Magnus Carlsen’s mastery of the middlegame is astonishing, even by the standards of World Champions. But how did this power develop, and what can the rest of us learn from it? To explain the mysteries requires another elite grandmaster, and Ivan Sokolov is perfectly qualified for this role.

Magnus Carlsen’s Middlegame Evolution allows the reader to celebrate the brilliance of the highest-rated chess player in history while learning from his example. With insightfully annotated games, Sokolov takes us inside the mind of a chess genius.

"Magnus Carlsen's Middlegame Evolution is another fine effort from Ivan Sokolov on his patented middlegame territory.

As always with Ivan's books, you'll also learn a lot about the openings that lead into the middlegames, as it's a side of the game that he's never lost interest in! In particular, White and Black players of the Nimzo-Indian have got a lot of fresh material and ideas to examine… A really good book: 4 stars!" -- GM Matthew Sadler, New in Chess

"I found this book compulsive reading and I learned a great deal from it. Sokolov is an excellent annotator of middlegames, choosing variations wisely and homing in on the dynamic features of a position…

A very rich book, which is presented attractively with photographs and ample diagrams. Sokolov's introduction promises a sequel, probably featuring more 1 e4 games. I eagerly await it." -- James Vigus, CHESS magazine

GM Ivan Sokolov is a Yugoslav and twice Dutch Champion with decades of experience of elite chess. His peak rating was over 2700, and his extensive list of scalps includes Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand.