute with an unbelievable 2700+ games. This volume features the latest in computer-guided analysis, correspondence and e-mail tournaments, along with thousands of new analytical suggestions.

Indians Galore
The Indian complex of openings each have their own qualities and appeal to players of different styles. This month Carsten Hansen reviews a number of new works within the Indian defenses, and takes brief looks at two new publications from New In Chess.

State of Play
Avoiding an opening because of a memorable loss can be an extreme reaction. As explained in this month’s Opening Lanes, the opening might be improved by a quick look at the current state of play at tournament level.

SPICE Boost
The Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE) at Texas Tech University recently received a sizeable grant to introduce chess in the schools. This month Susan Polgar discusses this and a number of national and international events.

Paladin Sets
We have just received a shipment of the very popular Paladin chess sets. This rugged, triple-weighted set features a 3-7/8" king with a 1-5/8" diameter base. It weighs in at a hefty 46 ounces and comes with four queens. It is now back in stock and shipping.

Play well...