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Best Lessons of a Chess Coach
Weeramantry is perhaps best known for training his stepson Hikaru Nakamura.
An innovative book on game-winning strategy for players at the intermediate level--from a master chess coach. Every truth about chess must be coached in context, and the book's interactive teacher-student dialogue does just that. Weeramantry teaches how to think during a chess game. 300 diagrams.
An innovative book on game-winning strategy for players at the intermediate level--from a master chess coach. Every truth about chess must be coached in context, and the book's interactive teacher-student dialogue does just that. Weeramantry teaches how to think during a chess game. 300 diagrams.
- GenresChessNonfiction
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 25, 2021
Disclaimer : I am reviewing this book as a coach and regarding its use for my students. I am looking at the book only as an objective document and from a perspective of a 2000 fide chess player.
The book is not bad for beginners but I would suggest going over other game collections! Why?
1. The analysis is often incorrect, sometimes the author writes that a specific move is not good and gives an explanation why. Since his conclusion is not based on a specific loss of material I asked myself if this position is indeed that bad as the author regarded since it didn't look bad to me. Also it looked like the author would either on purpose or not make a decisive mistake in the second or third move of the analysis therefore disregarding the variation. It happened 4 times only during the analysis of the first game.
2. A plus is that author is giving general advices while writing the book, however some of the advices he gives are relevant only to position and the author is regarding them as if they are general advices.
3. Test positions are presented in footnotes instead of separate chapter that makes the book sometimes hard to follow.
4. The greatest thing in the books is "supplementary games" section after each of 10 games that are deeply analysed.
Conclusion?
1.Not helpful for anyone that is above 1400 online rating or 1200 fide or USCF
2.Somewhat enjoyable and has some good advices
3.If studied needs to be studied with the engine.
2/5 barely
The book is not bad for beginners but I would suggest going over other game collections! Why?
1. The analysis is often incorrect, sometimes the author writes that a specific move is not good and gives an explanation why. Since his conclusion is not based on a specific loss of material I asked myself if this position is indeed that bad as the author regarded since it didn't look bad to me. Also it looked like the author would either on purpose or not make a decisive mistake in the second or third move of the analysis therefore disregarding the variation. It happened 4 times only during the analysis of the first game.
2. A plus is that author is giving general advices while writing the book, however some of the advices he gives are relevant only to position and the author is regarding them as if they are general advices.
3. Test positions are presented in footnotes instead of separate chapter that makes the book sometimes hard to follow.
4. The greatest thing in the books is "supplementary games" section after each of 10 games that are deeply analysed.
Conclusion?
1.Not helpful for anyone that is above 1400 online rating or 1200 fide or USCF
2.Somewhat enjoyable and has some good advices
3.If studied needs to be studied with the engine.
2/5 barely
September 2, 2015
This is the closest that a book can take you to having a strong chess lesson. Very interesting and still working on all the exercizes.
January 1, 2013
I never picked this book up when I was looking into more detailed opening books with my rating around 2000. This would've been a much better value. It's only 11 games, but they are straight from the author's experience & not at GM-level. They're also in openings I'd never consider playing, so I was out of my comfort zone there but comfortable with the book's style. That proved to be a good combination for learning. I had a lot of questions outside the ones addressed in the book, and Fritz answered them. Or pointed out how the author answered them and I wasn't paying attention.
The style's a bit different from Jeremy Silman's also effective approach of having a player formulate a plan from an opening position & play through a game, not correcting any moves beyond total blunders. Weeramantry asks a sample student in the book to figure the game's next move and why. It's kind of Socratic, asking which move, and why, and what might be better, and what did the player consider. Of course, the real learning occurs when you manage not to look ahead even though you're interested, and you wonder what other questions the author will ask. It's easy to see how this would've hooked me at a young age and how it could've helped Hikaru Nakamura get so good.
The only problem is that the book ended just as I really got the hang of it! I'd really have liked a sequel, but the author is busy managing the NSCF, which is important stuff.
The book also contains ~50 games that I was not surprised to find bundled in a PGN file elsewhere on the internet. These are well-annotated outside the book and thus only add to it. Some may be familiar--I think some are featured in books by Silman and Irving Chernev--but a lot are new.
It's an overgeneralization to say it's good to have another way to look at things, but the author provides that, and it feels effortless. I'm sure there are other strong masters than the author and Silman and Pandolfini, and they can't be too hard to find on the internet. The straightforward question-and-answer style works well for any skill level. Having several such books to cover all skill levels would be wonderful.
The style's a bit different from Jeremy Silman's also effective approach of having a player formulate a plan from an opening position & play through a game, not correcting any moves beyond total blunders. Weeramantry asks a sample student in the book to figure the game's next move and why. It's kind of Socratic, asking which move, and why, and what might be better, and what did the player consider. Of course, the real learning occurs when you manage not to look ahead even though you're interested, and you wonder what other questions the author will ask. It's easy to see how this would've hooked me at a young age and how it could've helped Hikaru Nakamura get so good.
The only problem is that the book ended just as I really got the hang of it! I'd really have liked a sequel, but the author is busy managing the NSCF, which is important stuff.
The book also contains ~50 games that I was not surprised to find bundled in a PGN file elsewhere on the internet. These are well-annotated outside the book and thus only add to it. Some may be familiar--I think some are featured in books by Silman and Irving Chernev--but a lot are new.
It's an overgeneralization to say it's good to have another way to look at things, but the author provides that, and it feels effortless. I'm sure there are other strong masters than the author and Silman and Pandolfini, and they can't be too hard to find on the internet. The straightforward question-and-answer style works well for any skill level. Having several such books to cover all skill levels would be wonderful.
August 22, 2008
Great chess book for people who enjoy move-by-move analysis of selected games. Diagrams are so frequent it is easy to follow along without having to break out a chess board. Highly recommended.
November 24, 2024
Really a great book for Chess players that are wanting to become serious at an intermediate level and understand the concepts. Would suggest understanding the basic terminology/chess board notation, as well as having a chess board to make moves along with reading.
March 19, 2022
Good:
* Does really well in mimicking a chess mentor.
* Numerous exercises, diagrams and explanations.
Bad:
* The supplemental games are significantly less developed.
* Does really well in mimicking a chess mentor.
* Numerous exercises, diagrams and explanations.
Bad:
* The supplemental games are significantly less developed.
September 5, 2008
One of the first chess books I read that took me from casual interest to studying it. I'd suggest it to many people looking to improve or understand chess games.
May 10, 2013
Much more advanced chess playing than I was ready for :)
May 14, 2011
Much more advanced chess playing than I was ready for :)
October 25, 2016
Good book for my current level.
September 25, 2014
Excellent--- I love reading this again and again
I have not evaluated how correct the book is - -but this is one book I really loved reading !!
I have not evaluated how correct the book is - -but this is one book I really loved reading !!
July 18, 2021
The closest thing to have a personal chess coach.
August 17, 2015
PHENOMENAL.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews