Rating: 
Summary: Perfect follow up for the "Chess For Juniors" Book
Review: I got "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" and "Chess For Juniors" for my son and I. After completing "Chess For Juniors" we found this book to be the perfect second book!
With an understanding of the basics "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" continues with more games from where "Chess For Juniors" left off.
The style is a "comment on every move". The book points out where "General Rules" apply in the 24 games in the book. It points out what the plans are at critical parts of the game. As noted in a couple of other reviews the writing style is clear and easy to understand.
The games are very instructive containing important themes and ideas that the author uses. The games have been used in the authors lessons with his students over a period of many years - and this experience shows in the quality of the lessons.
I noted that the author has a third book coming out in September, "Winning Chess Tournaments for Juniors" - I plan to get it the day it comes out!
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Learning!
Review: I got my copy autographed by the author during his booksigning at the National Elemenetary Chess Championships in Pittsburgh. Mr. Snyder also looked over one of my games and gee I learned a lot from his great ability to analyze and teach. I am rated by the USCF in the 1500s.
After going over his book Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors I found the same sharpness in the analysis in the book and his ability to teach within the pages.
I found the games to be fun, entertaining and the material to be unbeatable! The idea of providing both games played by some the strongest players in the world and strong amater players is a good one. I want to learn how to play against different skill levels and this book uses games that teaches you how to do that!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Chess Book Ever Written for a Non-Beginner
Review: I have own many chess books that analyze games and a couple others that analyze every move in every game. However, I wish that every one of those books was like "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors".
Using the format of analyzing every move of every game (without repeating the same comment to a same opening move in follow-up games using the same openings) "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" is a masterpiece.
I am not going to go over the content of each game like some of the other reviews who have already done a good job of that. What I will state is that as an elementary school chess teacher, with some intermediate level students (rated in the 700 to 1400 USCF range) this book is absolutely perfect for them.
"Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" is at a reading level that the average student in grades 3 on up can understand. It reviews basic rules and concepts while not sacrificing explanation of more complex ideas and covering deeper variations when necessary for the more advanced player. What a wonderful approach!
The author, Robert M. Snyder (a very strong master and trainer of more national scholastic championship winners than any other coach in the country - success says a lot in itself) takes twenty four games he has used in lessons for many years and makes them into lessons building on the most important ideas and concepts he wants to get across to students. This covers a wide range of Openings (the games are actually arranged by openings - and there are some great up to date opening lines and the ideas behind them), tactics, attacking ideas, defensive ideas and how to plan ahead! Though, due the nature of covering complete games, where most of the parts of the game must be instructive, there are not a lot of endgames. However, the several endgames covered are excellent!
I met the author at more than one National Scholastic Championship where he has donated his time to be game analyst and does book signings. He let me know that his fourth book (the last in the series) will cover 24 more games at an even more advanced level with an even stronger emphasis on opening theory and deeper analysis into the games covered - making it the perfect follow-up to "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors".
I absolutely feel that the author's entire "Chess for Juniors" series of books (I have reviewed them all up to those out by this date) is by far the best series of chess books ever written designed to take a player from absolute beginner to expert level.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite chess book
Review: I own both this book and Robert Snyder's "Winning Chess Tournaments for Juniors" which compliment each other with different material.
"Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" is different from the other books that I have seen that use a move by move comment.
This is because "Unbeateable Chess Lessons for Juniors" often simplifies what is going on in the games to make things easy to understand. This is done while providing good solid analysis that makes this book extremely effective for a wide variety of playing abilities.
"Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" also teaches you to plan ahead and shows how this was done in the games. Robert Snyder has a deep understanding of these games because they have been used in years of giving lessons. He knows how students think and covers typical mistakes they make. This also sets this book apart from other books I have seen.
I especially like when something critical is happening in a game that the author then applies it to a "General Rule" that can be followed. This helps the readers organize their thoughts and makes things easier to remember.
The book also makes it so you are challenged and learn to think fo yourself. An effective tool used by the author is that he often asks you to find the best move in a given situation. After seeing what you would have done he tells you what the best move was (the text move in the game) and goes on to explain it.
The book is well designed to help you study openings. The games cover the most important opening lines, without going overboard for players who have a knowledge just beyong the basics or are intermediate level tournament players. Themes of how to build attacks, sacrifices, a wide variety of tactics, taking advantage of weak squares, use of open files and placement of rooks, and much more are found throughout the book.
I would put this book at the top of your list if you are rated under 1800 and want to improve your game.
Rating:
Summary: BUY THIS BOOK!!
Review: I read the book "Logical Chess Move by Move" which is very good. I want to say this book is like it but even better!
I met the author at the national championships in Rockford, Illiois, when both his team and student won first place in 2002. He was kind enough to look at a position in one of my games and gave me the best pointers!
The book is as sharp, clear and to the point when explaining things about each game. This is not like going over raw games like in so many other books - when not explaination is required (like a recapture) he states it, but when there is an opening move or complicated variation he covers it with out losing you!
This book also covers my favorite openings a lot, Ruy Lopez, NimzoIndain and the 2 f4 way of playing against the Sicilian Defense (some great ideas!).
I know some adult chess players who really like how this book analysis games by Bobby Fisher, Boris Spassky, Karpov, Alekhine, Capablanca and Mr Snyders games. Mr Snyders games are just as good as the rest, and sometimes better because they show you how to play against people who are not a Grandmaster.
Rating:
Summary: The easiest chess book on games to understand
Review: My uncle bought me this book. I am 11 years old and have a chess rating over 1100.
I own 6 chess books that analyze games. Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors is my favorite because it is the most easy to understand.
I like the way it outlines some of the plans and asks questions to find the best move during the games. It helps teach you to think ahead.
Rating:
Summary: The Schwartz ("the force") is with this book
Review: No joke, I ("Mr. Schwartz") is with this book in every way. When I got a copy I had no idea it was the #2 Best Seller (only behind the same author's book, "Chess For Juniors"). But low and beyond it was just wonderful.
I had been the undisputed champion of my own household, my work place and even defeated those who claimed to be very good. I then played in a tournament and got killed. Well, you get the point - I thought I was good. But when I read this book and I realized just how much there was to understand and learn. I therefore, studied and studied this book. I went out again and did GREAT, FANTASTIC in the immediate tournament right after reading this book.
Well, to get right to the point. I had purchased several other books and read them before my first tournament. But after not doing so well in the first tournament and reading this book, it game me the confidence to do just play again and win!
What makes this book different from the others is that it told me just what I needed to know to play better by gaining a TRUE UNDERSTANDING of the most important ideas. It improved my openings, tactics, planning ahead (especially there helping me understand planning) and even some endgame play.
This book is simply the coolest!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Game Collection Book - Ranked #1
Review: REVIEW by 12-year-old tournament player from Lincoln, Nebraska
In my opinion this is the best book that uses games for instruction. Every move has a comment on it and the book is writen in a way that is clear and easy to understand. The author knows how to get into the mind of the student and understands what needs to be covered.
There are a total of 24 games in the book. Half of the games were played by the author and show how to take advantage of mistakes made by both masters and weaker players - this is one thing that makes the book praticle for learning. The authors games are excellent. The other games were largely selected from very strong players like Fischer, Spasky, Karpov, Capablanca, Alekhine, Nimzovich and Reshevsky. These are games used for many years by the author in his private chess lessons.
The book has good ideas in the opening and covers the opening very well along with the middlegame (tactics and position play), and even some nice endgames. It is well rounded. It is also good for adults!
I would recommend after getting this book, if you want a second book somewhat like it then also get "Logical Chess, Move By Move" by Fine (I rank it #2 behind "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors").
Rating:
Summary: SIX STARS!
Review: Simply stated - the best book of its type. I own both Fine's Book and Nunn's book that takes the idea of having a comment on every move. However, this book forms true lessons from the games in a way that is far more easy to understand for the average chess player than the other too books. So this is why I say this book is the VERY BEST!
The author has a way of mind reading. Through 30 years of using the games in his lessons (creating 35 national champions - gosh!) he knows what questions students are going to ask, where they go wrong and puts his great insight into answering the questions that the students will have. I had the same comment made by afriend who read the same book. Simply an amazing insight into the thinking process of his readers by the author!
The 24 games contain a fun mixture between top notch world class players and players who are strong amateurs showing how to take advantage of mistakes at all levels of play. This is a nice unique feature of this book.The games are arranged by opening. This allows the book to help your opening system grow (improvements in critical opening variations are contained throughout the book). There is a good balance between tactics, planning and endgames as well.
I also have the author's CHESS FOR JUNIORS BOOK (the best introductory book out there) and plan on getting his book shown on Amazon.com as WINNING CHESS TOURNAMENTS FOR JUNIORS (which, I cannot wait to get!).
Rating:
Summary: Best Lessons Using Games
Review: Simply stated: Fun, enjoyable to read and great instruction!
I love the application of GENERAL RULES which are neatly pointed out were they come into play in each game. The COMMENTS ON EVERY MOVE format is perfectly tailored at a level for the student who is just beyond the beginning level or at an Intermediate level (about 800 to about 1600 USCF rating ability). The book is written at a READING LEVEL so that kids in grades 4 on up can easily understand (this is what makes it good for kids and obviously why it was written for juniors - but this is a great book for adults too!). Other game collection books simply do not compare to the clarity provided by the reading level of this book. It doesn't lose you by constantly leading you into trees of long variations. However, when detailed analysis is called for it provides it. When a move is simple the author gives simple coverage to the move (keeping with the format of a comment on every move). Perfect here!
The book has the games arranged by OPENING so that you can use it as a good study guide to learn openings. There is excellent coverage of many major opening lines. The MIDDLEGAMES in the games contain very good coverage of TACTICS, POSTITIONAL CONCEPTS and the reader is challenged by questions to find the best move at important junctures in the game. Several good ENDGAMES are covered as well.
There are exactly 24 games in the book. Exactly half of the GAMES WERE PLAYED BY ROBERT SNYDER (a chess master) who is the author. He shows how he took advantage of not only weak play by lower rated players, but against some other masters as well. It is hard to find books that contained detailed analysis of these instructive games. However, the rest of the games are by SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYERS such as Fischer, Spassky, Reshevsky, Karpov, Capablanca and Alekhine.
The book says that the author has trained 35 first place winners at the National Scholastic Chess Championships. It is understandable that a teacher with such success has created lessons out of games that are enjoyable to read and so very instructive.
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