Rating: 
Summary: Whoo hoo: Chess HISTORY!!!
Review: Don't bother wasting your time and money on this book. It is not worth either if you're looking to get better. All this book has in it is information about Chess "History" (the forfathers of the game, etc.) and some "basic" endgame knowledge.
Rating: 
Summary: Cheap and Great
Review: Figure out the price per lesson and you're crazy if you don't buy it. Learning the historical aspects of the game combined with endgames (a main focus), tactics and the basics of strategy is a key to enjoyable play. I play chess to have fun (I'm pretty good too-I've beaten a 2000 rated player before) and this is a great way to entertain yourself and learn more about the game. Each lesson can be gone through in about an hour (I go through them twice in a row to make sure I've got it). I heartily suggest this book!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for improving your game
Review: I think that this is a great book if you are in the beginner-intermediate level player and seriously wishes to improve his/her game. The lessons are thematically arranged with some nice introduction which is also a great read. Moreover, the lessons are designed in such a way that each lesson is short and to the point making it enjoyable to read in one sitting. I read one lessson in a sitting about two to three times and try to implment themes/strategies/tactics I learnt at the coffee house where I play. I am in the beginner/intermediate range and while playing OTB (Over the board) I could *feel* what the author was talking about in the book. On second readings of some chapters, I read this book in parallel along with Vukovic's "Art of Attack in Chess" and needless to say, it helped my outlook and feel of the game. I would recommend this to anyone who is in the beginner/intermediate level. All you need is the discipline to pace yourself with the book and be regular with it and you will see the results yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Whoo hoo: Chess HISTORY!!!
Review: I'm the 1500 player that chessmansmith was referring too. This book has made a big difference in my playing ability and in my knowledge of chess history. Want to find a good lesson on how to mate with bishop and knight? It is here! Want some good basic end game lessons? Here too! Lesson after lesson for the book advertised 1700 - 2050 player but I can tell you that as a lesser player it has helped my game and I'm now playing Fritz 6 at 1900 at parity. Even though I've played for over 35 years now I never knew of the "classic bishop sac at h7", well I know it now and I've used it to good effect. Buy this book. Study a chapter a day for a little over a month and watch your game improve. You will not be sorry. You could pay a lot more to get a lesser book. Save your money and get this one!!
Rating:
Summary: IMPROVE YOUR GAME AND LEARN CHESS HISTORY
Review: I'm the 1500 player that chessmansmith was referring too. This book has made a big difference in my playing ability and in my knowledge of chess history. Want to find a good lesson on how to mate with bishop and knight? It is here! Want some good basic end game lessons? Here too! Lesson after lesson for the book advertised 1700 - 2050 player but I can tell you that as a lesser player it has helped my game and I'm now playing Fritz 6 at 1900 at parity. Even though I've played for over 35 years now I never knew of the "classic bishop sac at h7", well I know it now and I've used it to good effect. Buy this book. Study a chapter a day for a little over a month and watch your game improve. You will not be sorry. You could pay a lot more to get a lesser book. Save your money and get this one!!
Rating: 
Summary: find the games computer readable, too
Review: on gambitchess.com you find the move-only file of all games in the book. This is OK with copyright law. saves you the bother of typing it in yourself in your database on PC or palmtop.
The book gives very good insight on chess in historical perspective.
Rating:
Summary: A PROVEN winner!
Review: One of the best all-time chess books for the average player! I would have to rate this book as being in the "Top Ten" of Instructional Books!!! I remember when this book came out, at least in English. Many suppliers could NOT keep it in stock! Every chess player who has ever read this book has told me they would rate it VERY highly! NO ONE WHO EVER ACTUALLY READ THIS BOOK EVER SAID ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT IT! GET IT! GET IT! GET IT!
Rating:
Summary: 40 Nice Lessons
Review: This is a good, instrutive book by Aleksander Kostyev. He focuses on pracical play, opening theories, middle game themes, and a lot is on basic endgames. This is for self-learning/instruction. This course was written for club or tournament players whose ratings are 1700 to 2050 USCF. This book may make you a master !
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Study Material - Intermediate to Advanced Players
Review: This is a great little study book. It covers a wide variety of lessons; endgames, pawn structures, attacking formations, positional evaluation techniques, etc. This is NOT a basic textbook for beginner players. the material in this book is probably most useful for players from around 1500 - 2000 USCF. (The book states 1700-2050). Each lesson is self-contained and can be reviewed in an hour or two. Most of the lessons give a little history regarding a particular player or playing style. I could not disagree more with the reviewer who downgraded the book because of the history lesson - one who is ignorant of history is bound to repeat it. Also, I know for a fact that most Grandmaster players are very familar with chess history- especially the classic games played by the masters of yester year. I wholeheartidly endorse this book - each chapter is almost like a seperate chess lesson given by your "tutor".
Rating:
Summary: Good intermediate level self help book
Review: This is a well written book that is fun and easy to read. The lessons are relatively short (a typical lesson may run 3-5 pages and contain approximately 3 games). The lessons are supposedly designed for players rated between 1750 and 2050. Although in my opinion, a motivated 1500 player would still be able to gain a great deal by reading this book. The lessons cover openings, strategy, tactics, endings (heavy emphasis on this topic), history, and middlegame plans and analysis. I personally enjoyed the "bite size" nature of the lessons - each lesson could be enjoyed, savored, and pondered over in one sitting. The type font, diagrams, and level of explaination are all excellent. This book has just the right mix of analysis versus verbal descriptions of what is going on in a given position. I get lost in books that are too heavy on long strings of endless variations - this book is not like that at all. It has a good mix of good, plain old english describing the action. A sampling of some of the specific topics are; classic bishop sacrifice on h7, the seven evaluation principles, how to draw a pawn down in a rook ending, how to parry a flank attack, open vs. closed positions, attacking the uncastled king, when the kings have both castled on the same side, when the kings have castled on opposite sides, etc. Most of the lessons start of with a little history regarding a certain player (very interesting) and then follows up with a specific concept illustrated by 2 to 4 games. All in all, this book is a good follow up book after a player has read a couple of more elementary treatises.
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