The Campbell Report - Chess Reviews
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The Campbell Report
Correspondence Chess
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Chess Reviews

Following are my personal reviews of chess-related published material, some previously published in my columns in APCT News Bulletin (some editing has occurred for these web versions). Dates of the reviews are given, as well as references if they were previously published. Opinions are strictly my own. Your comments are welcome. -- J. Franklin Campbell

Most recent reviews listed first


Lasker and His Contemporaries, Issue Number 5
edited by John S. Hilbert

While preparing to write the following review my friend Ralph Marconi noted that he was also preparing a review of the same book for Check! magazine. Ralph offered me permission to post his review at this site. However, I had already committed to writing a review myself. It struck me that it would be interesting to provide readers with both reviews to demonstrate the different attitudes of two separate reviewers. Therefore, following you will find both of these reviews. Perhaps a book of less quality would have provided for a more interesting contrast. As it is, we both appreciated the excellence of this book and both recommend it heartily. I hope you find these two reviews of interest.

I must candidly admit that I read a preliminary version of Marconi's review before I wrote mine. However, my review is an independent document written without any intentional reference to his review. The main thing to learn from these two reviews is that you should get a copy of this book! Ralph Marconi's review is given first followed by mine. I also recommend a visit to Ralph Marconi's Correspondence Chess Site.


Review by Ralph Marconi

Lasker & His Contemporaries: Issue 5
edited by John Hilbert
Published by Thinkers’ Press. Inc.
1997. SC. 64 pages, 51 diagrams
50 games.
ISBN: 0-938650-98-X
Price: $20 US
Order from:
Thinkers’ Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 8
Davenport, Iowa 52805-0008
ph#: 319-323-1226
Fax: 319-323-0511
email: tpi@chessco.com
Website: http://www.chessco.com

This highly acclaimed, scholarly produced series, continues with the long awaited 5th installment. The first issue was published in 1978 and the last one in 1984. This latest issue, continues the tradition of featuring historical material spanning the period from approximately 1890 to 1940. The editor of this new issue, Chess Historian John Hilbert (the author of Buffalo Chess Tournaments: 1894 & 1901 and Napier: The Forgotten Chessmaster) has put together a collection of truly fascinating, informative and detailed historical articles.

Since I don’t have the previous 4 issues in my chess library I cannot compare this latest one to these previous issues. Nevertheless, the contents of this newest edition is truly enjoyable and, if the previous issues were anything like this latest issue, then it would be well worth getting the complete set. The lead article (Part I) recounts details of young Emanuel Lasker’s first 2 months stay in the United States starting in Fall of 1892. The article includes 15 games from Lasker’s encounters at the famous Manhattan Chess Club, annotated by Steinitz and Lasker. In addition, great looking black and white photos of old chess clocks grace the pages throughout; with interesting biographical items supplementing the main article. The second article presents details of the Walbrodt-Delmar Match, played in New York in 1893. All eleven games from the match are included, most of which are annotated, plus a few additional games. The most interesting game was the 3rd, where the game was played until move 9, when White (Walbrodt) discovered, perhaps to his embarrassment, that the position of the White King and Queen were reversed. What’s even more bizarre was that Delmar hadn’t notice the error either. The third article features the Hanham-Young match of 1887, held in Boston. This article is written with a lot of light-hearted humor which was refreshing to read. Five games from the match are included. The 4th article is an informative profile of the young Carlos Torre, during his stay in Rochester, NY and Detroit, Michigan. Included are 14 games, a few of which are annotated.

The final four articles are: Henry Chadwick: Father of Baseball, Friend of Chess, Examining the Past: Essentials Tools for Exploring Chess History, Steinitz: Forgotten Games and Alekhine: Forgotten Games. The piece on Henry Chadwick, written by Edward J. Tassinari (who has written historical articles in a number of journals, such as: Studies in Latin American Popular Culture and the Journal of Unconventional History.) combines the great pastime of baseball and that of chess. The result is an interesting read. I especially found Hilbert’s article on essential tools for exploring chess history quite interesting, informative and inspiring. He gives you a summary of the major research sources to consult and a good many additional ideas for research. The forgotten games articles offer much the same in the way of encouragement and methods of historical research.

I personally found the 8 ½ in x 11, letter size, journal like format a pleasant change. The binding, typeface, diagram fonts used, and paper quality are excellent.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in not only playing over chess games, but in also chess history.

addendum:

Issue # 6 is due out this coming Fall. I for one cannot wait for it’s publication. The projected topics in this issue will be: Divinsky on Lasker’s Mathematics (this should be interesting for all those mathematics aficionados), Hilbert on Lasker in the United States Part II, Warburton on Lasker-Marshall, Flawed Analysis, Salomon on My Game with Alekhine, 1944, Pope on Stenitz-Gunsberg, 1890-1891, Pope on Maroczy-Charousek, Budapest 1895, Forgotten Games:Pillsbury, Marshall. Thinkers’ Press notes that the contents of this next issue are subject to change.

--- Ralph P. Marconi (June 1998)


Copyright © 1998 by Ralph P. Marconi


Review by J. Franklin Campbell

Without waiting till the end I’ll just say right now that this is a wonderful book and is highly recommended. L&HC No. 5 was edited and mostly written by noted chess historian John S. Hilbert (see this website's “One the Square” articles for several samples of his work). ChessCo owner Bob Long has published a number of intriguing chess books in recent years via Thinkers’ Press Inc., Davenport, Iowa, such as the series on the first cc world champion C. J. S. Purdy. Here he has revived the L&HC series started many years ago.

One of the most attractive elements of this book is the way Hilbert has blended quotes from historical documents (such as newspaper reports from the time of the events) into his articles. He has a way of weaving these quotes into the articles that makes them fit in a seamless fashion into the flow of the articles. You are made to feel like an observer of these historic events as they occurred. I also enjoyed being immersed in the language of the era. One example from early in the book: “Last evening the attendance was a brilliant one, A. B. Hodges was the fifth opponent, and Lasker, winning the toss, chose the Ruy Lopez attack.” The first-hand reports on a great player from the past are also fascinating, such as, “Lasker’s bearing over the chess-board is tranquillity itself. He sits erect, calm, imperturbable except for a puckering of his mouth. If the position grows complicated he leans over the board, supporting his head on his right arm, but soon falls back into his first attitude. He does not partake of any beverage while playing but smokes any number of cigars.”

Of course, I should point out that the subject of this book is World Champion Emanuel Lasker and the players of his era. The time period covered by this series is stated as being roughly 1890 through 1940. This volume contains nine articles plus several other features, such as the interesting “Editorial Views.” The articles are:

  • Lasker’s First Two Months in the U.S. - John Hilbert
  • The Walbrodt-Delmar Match, New York 1893 - John Hilbert
  • A Return to Dignity in Chess: A Modest Proposal - Prof. A. Moron Verboses (a.k.a. Hilbert)
  • The Young Carlos Torre: Rochester and Detroit 1924 - John Hilbert
  • Henry Chadwick: “Father of Baseball,” Friend of Chess - Edward J. Tassinari
  • Examining the Past, Essential Tools for Exploring Chess History - John Hilbert
  • Steinitz - Forgotten Games
  • Alekhine - Forgotten Games
  • Review: “Napier, The Forgotten Chessmaster” by John Hilbert (reviewed by Bob Long)
This book really makes chess history come alive. Not only are chess events of the day documented in entertaining and lively fashion, but Hilbert inspires others to follow his path in discovering our rich chess heritage. For the benefit of those who determine to follow Hilbert’s lead and do research on their own, he has provided the very useful article “Examining the Past, Essential Tools for Exploring Chess History.” This is must-reading before you embark on your own journey of discovery and is worth the price of the book by itself.

Hilbert isn’t adverse to including a little subtle humor, either. His article on “A Return to Dignity in Chess” under the pseudonym of Prof. A. Moron Verboses is most entertaining. Although it contains the same high level of research and interesting historical commentary as his other articles, some of the “editorial comment” by “Prof. Verboses” is most amusing. For example, “We seek perfection in our heroes off the board as well as on it, and certainly expect it of them while they sit before our treasured 64 squares engrossed in honorable, yet bloodless, combat. Petty demonstrations of vanity, irksome, tawdry reminders of the most venal motives, have no welcome haven in the true chess aficionado’s pantheon of chess immortals. Such demonstrations ignore virtue, honor, and the true psychological insight the lover of fine chess craves more than the mere bread and water of ordinary wood shifting.” Well, I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Interspersed throughout the book are some very nice illustrations: old photos, pictures of old chess clocks, illustrations from the era. Most of the articles contain scores of the chess games with annotations from the time. Although I prefer smaller page sizes the book seems well constructed and the three columns per page contribute to a very readable text. My eyesight is far from perfect but the choice of font style and size are easy to read, as are the chess diagrams. L&HC is 64 pages, soft cover 8.5 x 11 inches, list price $18. I look forward to Number 6 coming out soon. I can’t recommend this Number 5 issue too strongly.

--- J. Franklin Campbell (June 1998)


Copyright © 1998 by J. Franklin Campbell

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Kingpin magazine edited by Jonathan Manley

I was a real fan of Chess Chow, published by American GM Joel Benjamin before it disappeared from the publishing scene. It combined serious chess with humor and provided a glimpse into what makes the top players tick. When I read a sample article from KingPin on the Internet I was reminded of this wonderful publication. I had to see more. I obtained the two most recent issues of KingPin, planning to review them for this column and to satisfy my own curiosity. After some delay, here is that review. Though officially listed as publishing three issues a year, the publisher of this English magazine Jonathan Manley candidly admitted this was inaccurate. He said, “You have homed in on what is perhaps Kingpin's main weakness: infrequent publication. Subscribers receive three issues of the magazine, but at present there is a delay of 6-7 months between issues.” Having dealt with the frequency question, what about the content of the magazine?

Unlike some magazines, which emphasize recent tournaments and the latest opening theory, the attractiveness of KingPin is not effected by any slight delays in publishing. Indeed, picking up a few back issues will provide some very entertaining reading. Getting somewhat ahead of myself I heartily recommend this delightful publication. You can either subscribe or buy individual issues from Chess Digest.

Issue 26 Autumn 1996: The cover has photos of Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi under the banner, “FIDE announces new presidential team.” This sets the tone for the magazine. The “Kingpin Questionnaire” has the replies by IM Colin Crouch, and he answers such questions as: What is your first memory of playing chess? What was your worst defeat? How do you relax? What is your favorite record? What is your favourite television programme? (remember, this is an English magazine). Which meal do you most like to eat and could you cook it yourself? What was your most embarrassing moment at the chess board? Who is the most courteous person you have played? There are many other interesting questions and answers along these same lines.

Following is a regular column with perhaps the most appealing title I’ve come across, Gary Lane’s Agony Column. Perhaps this title was my first clue of a similarity to Chess Chow as it contained a regular feature titled Michael Wilder’s Agony Column. Lane’s column is different, though, with a Q&A format where he answers the questions sent by “readers.” One sample: “Dear Gary, why not save time by reading a chess book in the shower. Simply cover all the pages in cellophane and it will be waterproof. Probably.” Gary: “The best ideas are often the simplest ones.” Well, you get the idea.

GM Glenn Flear contributes the next article named What’s the difference between a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ performance? He says, “If you’ve ever examined your own games after a tournament, it’s amazing how just a few critical moments make the difference between a great result and a disaster.” He then documents this concept with examples from his personal experience ... very interesting, with some very real examples in the form of annotated games.

The Voice of Reason by GM Nigel Davies explains why wooden sets are better plastic. Of course, there is more to this article than this little topic. Perhaps it’s a personal idiosyncrasy but I rather enjoy glimpses like this into a “foreign” society such as the English. GM Davies gives his opinions on how to improve the chess club scene in England with many interesting observations.

There was also a lengthy article by Edward Winter. His explorations into the history of chess are well known to American readers and are always interesting. Other articles in this issue: Sophisticated Ideas: The Importance of Open Lines by IM Luc Winants, More Ideas in the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit by IM Gary Lane, Letter from France by GM Tony Kosten, C.J.S. Purdy: AN Unconventional Chess Thinker by Amatzia Avni, a caption contest (most amusing), Hack Attack ... Happy Bloody Birthday by GM John Emms, Neutralising the Norm-hunters by GM James Howell, and Confessions of a British Nightclubber by IM Aaron Summerscale fill out the remainder of this issue, followed by over eight pages of book reviews by notable chess authorities.

There were few advertisements and over 50 total pages in this entertaining issue. A little humor mixed in with some serious chess makes for a winning combination.

Issue 27 Summer 1997: The cover has a photo of Nigel Short and Bulgarian IM Antoaneta Stefanova. He’s saying, “Are you fun-loving Chess Spice?” I think this is an English humorous remark, but I can’t be sure. The “Kingpin Questionnaire” is of GM E. Gufeld. There’s Gary Lane’s Agony Column followed by a more serious article Did Intel Break its Word to 20,000 Children? by IM Michael Basman. There’s The Article With No Name by GM Tony Kosten which mixes chess games and lots of personal stories. Next to the article The Fine Art of Swindling by FM Jonathan Rogers is a fake (?) ad for Kirsan Toilet Tissue. There’s also The Lost Weekend by GM Stuart Conquest, Before and After the IM Title by IM Susan Lalic, Skewer (a real potpourri of chess behind-the-scenes stories) and (a personal favorite) “Nunn is out to ruin me” -- Golombek’s shock claim. It starts, “The world of chess publishing was rocked to its foundations last month when former world champion chess writer Harry Golombek launched a scathing attack on B. T. Batsford and editor and typesetter John Nunn. In the course of a two-hour diatribe organised by spiritualists in Buenos Aires, Golombek claimed that Nunn had ‘deliberately improved my analysis’ in the new Batsford algebraic edition of his classic Capablanca’s 100 Best Games.” The article continued in this vein. I particularly enjoyed the reply attributed to Nunn. “I never had any of this trouble with Alekhine.”

Also in this issue: Never Forget the Elephant Gambit by Gary Lane, Forum by Edward Winter, Old Masters Never Die, They Just Fade Away by GM Nigel Davies, Scenes from Paris by GM Jim Plaskett, Blood from a Stone by IM Jonathan Rowson and about ten pages of book/magazine reviews. Overall, this publication provides a nice mix of serious chess and humor in a most attractive and readable fashion. The articles are written almost entirely by titled chess players ... very nice and very readable. There’s little specifically for the correspondence chess player but that doesn’t prevent me from recommending this excellent publication to my readers.

http://nic.net4u.nl/~reviews/booksbw.htm on the Internet contains chess book reviews by Bertrand Weegenaar and makes for some interesting reading. [Note: these book reviews are now located at the Chess Mail web site at John Elburg's Chessbookreviews. -- JFC] His review number 21 contains a short review of KingPin number 27. The editor of KingPin can be reached directly by email at: "Jonathan Manley" .

Chess Digest is selling No.26 for US$8.95 and No.27 for US$9.95. Sterling prices for a 3 issue subscription: UK = £8.00, Europe = £10.00, USA/RoW = £12.00. Jon Manley added, “... If your readers would like to order by credit card, I suggest they contact either Chess Digest or the London Chess Centre. Several Kingpin articles are archived in the Chess Cafe's Skittles Room. ... Kingpin No.28 will be out in January ...” Featured in No. 28 will be: an interview with Yasser Seirawan which contains some very straight talking about Kasparov, Edward Winter's Forum, IM Gary Lane's Agony column, GM Tony Kosten's Letter from France, IM Crouch on Kasparov's analytical gaffes, IM Chris Ward on Paul Morphy, A mysterious letter from Hungary from one Robert Fischer, IM Gary Lane advocates the Grand Prix Attack (2 Nc3, 3 f4 Sicilian), IM Richard Forster on a curious 19th century chess variant, GM Nigel Davies says that preparation is unimportant, IM Jonathan Rowson on the supernatural power of chess intuition, and a selection of book reviews.

--- J. Franklin Campbell, APCT News Bulletin, January 1998


Copyright © 1998 by J. Franklin Campbell

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Chess Mail magazine edited by Tim Harding

Tim Harding of Ireland has launched a new magazine dedicated to correspondence chess. Named Chess Mail it is aimed at the serious correspondence chess competitor and will be published 11 times a year. Subscriptions may be ordered for 29 Irish Pounds (payable by Visa or Mastercard) or by a bank draft for $46 US made out to Chess Mail Ltd. The address is Chess Mail Ltd., 26 Coolamber Park, Dublin 16, Ireland.

Harding’s purpose is to provide the sort of coverage currently available to German-language readers in Fernschach magazine. However, it won’t be a clone of that magazine. His first pilot issue contains articles and tournament reports from quite a few different countries, including an article on cc chess etiquette by this columnist and a games article by former CCLA Games Editor Roy DeVault on games from the CCLA Championship. Besides the English language countries there will be coverage from other countries where English is in use, such as the Scandinavian countries.

The pilot issue consists of 64 pages printed on good quality paper in the A5 paper size (about 8x6 inches, the same size as Fernschach). The entire world of correspondence chess will be reflected in the coverage, including postal, email and fax. Harding has set up a web page and will provide some of the magazine material there (e.g., my article is now available on his web page). The pilot issue covers material about or from the following countries: USA, Sweden, Qatar, Iceland, Holland, Israel, Ireland, Wales, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Also included are ICCF results, crosstables from ICCF and various other tournaments, analysis columns, international and national chess news plus probably the best coverage offered so far on email and chess on the Internet. Reviews of software and Internet services are promised, in addition to book reviews.

Harding plans to establish a network of chess journalists from all over the world to provide material for his magazine. He is an established chess author and a strong cc competitor. I recently favorably reviewed his new book Winning at Correspondence Chess in my column. He also wrote the excellent The Games of the World Correspondence Chess Championships I-X in addition to many other chess books. Harding will probably personally write quite a bit of the magazine himself. This magazine promises to fill a void in the chess literature for English speakers. I know of nothing similar in print anywhere. I strongly recommend this wonderful new magazine. ... No magazine covers club news better than the APCT News Bulletin. Add this second magazine to your subscription list and you’ll have the rest of the world covered. I want to personally thank Tim Harding for producing this fantastic new magazine, which I believe is a real service to the correspondence chess community. You can check out some sample articles on Chess Mail’s web page at Chess Mail magazine

--- J. Franklin Campbell, APCT News Bulletin, November 1996


Copyright © 1996, 1998 by J. Franklin Campbell

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“Winning at Correspondence Chess” by Tim Harding

It’s not often that a book comes along aimed squarely at the postal chess player, so it’s a big occasion when it happens. “Winning at Correspondence Chess” by international cc star Tim Harding of Ireland (176 pages, soft cover 8.5 x 5.5 inches, list price $25, available from APCT for $23.75) is such a book. The emphasis is on text, with games and analysis mostly given to illustrate points. Although clearly written for the British reader, there is much of value for the North American reader. I strongly recommend this book. This is a book you can pretty much sit down and read (without a chess set at hand). In fact, one night I discovered I had continued reading several hours past my bed time. The final section on “Computers and the future of CC” kept me going till I finished it at one sitting.

Tim Harding is well-versed in international cc (correspondence chess) play, representing Ireland in various high-level competitions and serving on ICCF committees. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this book and shares many interesting stories and insider viewpoints with the reader. He told me that he was only told at the last moment that the book would be published in the USA. Otherwise he would have included more references for the American reader. Most of the references and addresses are for British readers. The language is very “British” as well. Personally I found this interesting, except I would have liked to see the addresses of USA postal organizations given for the uninitiated cc player. He’s promised that these references will be updated in any future edition to include USA organizations.

This book is aimed squarely at the competitor, as opposed to the person who plays postal in an attempt at perfection in play. Thus there is no advice to give back moves or such. Instead, he aims at helping the cc competitor to improve his chances at winning games through proper attitude and application of skills. As he says in the preface, “This book is primarily a battle manual for the player who wants to be a winner at correspondence chess.” For instance, on page 49 he discusses publishing games and notes in magazines and says, “The corollary to this is that you should not be too keen to publish your games and analysis because they reveal details of your style and opening preferences.” Following are a few more miscellaneous quotes to give the flavor of the book.

“... it is advisable to approach each new tournament in a standard way.” “If you have other games still in progress and quite possibly at a critical stage, it is important to decide on clear priorities ...” “In particular, do not underestimate opponents who tell you they are in their late sixties or even in their eighties!” “Victories, particularly when well-earned, are still very sweet and there is nothing like a resignation card from an opponent to make your day.” “An important piece of advice for any CC player is: know the rules! Study them!” “... it is important for all CC players to have a reliable ‘move processing’ system ...” “Check every step and then check again ...” “Opponents’ conditionals should always be considered first anyway, in case your opponent has not given himself the best move, enabling you to make a move that would otherwise have been bad.” “Every Friday evening look through your notebook and see what games are slow and, if a repetition seems due, send it off on Saturday morning.” This provides a small window into the types of practical advice you’ll find on every page of this outstanding book.

There are a few comments I found amusing. His recommendation to use “ ... either a hardcover ruled foolscap book ... or, alternatively, a ... ‘single cash’” to keep tournament records had me scratching my head. But these instances were more amusing than anything. On the other hand, this book is packed with interesting stories and practical advice. You may find yourself thinking, “Of course, why didn’t I think of that.” He covers how to use books and databases in your selection of openings, loads of practical advice on the conduct of both individual games and tournaments and he even provides a short history of cc, including brief biographies of the leading players. This is a marvelous book. Every cc player should have it on their shelf (after thoroughly reading it).

--- J. Franklin Campbell, APCT News Bulletin, September 1996


Copyright © 1996, 1998 by J. Franklin Campbell

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“Chess Openings Lexicon” by Roy DeVault

At the risk of appearing guilty of conflict of interest, I’d like to introduce APCT members to a useful little book written by my friend Roy DeVault, who was the games editor for the CCLA magazine Chess Correspondent for years and has written a number of chess books, including tournament books for the last several annual CCLA championships. It was interesting to hear ideas about the book mentioned from time to time as the concept occurred to DeVault and the plans for the book evolved. And now I have a copy of this just-published reference book in hand. Why didn’t anyone think of this book before?! It’s a marvelous combination of opening reference, dictionary of opening terms and cross reference between ECO and NIC codes. I wish I had owned this book when I edited the APCT Team Newsletter during the first National Team Championship! Assigning ECO codes to the many game scores published was a nightmare. This book would have allowed me to identify the opening codes with ease.

The book opens with a brief history of opening classifications. It then launches into the real meat of the book with entries for every ECO code from A00 through E99. For each code the identifying moves are presented (often a number of different lines fall under one ECO code and they are all given). The corresponding NIC code is listed for each variation. The common names are also listed. If you want to identify the Koltanowski Variation of the Giuoco Piano it’s right there as one of the many lines listed for C50. You can easily find it by checking the extensive 18-page index in the back of the book. The intent of this book isn’t to introduce original ideas. Rather, it has brought together all the essential chess opening codes and nomenclature that are normally spread throughout your chess library.

I heartily recommend this book. It should be on the reference shelf of every chess enthusiast with an interest in openings. The index makes identifying specific names easy. This 6x9-inch Chess Digest softcover book has 127 pages with a list price of $16.50.

--- J. Franklin Campbell, APCT News Bulletin, March 1996


Copyright © 1996, 1998 by J. Franklin Campbell

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“How To Get Better At Chess” - by Evans, Silman and Betty Roberts

While browsing through the chess book collection at a local book store How To Get Better At Chess by Evans, Silman and Betty Roberts caught my eye (paperback, 254 pages). A brief glimpse was enough to tell me that I had to have a copy of this unique book. I purchased a copy from APCT ($16.95 postpaid) and must say that this marvelous book has completely lived up to my expectations. Ms. Roberts has collected the views of a variety of top chess players over the years on various topics and has given us their answers to some questions, some of their anecdotes and player profiles (along with games annotated by Silman). The topics covered are:

  • How Does One Get Better At Chess?
  • What’s More Important - Study or Practice?
  • What Books or Players Have Influenced You the Most?
  • How Do Top Players See Things So Quickly?
  • Is There An Age When Improvement Stops?
  • Is Memory Important In Chess?
  • How Does Winning and Losing Affect You?
  • Anecdotes
  • Profiles and Games

    As my readers know, I delight in the human side of chess. This book provides a good dose of this and provides some delightful comments by some of the best known chess masters. Here is a sample which I particularly enjoyed. Miguel Quinteros (in reply to the question “What’s More Important - Study or Practice): “... Some players have no talent for the game. They don’t enjoy playing and they lust after success but don’t want to work. Since they are doomed to remain weak they would be well advised to take up something else, like knitting.” Another marvelous remark by Larry Christiansen, “Truthfully, one’s peak is reached at about thirty-five or thirty-six. I’ve seen lots of players reach this age and then stop all forward progress. Then they become worthless hacks, good only for donating blood.”

    This book is full of such quotes, some thought-provoking and some merely outrageous. Whether you agree with them or not (and they certainly don’t agree with each other!) I think you’ll find the views of so many top players gathered together to be most interesting and entertaining. There’s some useful advice here, too. I haven’t bothered going over any of the games. This is a book you can just sit down and read. I recommend it.

    --- J. Franklin Campbell, APCT News Bulletin, September 1995


    Copyright © 1995, 1998 by J. Franklin Campbell

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