Rating: 
Summary: Great Player, lousy book
Review: Like many younger players, I'm a fan of Josh Waitzkin, but it seems like he didn't really try to do anything with this book. The book should actually be titled Waitzkins Best Combinations, as that and some good prose is all the book contains. In essence, you won't learn to attack like Josh Waitzkin by reading this book. Skip it and go to Vuvoviks The Art of Attack in Chess, the best on this topic. And if you really want this book, you can have mine.
Rating: 
Summary: Why another chess book like this?
Review: Simple crap traps! Hey I don't need a book like this when I can use a computer to teach me. Save your dough! Back to my hustlin'! 1. e4. 35. 2. Qh5?!
Well what move do you expect from a hustler like me????
ou wont find such novelty in this book!!!
--Chess Hustler (Best in the Park!)
Rating:
Summary: Book that glorifies the author
Review: The book stinks! No major insights about chess! More about obvious combos. Most of us have had better games. Not worth your time or money. Learn to calculate not to depend on glib generalizations based on eccentric ideas! There are many chess books that will
improve your play. This one is probably not one of them. How do I know? I have a 2600 rating! So I think I am entitled to spread the word. Hey mates-- don't check this book out or you'll be out of a check! Develop your own style by reading good chess authors like
Nimzovich, Capablanca, Fischer, Tal, Spassky, Karpov, Kaspaov, etc.
Chernov and Reinfield are rich sources for beginners! Also get CM 9000
Rating: 
Summary: Reader Friendly
Review: The single biggest compliment I could give this book is that it is the first chess book I have ever read cover to cover! This despite a rapidly growing chess library, the result of the occasional buying spree despite complaints from my wife. I found it to be by far the most reader friendly of my collection. Why? 1) This is chess book lite. Instead of intimidating dense passages of double columned text with diagrams you need a magnifying glass to decipher, here you have short chapters dominated by enormous diagrams that take up almost the whole page. I guess this might be a turnoff for those who seek a deeper treatment of the game. 2) Though occasionally there are long combinations that you need to follow on a chess board, most of the time the combinations are short enough, or else Josh will provide new diagrams every 3-4 moves, so that you can actually follow his examples without having to set up the chess board all the time. What a breath of fresh air! 3) As a beginner-intermediate casual chess player, I found this book to be more accessible than others and easier to grasp. Other books often go over my head ('Obviously in this position, black is CLEARLY better!' er....why???) but this one I felt I could follow most of the lessons. 4) Josh makes it an explicit aim to write colourfully and avoid the dry monotony of other chess books and for the most part succeeds. In the end, can this book make you a better chess player? Not particularly, but I am beginning to doubt whether any chess book can. But it does give you some insights into how strong chess players play and think, and it's fun to read. I find Josh, in retelling his chess experiences, to be arrogant at times (in his defence, I guess you have to be if you want to be the best), and there appears to be constant references to his adoration of Kasparov which I found annoying. Overall, however, Josh is nothing if not passionate about chess, and this comes through very clearly.
Rating:
Summary: Reader Friendly
Review: The single biggest compliment I could give this book is that it is the first chess book I have ever read cover to cover! This despite a rapidly growing chess library, the result of the occasional buying spree despite complaints from my wife. I found it to be by far the most reader friendly of my collection. Why? 1) This is chess book lite. Instead of intimidating dense passages of double columned text with diagrams you need a magnifying glass to decipher, here you have short chapters dominated by enormous diagrams that take up almost the whole page. I guess this might be a turnoff for those who seek a deeper treatment of the game. 2) Though occasionally there are long combinations that you need to follow on a chess board, most of the time the combinations are short enough, or else Josh will provide new diagrams every 3-4 moves, so that you can actually follow his examples without having to set up the chess board all the time. What a breath of fresh air! 3) As a beginner-intermediate casual chess player, I found this book to be more accessible than others and easier to grasp. Other books often go over my head ('Obviously in this position, black is CLEARLY better!' er....why???) but this one I felt I could follow most of the lessons. 4) Josh makes it an explicit aim to write colourfully and avoid the dry monotony of other chess books and for the most part succeeds. In the end, can this book make you a better chess player? Not particularly, but I am beginning to doubt whether any chess book can. But it does give you some insights into how strong chess players play and think, and it's fun to read. I find Josh, in retelling his chess experiences, to be arrogant at times (in his defence, I guess you have to be if you want to be the best), and there appears to be constant references to his adoration of Kasparov which I found annoying. Overall, however, Josh is nothing if not passionate about chess, and this comes through very clearly.
Rating: 
Summary: Great for beginners, worthless to advanced players
Review: This book is targeted at beginners and pre-intermediate chess players. Most of the book wastes time on describing Josh Waitzkin's life - like of a 200 page advertisement, and that explanations of tactics are too verbose. Individual chapters of this book include: Mate, The Fork, Pins and Skewers, Double Threat, Removing the Defender, Discovery, Bust, Pawn Storms, Queen Traps, Zwischenzug etc... These are only very basic strategies of chess and are expound illogically, in terms of order. This book goes on and on about Waitzkin's life and then the tactics and then his life... Practically, this book is only for beginners, with the last chapters such as 7th Rank, Mating Nets, Sac for Mate are so-called more into the pre-intermediate level. If you are a beginner, you must buy this book! If you like Josh Waitzkin or are a fan, buy it! If you are at intermediate level or higher (with knowledge of main lines of openings, middlegames, endgames), NEVER consider this book, not even for brushing up. And, if you are a person that just wants to grab the good chess material - without going through so much about a chess players autobiography - this is NOT the book you're looking for, whatever level of playing you are at. I recommend "The Mammoth Book of Chess" by Graham Burgess, which contains lots of material for all types of players, including advanced level. Good points in the book: hmm... big diagrams and explanations in a "kiddy" colloquial style... that's about it.
Rating: 
Summary: A true classsic. A great chess player and writer.
Review: This book is truly a classic. A fantastic writer, Josh teaches tactics and strategies while at the same time tells about his chess life. First there's a chapter on mates. Then he teaches the most basic tactics, such as forks, pins, skewers, double threats and discoveries. Then he goes on with more difficult things like bust, queen traps, minor traps, pawn storms and the power of the Kamikaze, and then goes on with zwischenzug, the seventh rank and the pig, mating nets, sac for mate!, graduate work, and other things. One chapter, called "Opening Traps", has two traps from two national championships that Josh was in. Nice stories are in that chapter, too. The last two chapters of the book are probably the most difficult (Sac For Mate! and Graduate Work), because in most of the positions he gives you, you need to calculate a lot of moves ahead. It's can be kind of fun because you can see if you can think as well as Waitzkin. Don't believe people who say this book is only for "beginners" and/or "intermediate players", because this book does not teach you how to play chess. There are some very difficult problems that Josh had in his games. Excellent book. Buy it.
Rating:
Summary: An easy read. Light on Chess
Review: This is a nice interesting book and an easy read. It is pretty light on chess. Waitzkin shows you about two games per chapter and asks you to figure out his next move based upon the theme of the chapter. So in the chapter on pins, you get to think through a couple of pin problems. However, he doesn't really generalize to any rules to think about. You won't walk away really knowing anything well. Given that, the book is kind of fun and light. Waitzkin (either Josh or Fred) is a good writer and the book is enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for intermediate players!!!
Review: This is an excellent book for intermediate players . It teaches you many important tactics for attacking and has improved my game immensely.
Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile tactical review and stories.
Review: This is by no means for Advanced players. I enjoyed the stories and found it a useful review of some strategy and many tactics. I suggest you don't look at the solutions/game continuations till you have worked out a reasonable idea on your own. If read in this manner the book can act as a challenging test. Not the best I've read. Mainly because it was aimed at to broad an audience. May have been better if the scope was narrowed. I recomend you try to find it used for under $8. It isn't worth more than this even new.
| 
