Move First, Think Later

Willy Hendrik's book "Move First, Think Later" arrived in my mailbox a few days ago. I have not been able to read much out of it but the first impression is that the book has been worth waiting for. You can read a few sample pages at the New in Chess Web site.

The first few pages is loaded with controversial stuff and it makes a lot of sense. After reading just a few ages, I dare to suggest that those few pages alone makes the book worth buying. Hey, Reading 20+ pages is probably well above the average of pages read from any chess book bought. Don't stare at me, Opening Monographs!

This book will problaly be an inspiration for many posts to come.

Book Review: 1000 Checkmate Combinations

You have heard it. You have said it. You have ignored it. Tactics-Tactics-Tactics is the bread and butter for improving chess players. Still, it is hard to follow this fine piece of practical advice. Too many chores and privileges compete for our attention and use up our Time Budget.

There are many different online tools available for tactics training. Is there really need for yet another book with tactics and combinations? Well, that is of course to some extent a question of personal taste. Personally, I enjoy carrying around a book in my backpack in order to be able to feed my brain a healthy dose of exercise whenever I get a break. For this very purpose I thing "1000 Checkmate Combinations" is an excellent alternative. The author himself stresses that the problems should be solved without a chess board and that it might be good practice to settle for just a few combinations per day.

The only thing I can hold against the book is that it is too old or, if you like half full glasses, too good! How is that? Well, almost all of the problems have been used in other books. A well read chess enthusiast might find it a bit annoying to see the same classic problems yet again but on the other hand to repeat what you have already learned is not necessarily a bad thing.

In all: A fine book.

Simple, Simpler & Doable!

It is a common trap to try to be efficient doing something and to try form a new habit of doing the very same thing at the same time. Simplification is the order of that day and quite often things must be much simpler than expected.

One minor success story of mine was to choose “Playing 50 slow games” as a goal. This is a clear and well defined goal which just might be possible to reach for a proud father. Another goal was to “Read 3+ chess books”. This goal will have to be clarified and maybe simplified. I have tried to read three books at once and that clearly isn’t efficient. I do not have time to read decent “chunks” of any book in a single session and jumping back and forth between several books makes it all to “chopped up”. So, the first change will be to read the books one at the time.

A nice strategy for forming a habit: The 6 Changes Method I will try "The 6 Changes Method" and keep you posted on the minor steps and ground covered.

PS. Yeah, Silman's Endgame Course is great but which is your favourite portable endgame book? DS.

Short List of Chess Books to Read 2011

- Elements of Positional Evaluation: How the Pieces Get Their Power by Dan Heisman
- Looking for Trouble: Recognizing and Meeting Threats in Chess by Dan Heisman
- Simple Chess: New Algebraic Edition - by Michael Stean- Essential Chess Endings: The Tournament Player's Guide - Paperback (June 30, 2003) by James Howell
- New York 1924 by Alexander Alekhine

The Alterman Gambit Guide

Some might argue that I am bending my ”No more buying opening books longer than a haiku rule” but this title has been on my wanted list for quite some time. The fine chaps on Quality Chess are keen to point out that this is not an advanced book on gambits. Check out the extract and judge for yourself.

A book on gambits for black is also in the pipeline. Yummi!

I will post some first impressions as soon as the book appears in my mailbox and a review later on! Promise!

Wish List

Here are just a few of the tempting titles to be released next year. My overall ambition is to read (some parts) the books already collecting dust before buying a new one but that is an "ambition" worthy of a politician hunting for voters.

Chess Exam

This fine book just arrived at the local Chess Store: Chess Exam: You VS. Bobby Fischer: Matches Against Chess Legends, Play the Match, Rate Yourself, Improve Your Game!

60 positions for you to analyze and your answers can be used to give you an evaluation in different areas of the game.

A Stoyko exercise per day might keep the Patzer away!

Chess Books -- A Waste of Time?

Here is a copy of an email I sent to a handful of skilled chess players and chess coaches:

"Hi Coach, I just discovered some interesting reading on Chess Improvement:

Rose's Rants at Chessville (http://www.chessville.com/editorials/RosesRants/index.htm)

The following statement was interesting and amusing: "Kevin Spragget recommends that until you achieve master strength you need only about 25 books."

I am, as you know, on a limited quest for chess perfection. My Long Term Goal is to reach an ICC rating of 1700 within five years. I would like to ask for your "guesstimate" of the number of books needed to reach such a goal. Furthermore, if I may, I would like to have your input on which books to read for a geezer on his way to 1700.

To create a book load list might help me to be focused so I thought I shopuld give it a go!"

I was kind of surprised by the answers. Almost all of them responded that books might not be the best way to improve. One GM responded that almost any book would do the trick as the important thing was to read it in a proper way.

Anyhow, since I am addicted to buying books I would like to post the questions:

1. How would you like to design the required reading (ten book or less) for a 1700-player-to-be?
(i.e. One book on openings, three on strategy...)

2. What titles would you recommend?

note: Extra credits for a suggested list of three books for the 1400-player-to be (which happens to be my goal for next year )

Required Reading

Mr Silman posted a Great Article on how to design a Chess Study Program. It is time to spend a little more time on reading Chess Books.

Learn Basic Tactical Patterns: The Art of Attack in Chess


Create an Basic Opening Repertoire: FCO (pretty, almost done!)


Positional Play: Weapons of Chess, Simple Chess (waiting for the revised/rewritten Reassess Your Chess due in April 2010)


The Endgame: Silman's Complete Endgame Course (to a suitable level)

Time Frame? This reading package will probably take forever but I am OK with that. I will still do my Chesstempo sessions etc.

The challenge will be to find a suitable "Chess Hero". I think I have falsely been under the impression that tactics is my main skill (relatively speaking!) since I have done tons of tactics problems. A dear friend pointed out that my best games might have been more of positional chess. OTB I do not mind grinding out a win but I somehow do not feel comfortable assuming any degree of positional chess skills. I just don't have any training in playing positional chess. Furthermore, it is so much more fun to look at master games filled with fireworks.

My understanding of Silman's article is that the areas suggested above should be covered before starting the heavy work with master games. That will give me some time to find and accept a Chess Hero.

All input are most appreciated. Both suggestions on what hero to choose but also which annotated game collection to study.

I do think that "Best Game Collection for Improving Players" has higher priorities that "Most Appropriate Chess Hero". "Learning" as compared to "Pretending to be", if you get my drift?