Clinch it!: How to Convert an Advantage into a Win in Chess

by Cyrus Lakdawala

Overview

How good are you at bringing in the full point when you hold a clear advantage or are just plain winning? An honest response to this question is likely to evoke some painful memories. Perhaps the single greatest frustration for clublevel chess players is that time and again they see wins turn into draws or even losses.The reasons for messing up a won position are by no means just technical. And the rest is a matter of technique? Not likely, in the real world. Recklessness, collapsing nerves, relaxing instead of preparing yourself for a long and arduous fight, the inability to cope with a small setback or with a busted opponent who has turned into a fearless desperado: based on four decades of teaching chess Cyrus Lakdawala has identified dozens of thoughtprovoking reasons why we are throwing away games that should be ours.Lakdawala teaches how to efficiently exploit a development lead, capitalize on an attack, identify and convert favourable imbalances, accumulate strategic advantages and other tools to increase your conversion rate. His examples are compelling, his explanations are captivating and often funny. A recurring theme in this stimulating, instructive and entertaining book is: don’t burden yourself with the toxic task to prove that you are a genius. Just try to win.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789056918019
Publisher:	New in Chess
Publication date:	11/30/2018
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,127,212
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master and a former American Open Champion. He has been teaching chess for four decades, and coaches some of the top junior players in the US. Lakdawala is a prolific and widely read author. Chess for Hawks, his previous book with New In Chess, won the 2017 Best Instructional Book Award of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA).

Table of Contents

Introduction - Converting an advantage 7

Chapter 1 Exploiting a development lead 13

Chapter 2 Exploiting the attack 59

Chapter 3 Defense and counterattack 119

Chapter 4 Accumulating advantages 177

Chapter 5 Converting favorable imbalances 221

Index of players 251

By way of a bibliography 253

Editorial Reviews

"Lakdawala presents examples of both successful and failed conversions, and, as usual, he is not afraid to use a number of his own games, including some where he had failed miserably. Lakdawala's style of presentation is somewhere between casually entertaining and serious, something I quite enjoy."

American Chess Magazine - Carsten Hansen

"A masterpiece of explanation!"

Elburg Chess Reviews

"The San Diego IM presents 116 games, many from his own practice, with detailed annotations aimed at developing good habits. Lakdawala uses a question and answer format (several per game) to actively engage the reader."

John Donaldson

"Not just informative, but also entertaining."

Uw Bekemann

"Packed full of common sense and should help to improve your conversion rate."

CHESS Magazine (UK)

"Perfectly executed, fascinating and above all, very well written. What a delicious book to work with. It reads like a conversation while exercises keep you alert, and it offers food for thought throughout. A pocket-sized goldmine."

Schaaksite - Daniel Zevenhuizen