Grandmaster Preparation: Positional Play

"Positional Play" emphasizes that asking the right three questions can help fine-tune your focus in positional chess to concentrate on the heart of the position and notice the right details. Jacob Aagaard wants readers to look for the weaknesses (for both you and your opponent), the worst placed pieces, and the opponent's idea. He illustrates this with concrete examples, sub-categorizing if necessary to help make it clear what he is referring to when introducing important terms (such as weaknesses).Jacob Aagaard's books are generally written mainly for advanced players (2200-2300+ FIDE) and this one is no exception. While "Positional Play" is supposedly the easiest book in the GM Preparation series, that doesn't mean that it isn't challenging. As a 2117 USCF player (2458 blitz peak on chess.com), I was getting absolutely crushed by many of these puzzles. It was not unusual for me to spend 1.5 hrs with a training partner (also over 2000 USCF) to solve 6 puzzles and score 50% or less. Not only were many of the puzzles very difficult, the GMs who played the games often weren't able to solve them when they had the position in their games, including some players in the top-10. One of the puzzles includes an improvement on a Magnus Carlsen game, and Magnus got it wrong! While the puzzles will take the bulk of the reader's study time, the examples shown are very instructive and help prepare you for the puzzles. The puzzles are well chosen and help illustrate the concepts that Aagaard presents.Highly recommended for advanced players. I suspect that players as low as 1800 USCF could also get a lot out of studying this book, but players lower than that should tread with caution. Aagaard's books are not easy and if masters will have to work hard to master his content, it will be much harder for players lower than that.For those that are ambitious but don't feel ready for Jacob Aagaard's "Grandmaster Preparation" series, I recommend Yusupov's 9-book series, which is designed to take an ambitious and talented club player to FM level. Once the student is FM level (or 2000+ and willing to work extremely hard), he will likely be ready for Jacob Aagaard's GM prep series.

I have MANY Chess Books. Aagaard and Silman are far and away my favorite teachers. I know some say the Grandmaster series is too advanced for anyone not over ELO 2000 but I disagree. I think any reasonably bright player can get a lot out of the whole series and this book particularly. It really does a great job of analyzing positions. The puzzles are excellent and very instructive. Your not going to get them all correct but that's not the point. I am 1500ish and I could have used it at 700. If you have trouble visualizing then maybe you should work there before getting into positional chess concepts but if you have good visualization skills I think you can get a lot out of this book.

This book is intended for people who already have the fundamentals of chess down, and want to improve on their play for tournament level. In this book you will mostly be setting up positions on your board and studying them following the techniques described in this book. The positions in the book, although not particular exciting, are excellent for practical play in chess.Overall, I would get this book if you are at least 1000 ELO, although some beginners might find some use in the book.

This is not a Tom Clancy novel (I like them too!). It is difficult, it takes time - a lot of time - and I think it is a very good book. Just finishing a chapter (as much as I have done so far) gives you a sense of accomplishment. I have about seven or so of Aagaard's books and they are all good (well, except for the first edition of the Attacking Manual and there is a second edition out now that is just fine). This book should be on your winter reading list, and it will take a good part of the winter to complete it. But you will have learned a lot. If you finish this book, then get his book Strategic Play. It will make this book seem pretty easy!

I believe Positional Play is one of Jacob Aagaard's most outstanding works among his many excellent publications. In this book he provides three questions you should ask yourself to determine your appropriate positional moves, and he sets forth many exercises for each of the three questions. Aagaard argues that your answering these exercises and reading the solutions will greatly improve your positional play. The exercises are many and they are difficult, but the solutions are very explanatory.

very happy with delivery and product

Great

As the title says.