p.16 When I revealed that I was writing a book to tell all that I knew about analysis, based on what I had
learned from other grandmasters and what I had discovered myself, I was rewarded yet again by applause. I came to realise
that players even in high grades need such guidance. Then I said jokingly, "Botvinnik is working hard at trying to
make a computer play chess as well as a human being, so let me teach human beings to analyse with the accuracy
of a machine."
p.17 Practice has shown that only a few players have mastered the technique of analysis;
even highly rated players are lacking in this respect.
p.19 Having examined the games of other players, particularly masters, and read the occasional comments
on this point that appeared in game annotations, I became even more convinced that the ability to analyse clearly
a sufficient number of variations so as to clarify the position was the basic condition for success... How should
one go about this training?...I chose a method which seemed to me the most rational...I selected from tournament books those
games in which great complications had arisen. Then I played them through on a board but when I reached the crucial point
where there were the greatest complications and the largest number of possible variations I stopped reading the notes. I either
put aside the book or covered the page with a sheet of paper and set myself the task of thinking long and hard so as to analyse
all the possible variations...I would sometimes write down the variations I had examined and then I would compare them with
those of the annotator... Naturally I analysed without moving the pieces so as to make it just like a tournament game...
In this fashion I examined a large number of very tricky and complicated positions.
p.24 Three factors guarantee finding the right move. They are: an accurate analysis of all variations
that can be logically considered, confidence that you have taken account of all the best moves and strict economy in thinking
time.
p.44 A grandmaster is obligated to examine all the candidate moves in a given position.
p.68 When you have finished analysing all the variations and gone along all the branches of the tree of
analysis, you must first of all write the move down on your score sheet before you play it... You should write the move down
in the long form... Every figure, every letter should be written very clearly and carefully... Spend another minute looking
at the position.. and look at the position through the eyes of a patzer.
p.83 Steinitz and his successors introduced the following concepts about the basic elements
of a chess position:
1. Open lines and diagonals
2. Pawn structure and weak points
3. Piece position
4. Space and the centre
They also considered the possession of the two bishops as a real factor in guaranteeing an overall
advantage, though this particular question, more than any other, is today a controversial one.
p.147 One factor is always present in all a grandmaster does. He always takes account
of it when planning for the immediate or the distant future. This factor is the pawn formation in the centre.
The method of play to be adopted depends crucially on this pawn formation and we shall consider the various
types of central formation and advise on the appropriate method of play for each.
p.155 We have now dealt with the three fundamental elements which constitute mastery of the game of chess:
these are analysis of variations, positional assessment and planning. In the last part of the book we will go on to
examine the important subject of endgame technique...
