Annotation. What does a chessmaster think when he prepartes his next move? How are his thoughts organized? Which methods and strategies does he use by solving his problem of choice? To answer these questions, the author did an experimental study in 1938, to which famous chessmasters participated (Alekhine, Max Euwe and Flohr). This book is still usefull for everybody who studies cognition and artificial intelligence. This title can be previewed in Google Books - http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9789053569986.
This is a well-established training manual which encourages the average player to understand how a grandmaster thinks, and even more important, how he works. Kotov tackles fundamental issues such as knowing how and when to analyze, the tree of analysis, a selection of candidate moves and the factors of success.
From world-renowned chess expert Bruce Pandolfini comes the perfect book for anyone who appreciates the game of chess–no matter what age or skill level. This fascinating compendium is filled with history, lore, trivia, quotes, and puzzles that celebrate the wonderful world of chess. Inside you’ll find: ·Anecdotes about famous players and famous games ·Puzzles and brainteasers ·Tips, tricks, and secrets from chess experts ·Quotes, jokes, and writings on chess from Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Will Smith, Stanley Kubrick, and many more
The chess playing mind does not work like a machine. Selecting a move results from rather chaotic thought processes and is not the logical outcome of applying a rational method. The only problem with that, says International Master Willy Hendriks, is that most books and courses on improving at chess claim exactly the opposite. The dogma of the chess instruction establishment is that if you only take a good look at certain ‘characteristics’ of a position, then good moves will follow more or less automatically. But this is not how it happens. Chess players, weak and strong, don’t first judge the position, then formulate a plan and afterwards look at moves. It all happens at the same time, and pretending that it is otherwise is counterproductive. There is no use in forcing your students to mentally jump through theoretical hoops, according to experienced chess coach Hendriks. This work shows a healthy distrust of accepted methods to get better at chess. It teaches that winning games does not depend on ticking off a to-do list when looking at a position on the board. It presents club and internet chess players with loads of much-needed no-nonsense training material. In this provocative, entertaining and highly instructive book, Hendriks shows how you can travel light on the road to chess improvement! ,
Jonathan Rowson, author of the highly acclaimed Seven Deadly Chess Sins, investigates three questions important to all chess-players: 1) Why is it so difficult, especially for adult players, to improve? 2) What kinds of mental attitudes are needed to find good moves in different phases of the game? 3) Is White's alleged first-move advantage a myth, and does it make a difference whether you are playing Black or White? In a strikingly original work, Rowson makes use of his academic background in philosophy and psychology to answer these questions in an entertaining and instructive way. This book assists all players in their efforts to improve, and provides fresh insights into the opening and early middlegame. Rowson presents many new ideas on how Black should best combat White's early initiative, and make use of the extra information that he gains as a result of moving second. For instance, he shows that in some cases a situation he calls 'Zugzwang Lite' can arise, where White finds himself lacking any constructive moves. He also takes a close look at the theories of two players who, in differing styles, have specialized in championing Black's cause: Mihai Suba and Andras Adorjan. Readers are also equipped with a 'mental toolkit' that will enable them to handle many typical over-the-board situations with greater success, and avoid a variety of psychological pitfalls. Chess for Zebras offers fresh insights into human idiosyncrasies in all phases of the game. The depth and breadth of this book will therefore help players to appreciate chess at a more profound level, and make steps towards sustained and significant improvement.
Your performance at the board does not only depend on your pure chess skills. Being a winner also requires a mindset that is able to cope with lots of stress and setbacks during hours of uninterrupted concentration. Just like technical chess skills, mental toughness can be trained. There are simple steps you can take that will help you to better realise your potential. Professional mental coach and chess player Werner Schweitzer has been working with chess teams and individual players for many years. In this book Schweitzer presents practical tips and tools that will help you to improve your mental power during a game. You will learn how to increase your concentration and stamina, recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, cope with losses as well as victories, increase your self-discipline when studying, handle disturbing thoughts and feelings during a game, boost your self-confidence, avoid underestimating (and overestimating!) your opponent, make better decisions while under pressure and other mental skills.These lessons and simple mental workouts will help players of all levels to unlock the full power of their brain and win more games.
In this original and thought-provoking book, Andres D. Hortillosa explains his ever-evolving system of chess improvement. If you are serious about improving your chess this book is for you.
"If you want to reach the heights, you should study the entire history of chess. I can't give any clear logical explanation for it, but I think it is absolutely essential to soak up the whole of chess history." - VLADIMIR KRAMNIK In this book Lars Bo Hansen shows how chess understanding has evolved and explains how and why a study of the great champions of the past and present will significantly improve your chess. Although modern chess is a highly concrete game where calculation is paramount and principles often appear to take a back seat, Hansen argues that the principles have become implicit at top level: "you cannot win games only by following Steinitz's or Nimzowitsch's principles, but you will certainly lose games if you don't know these principles!" Hansen shows that pattern recognition - one of the most vital aspects of chess mastery - is built up highly effectively by studying historic games, and cites many examples which will immediately form part of your armoury. Building upon the structure of his acclaimed work How Chess Games are Won and Lost, Hansen also argues that the transitions opening-to-middlegame and middlegame-to-endgame are best understood by studying the games of the great champions. Throughout the book, the emphasis is firmly on improving your chess, and equipping you to improve your chess further by studying on your own. At the same time, you will enjoy a feast of the most instructive chess games of all time - both classical and modern. The final chapter discusses the future development of chess style.
Three’s a charm: chess players have demanded, and now they have, a third Chess Choice Challenge. Once again, they can enjoy a bundle of tricky and varied chess positions and test their analytical abilities. Innovative multiple-choice questions direct chess mavens’ attention to different facets of each position and identify the typical train of thought (both correct and incorrect) followed by many players. There is also a range of suggested continuations for identifying strengths and weaknesses. And, after racking their brains to come up with answers, players can then compare their findings with those of Grandmaster Chris Ward, who offers deep and imaginative analysis of the solutions.
