Amazon reviewers called it a “hidden gem” and “the best chess book I have ever read,” etc. Several complained of very bad proofreading, typos, diagrams, etc.
In the book Evans examined the elements of space, time, force and Pawn structure. Eugene Znosko-Borovsky published the Middle Game in Chess (not sure of the date) that was translated into English by Julius Du Mont back in 1938. You can take a look at Znosko-Borovsky’s book that was published as a Project Gutenberg Canada Ebook. HERE
In his book Evans has different samples and discusses some things Znosko-Borovsky didn’t and I suppose some of his instruction may be helpful. I have the book, but never read it. I did read Znosko-Borovsky’s book many years ago and liked it, but it never helped...that’s not a slam at the book because none of the books I ever read elevated much beyond the patzer level.
When it comes to gambits, Evans explained that the gambiteer hopes to profit from his rapid development and superior mobility, but he added that if the player accepting the gambit has made no errs or his position has no organic weaknesses then the gambit is unfounded.
Evans stated that there are three way to meet a gambit. 1) decline it, 2) doggedly hold on to the material at the cost of the initiative and 3) accept it and then return the material at a favorable moment.
Evans style dictated approach number 2 as can be seen in the following game from San Antonio, 1972.
The tournament was sponsored by Bill Church of Church's Fried Chicken, a restaurant chain in the United States. The company started out as a small fried chicken shack across from the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
In 1952, retired chicken incubator salesman George W. Church Sr. opened the first restaurant, Church's Fried Chicken To-Go, in San Antonio. It sold two pieces of chicken and a roll for 49 cents. They added fries and jalapenos to the menu in 1955. To allow customers to see their food prepared while they waited, Church designed the kitchen with the fryers next to the takeout window.
The company had four restaurants by the time of Church death in 1956. After his death, family members took over operations and in 1962, Church’s son Bill Junior took over as top executive.
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Popeyes bought Church's Chicken for nearly $400 million in 1989 in a heavily financed deal that plunged the new owner into bankruptcy proceedings by 1991. AFC Enterprises, originally called America's Favorite Chicken Co. acquired Popeyes and Church's Chicken in 1992. The company changed its name to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in 2014. Bill Church passed away at the age of 81 on February 7, 2014.
In the following game both players were true to their style. Ken Smth played the Smith-Mora Gambit against Evans’ Sicilain Defense and Evans, who had a strategic and patient (i.e. boring) style held on to the Pawn and, in a way that was unusual for him, almost immediately went after Smith’s King.
[Event "Church's Fried Chicken, San Antonio"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1972.11.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kenneth Smith"]
[Black "Larry Evans"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 16"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1972.11.19"]
{B21: Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit} 1. e4 c5 2. d4 {This was long advocated by
Smith who wanted amateurs to play gambits. White sacrifices a P for quick
development (hopefully) attacking chances. It's rarely seen at this level even
though it does not have a refutation.} cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 {White has two options:
4.Nxc3 and 4.Bc4 which is similar to the Danish Gambit and may be a bit too
much.} 4. Nxc3 {White’s plan is straightforward and consists of placing his
B on c4 from where it attacks f7, control the c and d-files with Rs and
utilize the fact that black will find a suitable place for his Q.} Nc6 {
Black has gobs of decent setups that are effective.} 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 a6 7. O-O
Nf6 8. Bg5 e6 9. Qe2 h6 10. Bh4 g5 {[%mdl 32] An excellent move. Evans wastes
no time going after the K.} 11. Bg3 Nh5 $1 12. Rfd1 (12. Rad1 {isn't any
better as the game Lendwai,R (2410)-Lutz,C (2550) Graz 1993 demonstrated.} Nxg3
13. hxg3 Qf6 14. Nh2 Be7 15. f4 gxf4 16. gxf4 Qg7 {Black is better and went on
to win.}) 12... Nxg3 13. hxg3 g4 14. Ne1 (14. Nd4 Ne5 15. Rac1 Bd7 16. Bb3 Rc8
17. Nc2 Qg5 18. Ne3 h5 19. Na4 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Bc6 21. Rd1 h4 22. Nb6 h3 {
White resigned. Sanchez Maya,S (2203)-Arenas,D (2266) Medellin 2009}) 14... Ne5
15. Bb3 h5 {Black only has a N developed, but white is already in serious
difficulty.} 16. Nd3 Bg7 17. Nf4 (17. Nxe5 {with the idea of eliminating an
attacking piece isn't any better. To wit...} Bxe5 18. Qe3 h4 19. Ne2 hxg3 20.
Nxg3 Bd7 21. Rac1 Qh4 {White's K goes on the run, but there is no really safe
place.} 22. Kf1 Bb5+ 23. Ke1 Bxb2 {Black is winning.}) 17... h4 18. Qd2 (18.
Qe3 hxg3 19. Qxg3 Qg5 20. Rac1 Bd7 {White is out of reasonable moves. Black
has no forced win here, but a Shootout continuation ran...} 21. Rc2 Nc6 22. Qe3
Qh6 23. Kf1 Be5 24. g3 b5 25. Nd3 Qxe3 26. fxe3 Bxg3 27. Rg2 Be5 28. Rxg4 Ke7
29. Rc1 Bf6 30. Rg2 Rh1+ 31. Rg1 Rxg1+ 32. Kxg1 Rg8+ 33. Kf2 Rh8 34. Nf4 Be5
35. Kg2 Nb4 36. Rd1 a5 37. a4 Bxc3 38. bxc3 bxa4 39. cxb4 axb3 40. bxa5 Bc6 41.
Kf3 Rb8 42. Ne2 f5 43. Nc3 b2 44. a6 Rb3 45. Nb1 Bxe4+ 46. Kf2 Rb5 47. a7 Ra5 {
and it's pretty clear that black wins.}) 18... hxg3 19. fxg3 Qb6+ 20. Kf1 Bd7
21. Rac1 Rd8 22. Ke2 {White is dead in the water...he has no plan and zero
useful moves. All that's left is for Evans to play solid, careful moves (which
was his style) to secure the win.} Nf3 {[%mdl 512]} 23. Qd3 Nd4+ 24. Kd2 Nxb3+
25. axb3 Qf2+ 26. Nce2 Bb5 27. Qe3 Qxe3+ 28. Kxe3 e5 29. Nd5 Bh6+ 30. Kf2 Bxc1
31. Rxc1 Bc6 32. Nec3 Kd7 33. Nf6+ Ke6 34. Nxg4 f5 35. exf5+ Kxf5 36. Ne3+ Ke6
37. g4 d5 {[%mdl 32]} 38. Ne2 d4 39. Nc4 Rdg8 40. Kg3 Rg5 {The time control
has been reached and so Smith resigned. Neraly flawless play by Evans left
Smith without a chance.} 0-1
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