Better Chess for Average Players (book review #4)
Submitted by on Wed, 07/16/2008 at 2:44pm.
[Recommended USCF rating: 1300-1700]
Better Chess for Average Players (true bargain at $10 at Amazon) is a surprisingly dense book packed with elements of tactics, strategy, endgame principles, etc. for intermediate players. The book has some very practical ideas that reinforce the basics we read about over and over again, yet we (non-masters) consistently miss out on.
As for "dense", it is not a very thick book (only 250 pages) yet a lot of information is packed on every page and 'unit'. Players toward the lower end of the recommended range may "cut their teeth" on some of the concepts in detail and play out some examples. For example, a "pin" is not a new concept to a 1300 player (I hope!), but the manner in which the author presents it and the follow-up ideas may take a lower rated player a bit longer to fully appreciate. That said, the lower rated players will probably benefit more from this than a 1700 player, and this book is probably worth revisiting from time-to-time as your play improves.
Best,
Ezra
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