This pocket-size chess book will keep you busy.
Classics of the Chess study. The Platov brothers, Vasily (born Riga 1881, died Moscow 1952) and Mikhail (born Riga 1883, died c. 1942) are classics of the modern artistic chess study. They began their creative work in 1903-1905. Soon they were among the leading study composers in the world. The Platov brothers skilfully developed themes such as the battle of two pieces against a queen, luring black pieces onto key squares, and subtle aspects of rook endings. Amazingly beautiful stalemate combinations occur in their studies. A whole series of studies demonstrate tactical the abilities of specific pieces and also defense and attack procedures in the battle between various pieces. The Platov brothers’ progress in study composition was combined with giving priority to the development of the combinative-positional trend. They published “Collected Studies” (1914, 2nd edition 1928) and the compilation “150 Modern Studies” (1925). For many years Vasily Platov ran study columns in a number of Russian and Soviet magazines and he often acted as an arbiter in study competitions. He was an honoured doctor of Medicine of the USSR, and was awarded numerous state decorations. Mikhail was an engineer; in 1937 he was arrested and sent to a labour camp near Kargopol. The exact place and date of his death are unknown.