Move of the Year and Faves From Play Like a Champion
Find highlighted positions from PLAC and vote for it in a Book of the Year competition.
My book, PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION, is now available everywhere, including amazon and bookshop.
PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION was also nominated for the “2023 Book of the Year” competition on chess dot com1, alongside some incredible authors, including friends Ben Johnson of the Perpetual Podcast and GM Sam Shankland. Levy Rozman’s best-selling book is also nominated and it’s delightful to see the positive energy around chess books this year.
I recently had a fun conversation which overviews Play Like a Champion with WIM Charlize van Zyl of Forward Chess. Charlize previously wrote a very generous blog post about the book. She even said that it’s her favorite tactics book ever!
We reviewed a bunch, including these mates in two, a perennial favorite.
A gorgeous mate in two executed by IM Corina Peptan of Romania. Answer here2.
This mate in two came from the Problems Chapter, and is by the great and prolific composer Edith Baird, author of 700 Problems (1902). Answer here3.
We also talked about one game that didn’t quite make the book, since it was played two weeks after we went to press.
IM/WGM Stavroula Tsolakidou played the extraordinary 28.Qg3!! allowing 28…Ne2+ 29. Kg2 and Nxg3, leading us to this position.
Now White has the intermediate move, 30. Ne7+! Kh7 31.fxg3 and remarkably, White is totally winning.
Black has a move to spare, but it’s not enough: Rh1 will devastate. 28. Qg3!! is my “Move of the Year” and I included it as a write-in candidate for the chess com awards. Once we sell out of the first edition of PLAC, you can bet this one will be in the second printing.
If you’re looking to get your copy signed, I have a couple fun sessions coming up at the Winter ICN camp in New York and the ChessKid National Festival in Charlotte—if you haven’t signed up yet use code CKJEN10 for 10% off your Entry.
I’m glad the book made it out before Christmas and New Year’s. Beyond allowing PLAC to thrive in the gifting and goal setting season, the book has also a great end point to me for a difficult year. In times of high stress in 2023, I often worked on PLAC. And I hope the joy it gave me during those months comes through to you too.
Happy Holidays and New Year to you all!
I’m also nominated for Commentator of the Year, but I didn’t host too many shows in 2023.
Qf5+! exf5 2.exf5#
Kf6! Rxg6 2. Nxg6#