Exeter Chess Club:

For:	Fri. 17 ^th Dec. 1999

The end of the year usually generates a look-back at what good chess books have been published during the previous 12 months. The BCF decided that "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy - Advances Since Nimzowitsch" by John Watson was their Book of the Year: (Gambit 272pp £19.99). The author looks at Nimzowitch's My System, surely one of the Chess Books of the Century, and refines and develops some of his ideas on middle game play, in the light of the 70+ years experience since its original publication.

Game collections are always popular, and the indefatigable John Nunn brought out 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures (Gambit 176pp £13.99). A common enough theme in chess publishing, but this book has an unusual format with well-placed diagrams that permit the reader to follow the game without necessarily having to set up a board and pieces, making it easy to dip into for a few minutes at a time.

In the Devon Knockout Cup, the Rooke Memorial, Tiverton squeezed past Exmouth 5 - 3, with 6 draws and wins to S. Thorpe-Tracey and J. Reardon.

In last week's position, Qxf7 is met by 2. Qg3+ Kf6 (forced) 3. Bg5+ Ke6 4. Qb3+ and the Black Queen drops. To an optimist, 2 pieces for a Queen is not necessarily a resigning matter, but the resulting position is such that mate is almost inevitable.

This week's problem was described by Mansfield himself as "perhaps the most beautiful 2-mover", with a truly elegant solution. A. Ellerman 1925