The review of the first edition appeared in the October-December 2001 issue of Chess Horizons:
“This book contains fifty games, chronologically arranged from the period 1993-2000, and annotated in near Hubnerian depths. The annotations originated in the magazine Ceskoslovensky Sach, but have been substantially updated for publication.
“Depending on the course of the game the Slovakian grandmaster concentrates on all the different aspects of the game: opening, middlegame, or endgame. Plus exploring themes such as the intuitive sacrifice, materially unbalanced positions, or desperate defense. Furthermore, each game is supplemented with an overview which summarizes its key points.
“Stohl states that his goal is to get closer to the ‘ultimate truth’ about each game and that a ‘suitable database and a playing program is, together with a chessboard, also the most suitable way to study this book.’
“There are indices of players and of openings. If you were stranded on a deserted island this is one book you’ll wish to have packed.”
This new enlarged edition reprints the fifty original games, updated where necessary, and presents twelve new games played from 2000 up until the Mexico City world championship. Stohl writes that “the games chosen provide good instructional value and illustrate well all the important aspects of contemporary chess.” He notes that because of “the increasingly opening-orientated character of chess … it was necessary not only to provide a substantial update of opening references in comparison with the original notes, but sometimes also to give extensive analysis of the opening phase to present the whole game in its proper context. Nevertheless, the emphasis of the book lies firmly on the later phases of the games.”
Download a pdf file with a sample from the book.