The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book

Rating:
Summary: Excellent practice book for serious players
Review: I found this book while looking for a different title. This book attracted my attention and fit my need better than the actual title I was seeking and I bought it instead.

This book is strictly a problems & puzzles book. It is not going to teach you tactics by exhaustive explanations of the various tactical motifs, there are other books out there for that very purpose. This book gives a very brief introduction to the various themes and then plunges the reader right in, letting the reader learn by example.

This book is not well suited for absolute beginners. This book is meant for players who have the basics down and need the practice required to improve.

Unlike other problems books I have seen, this one breaks down the puzzles by difficulty instead of by theme. This is good and bad -- good, as it allows the reader to work on a bunch of puzzles in the same basic difficulty class, but bad in that the reader might be wanting practice in a specific area. This is a matter of preference, and the reader should be aware of this before buying this book. If you are looking for a book with a breakdown by actual tactical themes, I encourage you to look at other titles.

The book is exceptional in that the solutions appear at the end of each section, rather than at the end of the whole book in a big huge index. I personally prefer this layout.

The author claims to have checked all of the puzzles with the computer to ensure that the solutions are accurate and exclusive. This is a very big plus, as it eliminates doubts about the book as a whole when the answers have been carefully checked and rechecked.

What may appeal to some players is the fact the there are tests at the end of the book that allow the reader to try to estimate playing strength. While not a substitute for over-the-board play, it is enough to give the reader some kind of ballpark idea.

Overall, this is a superb book for the purpose for which it was created. It has lots of original puzzles and problems that you won't find elsewhere. While a little on the pricey side, this book is worth the money for what you get. If you are serious about improving your tactical abilities and are willing to practice at it to get better, this book just might be the one you need to help you on your way.

Rating:
Summary: The Best of Its Kind
Review: If you plan on buying one book on solving tactical problems, I strongly recommend this one. As the problems have all been computer-checked for accuracy, I think it's worth paying a little more than what you'd pay for other combination books. Also, there are so many similar books that aren't very good, you'll save money by getting it right the first time and steering clear of the junk. John Emms is a good writer and most of the books published by Gambit are first-rate. I don't know any serious chessplayers who would be disappointed by this book.

Rating:
Summary: One of the classic chess best books
Review: It is known that one of the fastest ways to improve is to study chess tactics, so when I saw this collection of 1000 puzzles, selected by a grandmaster, it immediately attracted my attention. I wish I had discovered it earlier! This is maybe the best book that GM John Emms has written, full of original and stimulating combinations.
It is obvious that hours and hours of work and original research have gone into this book, as hardly any of the puzzles were already known to me -and I own a LOT of chess books! Emms starts with 100 easy positions, and then the standard gets harder, and harder still, right up to chapter eleven entitled "The Ultimate Challenge." Get this book if you want to improve.

Rating:
Summary: Good Solid Puzzle Book...
Review: Lets keep this in perspective this is a good puzzle book... This is not the Rapture or anything monumental... It has 1001 puzzles and is a nice size to look at... Sometimes you get books and they are sorta small and its hard to see the pages... While this book is a bit expensive to be honest... Least it is a pretty nice size and its easy to see the pictures in the book... Also to hold its not like a small paperback always fighting to keep it open... I like how it has little tests in the book so it makes it more interesting to do... Least you can try to make a better score and that helps keep things from basically getting too boring... I think his explanation of some tactical ideas in start of book could of been better... Many of the examples were of poor quality... I think he should of taken a basic example and a more advanced... That way you would learn how it applies in actual games at higher level... I think that would really help someone's tactical understanding... Still for a puzzle book at least he did make some attempt... The only reason not to get this book might be the price... Also maybe he could of did a few more endgame puzzles... I like the way he arranged the checkmate puzzles... Its not all the same in a row, he mixes it up and gives both sides... I think that is more usefull than all mates in 1 and 2 and 3 etc... Helps make a person think more also simulates a real game more... Your not always told how many moves the mate is... So your forced to think on your own, instead of having half the answer... Some might get annoyed having to think more... I find it more useful than knowing what to do each time exactly... If the price does not bother you, then by all means purchase this book...

Rating:
Summary: Good Solid Puzzle Book...
Review: Lets keep this in perspective this is a good puzzle book... This is not the Rapture or anything monumental... It has 1001 puzzles and is a nice size to look at... Sometimes you get books and they are sorta small and its hard to see the pages... While this book is a bit expensive to be honest... Least it is a pretty nice size and its easy to see the pictures in the book... Also to hold its not like a small paperback always fighting to keep it open... I like how it has little tests in the book so it makes it more interesting to do... Least you can try to make a better score and that helps keep things from basically getting too boring... I think his explanation of some tactical ideas in start of book could of been better... Many of the examples were of poor quality... I think he should of taken a basic example and a more advanced... That way you would learn how it applies in actual games at higher level... I think that would really help someone's tactical understanding... Still for a puzzle book at least he did make some attempt... The only reason not to get this book might be the price... Also maybe he could of did a few more endgame puzzles... I like the way he arranged the checkmate puzzles... Its not all the same in a row, he mixes it up and gives both sides... I think that is more usefull than all mates in 1 and 2 and 3 etc... Helps make a person think more also simulates a real game more... Your not always told how many moves the mate is... So your forced to think on your own, instead of having half the answer... Some might get annoyed having to think more... I find it more useful than knowing what to do each time exactly... If the price does not bother you, then by all means purchase this book...

Rating:
Summary: Good practice and lots of fun!
Review: Need to sharpen your skills? Weary of the same, old tired examples you see in most problem books? Would you like a chess problem book that was composed by a Grand-Master? Would you like some elementary problems? Then would you want some intermediate checkmate problems? Would you [definitely] like some very advanced puzzles? Maybe a section drawn from old Soviet Championships? Some tests to check your progress and grade your skills? Maybe some endgame puzzles followed by, "The Ultimate Challenge." ???

If you answered yes to any, most, or all of the above questions, then this is the book for you. GM's like Larry Evans have said basic tactical skill is the very first prerequisite to approaching chess mastery. This is the book to help you hone those most basic of all chess skills. Contained within the covers are 1001 original puzzles, all computer checked to insure accuracy. There is even a section on finding the wrong move! Great practice and great fun too! Highly recommended.