Chess Book Reviews
Chess: The Complete Self-Tutor (Batsford Chess Book) (Paperback)
by Edward Lasker Paperback: 368 pages ISBN: 0713481609
This is hypertext 1970's style no computer in sight! Here's how it works . the book is divided into numbered "sections" of a couple of paragraphs each. They all teach some aspect of the game working from very basics suitable for an absolute beginner, very quickly moving to very challenging questions suitable for any standard of player.
The book run through all aspects of the game from how the pieces move to openings, middlegame endgame etc. One of the things that struck me about his book is the order it teaches these in. It goes ... combinative play, opening, endgame, middlegame. The reasoning for this is that you need to know the kind of battles and structures you are aiming for in the opening and so combinative play is taught first. Then the same goes for the endgame. You need to know about endgame strategies and tactics to know what you are aiming for in the middlegame. For example good middlegame plan might involve knowing which pawns are going to be able to queen etc.
The whole thing resembles a converstion between tutor and pupil. After a point has been explained your understanding of it is tested immediately by a question with a number of different answers to select.
Each answer leads to a new "section" and if you have chosen the wrong answer then that "section" will tell you what you did wrong. You are then sent back to try the multiple choce question again.
The way the questions are worded, Lasker can almost read your mind and see why you have chosen the worng answer. This the the key to the book. If there are 4 answers then there will be 3 different ways you can go wrong on a question but you can't continue to the next stage of the book until you have got the 4th and right answer. And Lasker can give you 3 different explainations of the point each time you get it wrong.
Only the correct answer gives the page to contine so there is no way to skip any qusetions as in a normal book! And in this book, errors that might go unnoticed when you read a book get exposed. At first this is painful but I guess it is better to get it wrong and learn the lesson!
This is a great book to take travelling as you don't need a chessboard. The sections are each quite short and have diagrams for each question. It is great fun to work through as you get a sense of achivement as you pass through each section and you make your way through the book.