CLEARANCE - The Chess Puzzle Book 2

International Grandmaster Karsten Muller was born in Hamburg, Germany. He has established himself as one of the great chess authors. His works include the ChessCafe Puzzle Book 1, Danish Dynamite (with Martin Voigt), The Magic of Chess Tactics (with Claus Dieter Meyer), Secrets of Pawn Endings (with Frank Lamprecht) and Fundamental Chess Endings (with Frank Lamprecht). His monthly column Endgame Corner appears at www.ChessCafe.com.

This is a unique instructional chess book that aims to help intermediate and advanced players improve their command of one of the most difficult as pects of playing chess - strategy. It does so by offering a large number of examples carefully selected by the author, German grandmaster Karsten Muller. While there are many books and software programs available to assist chess players in improving their tactical ability, there are relatively few that focus on strategic and positional considerations. Working through these positions and exercises is a great way to improve your positional understanding. German grandmaster Dr. Karsten Muller will help you develop your strategic chessplaying skills.

As most chess instructors and players know, it is much more difficult to teach and learn strategic concepts than tactics. Topics include: Good and Bad Bishops; Domination; Outposts; Undermining; Opening the Position; Blockade; Improving Piece Placement; Prophylaxis; A Second Front and The Principle of Two Weaknesses; Counterplay; Positional Exchange Sacrifice; Simplification; and Weak Color Complex along with exercises to test your knowledge.