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Summary: Better than the Bible
Review: This book kicked me in my arse and scolded me. Before reading it I was a lowly 1500 USCF player. Within a year after reading it, I collected $35,000 in prize money and a GM norm. It could only have been inspired by God
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Summary: Nice book
Review: This is a nice book the only downside is that chapter 2(planing) is very unclear.
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Summary: Its opened my eyes
Review: This book has simply opened my eyes to chess. After reading it several times (and it only took me 5hrs) I see chess much differently and I am able to understand chess much better. Using the technique I was able to draw with a player 400 points higher than me. My grade has not gone up yet but I have no doubt it will and I am confident that in the next 6 months I will be able to reach my goal of BCF 140 (from 101) (ie USCF 1720 from 1400) by September. However this book will not lead to an immediate grade leap but the fact that you will be able to understand positional chess will mean that books you couldn't understand previously will be much clearer. Also in the medium term (ie 2-3 months) your grade will start to go up quickly, as mine is just starting to do so now after 1.5 month. The only thing that is lacking is that there are fewer test positions (though there are a few in the sequel, THE AMATEUR'S MIND). A few more examples would also make it a good teaching tool, because as the teacher of chess at a prep school I would like to be able to use some of the positions as homework.
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Summary: The Best Instructional Chess Book I've Ever Read
Review: Jeremy Silman is a chess teacher; and this book, along with his excellent 'The Amateur's Mind," cannot be bettered for learning about the game. OK, so he uses a lot of his own games -- SO WHAT? You would expect that an international master would be most familiar with his own experience; Silman also includes plenty of examples from the games of Fischer, Botvinnik, Karpov and Petrosian (the last figure perhaps the most unjustly underrated and misunderstood champion in the game's history). He also includes a list of recommended further reading, which I have found helpful. There's a lot of junk out there for the chess enthusiast -- one prolific author seems to dump databases into a text and sends it off to his publisher, another seems to thrive on putting out books on traps and such, with very little effort put into actually explaing the game. Some publishers re-print old works with out-of-date analysis. You get the picture, and if you're like me, you've shelled out the money, too. Silman's book is worth every penny (as are works by Seirawan and Purdy). My only objection? The book is too short!
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Summary: How did he get all my best ideas?
Review: Many years ago, I was at a tournament in Alabama. I was espousing several of my ideas. They all said, "Hey - that sounds great, why don't you write a book?" Then Silman came out with his book. All my best ideas were in there. How did he do it? Seriously, this is a GREAT book. I have used the material in this book to teach many of my students. I can use what is in this book to puzzle Masters. Do you know how many high-rated players I have asked to name the various "Anti-Knight" techniques, and all they have given me is a blank look? If you had a thorough knowledge of everything in this book, you'd be at least an EXPERT. (USCF => 2000) I think many Masters could learn something from this book. I know, I am a Life-Master. In my own not-so-humble opinion, this is simply, "THE BEST INSTRUCTIONAL BOOK EVER WRITTEN! " If you even think you want to be better, this book had better be in your library! [Note to J.S. Your word editor and spell-checker on your laptop are broken.]
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Summary: middle game problem
Review: Pls. review me on the middle game of chess and this is my problem.Thank you.
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Summary: Simply the best how-to self-help chess book ever written.
Review: I am an International Chess Grandmaster and am the highest rated American Chess player. Over the course of my career I've read many chess books and now have another regret about my career: where was this book when I really needed it? This book is simply superb. Silman's prose is clear, entertaining and instructional. The book is aimed at club players or better, so if your not a beginner, this book will be over your head. For all other players, BUY this book, it is a must read.
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Summary: Pretty good
Review: I liked this book I really learned a lot from it. I am a Class B player, but I used to have little or no positional knowledge. The only reason I win games is because my tactical ability is superb. But throw a closed position at me with a locked center pawn structure that required positional play and I was dead before I began. This book really helped me realize that positional play was important. It introduces you to minor pieces and their play, pawn structure, the center, and other good concepts. The only beef I have against this book is that it was porrly edited, and Silman seems way too arrogant, that's really what took away the last star.
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Summary: Best chess book I have read so far!
Review: This book got me out of my 1500's rut by no more effort than simply reading it. The whole book is really a lesson on how to plan. It goes over all the potential imbalances that occur during a game, and then shows you how to make your imbalances work for you and the opponent's imbalances work against him. An imbalance is neither good or bad on its own...you must make them good or bad! Instead of always playing for a Kingside attack, for example, I now know how and why I need to let the board tell me what my plan is supposed to be! If you find you sometimes don't know what to do next, this book is DEFINITELY for you!
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Summary: Great Book for Planning .A MUST for A - D Players
Review: I felt that this book helped me most in my planning. It helped me to decide on whether I wanted to give up that precious Bishop (or Knight, depending on the position). The book is broken down into 12 sections with 33 chapters total. Visualizing a fantasy postion was a new concept. Before, I just tried to take advantage of positional or tactical blunders of my opponents. I tried to follow standard plans based on the opening. The downside of this book is first - not enough diagrammed positions. And second - grammatical mistakes. Since I first read this book 6-8 weeks ago, I went to a tournament, beat the second highest rated player in the there and missed the championship trophy by one "Haste makes waste move". The win was a positional crush.
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