I did something different. I bought a chess book without doing any research. I decided to reward myself with a new book after having
written ten reviews. So I asked my friends on Twitter for suggestions, and someone suggested that I take a
look at the book Under the surface by Jan Markos. Since the book is quite new, I couldn't find much information about it, so I decided to blindly trust the recommendation. Luckily, I was not let down.
Under the surface is a book about how to think about chess, and it is quite clear that Markos has been inspired by Nimzowitsch when he wrote it. One could argue that this book is a continuation or development of My system; the books are quite similar, both in terms of writing style and content. Markos explains many of the same ideas as in My system, but he covers more ground. The 33 (!) chapters of the book are divided into seven sections:
In part 1, Markos explains the most important principles that you need to know in order to become a strong player. For instance, he discusses the concept of weaknesses as a form of infection: If not treated properly, the infection may spread across the board and make other pieces weak and ultimately weaken the entire position. I find this analogy both original and attractive.
In part 2, he builds on the ideas from part 1 and discusses the specific nature and "needs" of the different pieces. In other words, how to use the pieces most effectively. Principles such as providing open files for rooks and foreposts for knights are well known to most readers and have been presented in many books (for instance My system). But one idea that I found quite interesting is the description of pawn structure as a "magnetic skin". The idea is that an intact pawn structure serves as a protective layer for the pieces behind it. If pawns are traded, the layer is fractured and the opponent may come through and cause damage. Pieces that are outside the pawn chain will find protection by staying in contact with the "skin" (the magnetic side). Another well-known principle, but with an
original presentation.
In part 3, the discussion revolves around the relevance (and irrelevance) of time in chess. Markos gives examples of positions where time is very important and others where you would like to waste time and even bore your opponent to death.
Part 4 covers the topic that every chess player loves to hate: Openings. Markos gives suggestions for how to think about and how to study openings. Unlike many "opening nerds", he puts a big question mark behind the idea of objective (computer) evaluations of openings. Instead, he argues (quite convincingly) that the point should be to steer the game towards a position that you understand better than your opponent. In some cases, this might even lead to a position in which you are "objectively" worse. But if you know what to do, and your opponent doesn't, you will have a quite real advantage on the board. I found all of this very refreshing.
Finally, in part 5, we dig into the subject that most people probably will expect from the book: How do strong players analyze a position, and how do they select their moves? In the eight chapters that make up this section, Markos recommends different ways of playing depending on the type of position. For instance, you will need to have a different approach if you have a clear advantage and can win in many ways or if you are clearly worse and are trying to save a draw. One important lesson from these chapters is that you want to "push" the difficult decisions over to your opponent. That is, of course, easier said than done, but if you are choosing between one move to which your opponent has only one response and another one which will require careful calculation, you should probably pick the latter. This is a gross simplification on my part, but I am sure you get the idea. Otherwise, read the book. =)
As said above, this book has many simliarities to My system, but part 6 is an exception. The topic here is the use (and misuse) of computers. This is something Nimzowitsch missed altogether. I wonder why… Anyway, here, I learned another valuable lesson: If you are asking a computer to evaluate a position, you get a score, which is often treated as some sort of ultimate truth about the position. If it's +1.2, white is clearly better and should win. Right? Not necessarily. Sometimes, the position is so complex that it is not so easy to win. So in order to understand it properly, Markos suggests that one should set up a match between engines based on the position in question, to see which sides will win. And often, it is not as clear cut as one might think just looking at the numbers. An interesting suggestion indeed.
The seventh and final part of the book is where Markos allows philosophy to dominate completely by discussing the concept of Beauty in chess. This may be very interesting to some readers, and completely off-putting to others. But anyway, it's only 10 pages, so don't let it influence your opinion about the book.
I think this book has several strengths. The writing style is very efficient and to the point. Examples are chosen carefully and provide excellent illustration of the principles that are presented. The book covers a wide range of topics, which may lead you to think that it is unfocused. But that is definitely not the case. I find that the subjects are presented in a way that links them together to form a whole that is bigger than the pieces themselves. And this is probably no easy task.
This might be obvious to you by now, but I really enjoyed this book. I find the writing style quite refreshing. For those familiar with Jonathan Rowson's writing (Seven deadly chess sins, Chess for zebras), this book has a similar feel. Examples are well chosen and explained in a clear and pedagogical way. There are many ideas and suggestions that will give you new ways of seeing familiar principles. It's well worth reading.
What can you expect from this book?
I am not the only one who has done something different. Jan Markos did the same when he wrote Under the surface. He takes a quite philosophical approach to chess, which should probably be expected from a former student of philosophy. This comes across quite clearly in his choice of chapter titles. The names "Magnetic Skin", "Anatoly Karpov's Billiard Balls" and "On the Breaking Ice" are not the most transparent chapter titles in the world. But once you get under the surface (pun intended) of the chapters, it all makes sense. If you're interested, you can find the table of contents (and an excerpt) on the publisher's webpage.Under the surface is a book about how to think about chess, and it is quite clear that Markos has been inspired by Nimzowitsch when he wrote it. One could argue that this book is a continuation or development of My system; the books are quite similar, both in terms of writing style and content. Markos explains many of the same ideas as in My system, but he covers more ground. The 33 (!) chapters of the book are divided into seven sections:
In part 1, Markos explains the most important principles that you need to know in order to become a strong player. For instance, he discusses the concept of weaknesses as a form of infection: If not treated properly, the infection may spread across the board and make other pieces weak and ultimately weaken the entire position. I find this analogy both original and attractive.
In part 2, he builds on the ideas from part 1 and discusses the specific nature and "needs" of the different pieces. In other words, how to use the pieces most effectively. Principles such as providing open files for rooks and foreposts for knights are well known to most readers and have been presented in many books (for instance My system). But one idea that I found quite interesting is the description of pawn structure as a "magnetic skin". The idea is that an intact pawn structure serves as a protective layer for the pieces behind it. If pawns are traded, the layer is fractured and the opponent may come through and cause damage. Pieces that are outside the pawn chain will find protection by staying in contact with the "skin" (the magnetic side). Another well-known principle, but with an
original presentation.
In part 3, the discussion revolves around the relevance (and irrelevance) of time in chess. Markos gives examples of positions where time is very important and others where you would like to waste time and even bore your opponent to death.
Part 4 covers the topic that every chess player loves to hate: Openings. Markos gives suggestions for how to think about and how to study openings. Unlike many "opening nerds", he puts a big question mark behind the idea of objective (computer) evaluations of openings. Instead, he argues (quite convincingly) that the point should be to steer the game towards a position that you understand better than your opponent. In some cases, this might even lead to a position in which you are "objectively" worse. But if you know what to do, and your opponent doesn't, you will have a quite real advantage on the board. I found all of this very refreshing.
Finally, in part 5, we dig into the subject that most people probably will expect from the book: How do strong players analyze a position, and how do they select their moves? In the eight chapters that make up this section, Markos recommends different ways of playing depending on the type of position. For instance, you will need to have a different approach if you have a clear advantage and can win in many ways or if you are clearly worse and are trying to save a draw. One important lesson from these chapters is that you want to "push" the difficult decisions over to your opponent. That is, of course, easier said than done, but if you are choosing between one move to which your opponent has only one response and another one which will require careful calculation, you should probably pick the latter. This is a gross simplification on my part, but I am sure you get the idea. Otherwise, read the book. =)
As said above, this book has many simliarities to My system, but part 6 is an exception. The topic here is the use (and misuse) of computers. This is something Nimzowitsch missed altogether. I wonder why… Anyway, here, I learned another valuable lesson: If you are asking a computer to evaluate a position, you get a score, which is often treated as some sort of ultimate truth about the position. If it's +1.2, white is clearly better and should win. Right? Not necessarily. Sometimes, the position is so complex that it is not so easy to win. So in order to understand it properly, Markos suggests that one should set up a match between engines based on the position in question, to see which sides will win. And often, it is not as clear cut as one might think just looking at the numbers. An interesting suggestion indeed.
The seventh and final part of the book is where Markos allows philosophy to dominate completely by discussing the concept of Beauty in chess. This may be very interesting to some readers, and completely off-putting to others. But anyway, it's only 10 pages, so don't let it influence your opinion about the book.
I think this book has several strengths. The writing style is very efficient and to the point. Examples are chosen carefully and provide excellent illustration of the principles that are presented. The book covers a wide range of topics, which may lead you to think that it is unfocused. But that is definitely not the case. I find that the subjects are presented in a way that links them together to form a whole that is bigger than the pieces themselves. And this is probably no easy task.
This might be obvious to you by now, but I really enjoyed this book. I find the writing style quite refreshing. For those familiar with Jonathan Rowson's writing (Seven deadly chess sins, Chess for zebras), this book has a similar feel. Examples are well chosen and explained in a clear and pedagogical way. There are many ideas and suggestions that will give you new ways of seeing familiar principles. It's well worth reading.
Who should read this book?
Under the surface is not a book for beginners. But if your chess understanding is beyond the very basics, I think that you may enjoy reading it. Some of the examples are quite advanced, but the annotations and explanations are quite clear, so most readers will find it accessible. Although my playing strength is lower, I Believe that players in the 1800-2100 range will get the most out of this book. I would even expect that players at master level will find it interesting and inspiring. Under the surface has a lot to offer to a wide range of readers, and I gladly recommend that you read it!About this book
| Author: | Jan Markos |
| Title: | Under the surface |
| Type of book: | Middlegame |
| Level: | Intermediate/Advanced |
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