Kramnik's DVD is outstanding!

Vladimir Kramnik: 'My Path to the Top' - Review by Bob Long (chessco.com)

ChessBase has produced a 6+ hours DVD of interviews, game commentary, and story lines. Needless to say, this would be a great Christmas gift for anyone!

After having seen this excellent DVD I note that Kramnik has stories and maybe 20 games or game fragments that he has annotated, PLUS some interviews which had been done previously.

After the first video he is extremely relaxed and seems to be having fun in recollecting his experiences.

His voice is good and not nearly as thick with a Russian brogue as some chess players have. On the whole his English is excellent. He prefers the word "pleasure" to "fantastic," or other hyperbolic adjectives.

He can be lightning quick in his analyses, like falling off a log — it is that easy for him. So it pays to be alert.

Let me quickly rundown the content on the DVD: Not counting the six “other” games, including Nunn and early Topalov, there are three games + preparation against Kasparov 2000, two against Leko in Brisago 2004, and five including preparation against Topalov 2006 in Elista.

Finally, there is a prep file about the Mexico city event which Anand won.

Kramnik talks about his early enthusiasm and energies; and getting on the 1992 Olympic team with Kasparov even though he didn’t have as yet even an IM title. He conquered: 8½/9! I think he got both titles at once.

He’s thrilled even today and said Kasparov was very helpful to him.

He covers game two in Elista when both of them overlooked a crush by Topalov. Later Topalov eventually lost.

Get it! Superb! One of those Christmas morning day gifts you could sit and watch the whole afternoon--and even learn something.