Mastering Positional Chess: Practical Lessons of a Junior World Champion is one of those books that offers both value and personal insights, as well as valuable chess knowledge.
The book was written when Daniel Naroditsky was a teenager. Yet, it is the work of a mature coach who thoroughly understands how strong players think.
Published by New in Chess in 2010, the book had one goal: to make complex ideas feel natural. Naroditsky doesn’t just show you moves; he explains the reasons behind them.
The book has a simple goal, making it easy to enjoy and learn positional play.
About the Book and the Author
Born on November 9, 1997, Daniel Naroditsky left a lasting legacy in the chess world before his death on October 19, 2025.
Having picked up chess at the age of six, Daniel was one of the most talented players of his age and soon became a World Youth Chess Champion in November 2007.
Daniel had an unconventional chess career: he spent his time away from chess earning a Bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University.
Daniel Naroditsky was many things: a streamer, a coach, a commentator, an author, and a role model for many chess enthusiasts.
The book is one of two written by Daniel Naroditsky, with the second being titled “Mastering Complex Endgames.”
It is a book that will quietly change how you approach the game. It doesn’t promise instant results, but if you work through the examples, you will make better decisions without realizing it.
The prose is engaging and offers significant value to readers.
Book Content Summary
The book features six chapters that cover numerous essential themes related to positional play. All concepts in the book are centered on actual games, with many from Naroditsky’s own tournaments.
Each lesson emphasizes one main idea, followed by illustrations and examples that demonstrate how that idea can be applied in various situations.
The chapters in the book include
- Prophylaxis
- Defense in Worse Positions
- Building and Breaking Fortresses
- Positional Sacrifices
- Paralysis in the Middlegame
- Maneuvering
These six chapters illustrate many positional concepts, such as
- How to recognize weak squares and outposts
- Understanding pawn structures and how they guide your plans
- The importance of Piece coordination
- How to improve your worst-placed piece
- When to change the pawn structure and when to keep it static
- How to convert small positional advantages into a win.
The examples used are practical and from actual games. Each has a rational explanation that makes you feel you are solving the problem yourself.
The emphasis is on understanding why specific plans are effective and why others are not.
Naroditsky’s writing is friendly, logical, and deeply human. It feels like a coach sitting beside you showing you why one plan is better than the other.
Pros
The book has so many things going for it, including:
Clear Writing and Easy to Read
Aside from the fact that it packs a wealth of knowledge, the language used is engaging and a delight to read. Reading it feels like having a friend (Daniel Naroditsky) explaining what he has learned about positional play.
Annotated Games
Daniel’s understanding of chess shines through in his annotations and evaluations of positions. This makes it easy to follow games used as examples and pick up ideas.
Practical ideas and not too Technical
When compared to the work of other authors, such as Mark Dvoretsky’s Secrets of Positional Play and Yusupov’s Build Up Your Chess, it is less intimidating to read.
And yet, it strikes a balance: it is instructive yet not too technical, serious yet not intimidating.
Daniel Narodisky uses real tournament examples and explains them in a way that a layperson will understand. You will rarely come across ten-move variations.
Instead, plans, anecdotes, and explanations are used to build fundamental understanding.
Cons
Although a solid book, it still has its shortcomings.
Not for Complete Beginners
Naroditsky assumes a basic understanding of chess tactics and that the player is not a complete beginner, so it may feel advanced if you have a FIDE rating below 1500.
No Original Idea
For anyone who has read the work of Dvoretsky and Yusupov, it offers minimal value. Some ideas are already seen there.
Overall, this book sits in the middle-ground. It is not for a total beginner, and also not as complex as Dvoretsky. And yet, it is deep enough for serious chess improvement.
Who is this Book for?
If you are still learning basic patterns or just starting your chess journey, the book will be difficult.
But for those who already play serious games and want to stop making random plans, Mastering Positional Chess will help you understand why stronger players make their moves.
- Intermediate to Advanced Club players (around 1600-2100)
- Coaches who want to introduce positional chess to students
Final Thoughts
Mastering Positional Chess is one of those books that any chess improver should read. It doesn’t promise instant results, but if you work through the examples, you’ll start making better decisions.
Some might say it is one of the best books ever written on positional chess, and I would agree with them.
What I will say is that Mastering Positional Chess is not just another chess book; it is a training partner and a teacher. It is a book you should read.