A
good startChess Expertise Step by Step: Vol. 3, Rook Handling (DVD), by Efstratios Grivas, ChessBase, Video running time: 4 hours, $33.95 (ChessCafe Price: $27.95)
If there is one aspect of chess that every player can improve, it is rook endgames. Even a minor advance in theoretical knowledge can go a long way. In Chess Expertise Step by Step: Vol. 3, Rook Handling, Greek GM Efstratios Grivas describes them as the "most fascinating element of chess, rich in both tactical and strategic possibilities." That they are the most frequently encountered type of endgame is further reason to become familiar with their intricacies.
The contents are divided as follows:
In the "About the author" segment, as can be expected, grandmaster Grivas lists his extensive accomplishments as a chess trainer and author. He is a FIDE Senior Trainer (Secretary of the FIDE Trainers' Commission), an International FIDE Chess Arbiter, and an International FIDE Chess Organizer. He has won several medals at various Olympiads and, in 2010, he was awarded the FIDE TRG Boleslavsky Medal for best author of 2009 (though he does not mention for which title). It is a bit odd that they felt the need to include this as a video clip; a paragraph of text in the index window would have sufficed.
Grivas has a deep, gravelly voice and talks somewhat quickly with a heavy accent, but by the end of the short introductory clip the viewer is already acclimating to his enunciation and inflections and quite soon this does not become an issue at all. During the introduction, he is clearly reading his statement and never looks square at the camera. Nevertheless, his gaze is directed forward in later segments, and, since the focus of the viewer is on the chessboard during the tutorial clips, one does not notice the presenter as much in these portions.
Grivas states that the aim of the DVD is to "cover important parts of this field rook endings and help to assimilate knowledge and understand the depth of proper handling of the rook in certain cases: how to keep the rook active; how to trap a rook; how not to lose a drawn rook ending; how to handle technical rook endings; how to successfully transfer our rook; how to use cooperation between rook and knight; and how to defend against a knight and three pawns."
Already in the first game segment, many important principles are conveyed.
This entire segment is just fifteen minutes long and yet it is packed with teachable moments and it clearly demonstrates the importance of the rook's activity in the endgame. A few other segments also approach the fifteen minute mark (in the "Technical rook endings" section), while a good many others are seven to ten minutes in length, and others just two or three minutes. Grivas's presentation style is matter-of-fact and straightforward. He is more the staid professor rather than the rambunctious sports commentator.
Most of the other games on the disk are from contemporary grandmaster practice, though there are some golden oldies in Benko-Rossolimo, 1962; Browne-Zuckerman, 1973; and Lein-Littlewood, 1980. Grivas gives the complete game scores with each game, even though his commentary begins in the endgame. Of the thirty-three annotated games, Grivas's own are featured in five; three of which are in the technical rook endings section. In the game Grivas-Papadopoulos, 2006, he showcases his 2265-rated opponent's excellent technique in holding the draw in a pawn-down, four-versus-three rook endgame. If a 2200 can survive the test of a 2500+ grandmaster by following correct principles, then it only underscores the necessity of having this knowledge in your endgame arsenal.
Chess Expertise Step by Step: Vol. 3, Rook Handling comes bundled with the ChessBase Reader and so works as a stand-alone program. It also runs within the ChessBase database program or any of the Fritz-family of playing programs. The system requirements are Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, etc.
Grivas himself notes that this DVD provides just a small amount of what one
needs to learn about rook endings. Yet he is correct in saying "it is a
good start!" One can watch these segments multiple times and each time
come away with some new insight. Seeing the ideas in action onscreen, they are
more likely to stay with you than if you only read them on the page of a book,
and you can always review the games at your own pace in the accompanying database.
Recommended for any level of player.
My assessment of this product: Good (four out of six stars)
