Karpov: Move by Move by International Master Sam Collins is a highly-regarded instructional book that analyzes the games of the 12th World Champion, Anatoly Karpov. It is part of the Everyman Chess "Move by Move" series, which uses a Socratic "question-and-answer" format to engage readers. Core Content & Themes
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 O-O 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Nce2 Qe7
- Clear pedagogy: interactive "What would you play?" prompts help readers internalize decision-making.
- Excellent examples of positional squeezing and technical endgame play.
- Well-suited for club players (rating ~1400–2200) wanting to learn strategic nuance.
- Balanced mix of classic Karpov games and lesser-known examples, giving fresh instructional value.
Key details of the physical book:
- Study method: go through a game actively—try candidate moves, then read Karpov’s plans; reproduce key endgames on a board.
- Ideal as a companion to tactical training; use in alternation with puzzle sets to reinforce calculation and pattern recognition.
Perlego: Offers the book in both ePub and PDF formats via a subscription.
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