Think Like A Grandmaster: Algebraic Edition

Rating:
Summary: Classic, but wrong
Review: Chess players should read this book, because it's important and brought a powerful argument on how chess players think. Unfortunately, Kotov is wrong. However, without his book, people wouldn't have the debate brought up. I suggest not buying this book if you want to save money, and instead buy "Improve Your Chess Now" or John Nunn's "Secrets of Practical Chess" which go into the problems with Kotov's system. Also interesting is "How to Think in Chess".

Rating:
Summary: Classic, but wrong
Review: Chess players should read this book, because it's important and brought a powerful argument on how chess players think. Unfortunately, Kotov is wrong. However, without his book, people wouldn't have the debate brought up. I suggest not buying this book if you want to save money, and instead buy "Improve Your Chess Now" or John Nunn's "Secrets of Practical Chess" which go into the problems with Kotov's system. Also interesting is "How to Think in Chess".

Rating:
Summary: Great Middlegame book for INTERMEDIATE level players...
Review: There are many books out there that claim to teach the Intermediate level player how to look for the best move during middlegame play but fall short of fulfilling their end of the bargain. This book is one of the ones that goes above and beyond what the title promises. Even as far as to show you how to create a PLAN (contrary to what "How To Reassess Your Chess" by IM Jeremy Silman states in regards to books that show one how to form a plan; also another great middlegame book by the way). However, there are some mistakes that must have occured when transposing the original descriptive notation to algebraic notation. But if your're looking to 'really' improve as a chess player then you have to expect to run accross some mistakes along the way. A word of advice: Ignore the mistakes the minute you find them and just forge ahead! There are some great ideas given in the examples of games from many Russian Grandmasters that if looked for in ones own games it WILL help to improve ones overall rating. That is of course, if you're willing to study this book thoroughly by not only setting up the positions given in the book on your own board but also by incorporating the suggestions given into your own chess strategies. So, if you want to know how to train your mind to think like a grandmaster, buy the book!

Rating:
Summary: Great Middlegame book for INTERMEDIATE level players...
Review: There are many books out there that claim to teach the Intermediate level player how to look for the best move during middlegame play but fall short of fulfilling there end of the bargain. This book is one of the ones that goes above and beyond what the title promises. Even as far as to show you how to create a PLAN (contrary to what "How To Reassess Your Chess" by IM Jeremy Silman states in regards to books that show one how to form a plan; also another great middlegame book by the way). However, there are some mistakes that must have occured when transposing the original descriptive notation to algebraic notation. But if your're looking to 'really' improve as a chess player then you have to expect to run accross some mistakes along the way. A word of advice: Ignore the mistakes the minute you find them and just forge ahead! There are some great ideas given in the examples of games from many Russian Grandmasters that if looked for in ones own games it WILL help to improve your overall rating. That is of course, if you'rewilling to study this book thoroughly by setting up the positions given in the book on your OWN board and incorporate them into your daily play. So, if you want to train your mind to think like a grandmaster, buy the book!

Rating:
Summary: A classic book unique in tackling how chess players analyse
Review: This is a classic. Alexander Kotov analyses the way Chess players analyse! This is a highly original book which attempts to look at the thought processes of grandmasters, and provided recommendations and tips for thinking faster and more effectively through the maze of variations one encounters during chess games. Tips include being systematic by enumerating candidate moves at the outset, and following each variation once and once only to avoid going backwards and forwards between variations.