Rapid Chess Improvement (Everyman Chess) by Michael de la Maza
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Book Reviews of Rapid Chess Improvement (Everyman Chess)
Book Review: A controversial classic...
Summary: 5 Stars
De la Maza's thesis is that the central problem with players rated in the 900-1800 range is poor tactics. The key to improving is a crash course in tactics--and de la Maza explains the program that took him from c.1100 to over 2000 in two years. The book and the principles have spread like wildfire through players in this rating range, and there are several de la Maza-style chess weblogs now touting his principles.
Countering this are some reviewers who think de la Maza's emphasis on tactics is excessive.
#1: Skeptics might want to read the last pages of Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson's "Chess for Zebras" where he explicitly endorses de la Maza's book by name.
#2: Skeptics might also want to review Susan Polgar's "A World Champion's Guide to Chess" where she endorses (without naming him) de la Maza's emphasis on tactics, and thinks that US chess education is deficient in this regard. (She does give more emphasis to endgame play than he does).
#3: I'm probably a fairly typical 1400 rated player who recently took lessons with British GM Jonathan Levitt. His key advice to me was virtualy identical to that of de la Maza: the most urgent need in my play was to concentrate on tactics. The other things can wait until later on in one's development. Purchasing de la Maza is substantially less expensive than two hours of instruction with a grandmaster, though not perhaps quite as memorable an experience. :)
Much of the emphasis on tactics is explained in de la Maza's now classic articles at Chess Cafe, readily available on-line. But de la Maza has included much that is not in the articles. Whether you wish to purchase the book if you've read the articles will depend on your budget: but there is plenty of new material in the book edition to make the purchase worthwhile.
I would add: de la Maza writes well and the book is very motivational. Mid-range players often get frustrated about ever improving. De la Maza, quite apart from the content, is probably the best motivational text on the market: he's very good at convincing you that you can do what he did if you work hard on your tactics.
This is probably the single best book a mid-range player hoping to improve can buy. It's a classic.
Book Review: A Different Approach
Summary: 5 Stars
The approach to chess study and play is indeed very different from what you hear from other books and chess instructors, and that's good! I know countless adult players who are stuck at the lower levels of play (<1400). These are players who have put years of effort and dozens of chess books into their game. With so many players stuggling, we should be quick to consider a new apporach. De La Maza's study program echoes what many strong players and coaches have been saying for a while: tactics! tactics! tactics! I had heard that tactics were important for the beginning player. But before I started playing in tournaments, I thought just knowing the basic motifs was good enough. Coming out my first two tournaments with scores of .5 and 2 quickly opened my eyes to the biggest weakness in my game: tactics.
So when I came across "Rapid Chess Improvement", I was ready for an intensive tactics study program, which is exactly what De La Maza is offering. At first I was sceptical about the chess vision drills, which seem extremely basic. The idea of doing them for four weeks straight seemed strange. But I decided that I was either going to do this program entirely or not at all. In doing the vision drills I noticed two things. First; at first the drills were not as easy as I thought they would be. And second; after the four weeks the drills were a lot easier! Simple tactics began appearing more often in my games(actually I was probably just noticing them more often). Well, needless to say I am now a big fan of the "basic" vision drills, and would recommend them to anyone.
The rest of the program is pretty straight-forward: tactics, tactics, and more tactics. So far De La Maza's study plan has improved my play more than anything else. I highly recommend it!
Book Review: You get what you put in
Summary: 5 Stars
I think de la Maza had the insight to identify the recurring mistakes that were holding him and the 90+% of other weak amateurs back. Fortunately for many of us, he shared his ideas. Having read the book and worked thru 3 months of his rigorous course, there has been significant improvement in my game after years of no progress in spite of many book purchases and effort. I'm writing the review for people out there with a poor rating who are committed to following thru on a plan because they seriously want to improve. If you're wondering about the negative reviews...in my opinion they fall under two major categories. The first is the person who was not willing to make the commitment necessary to achieve the outcome that is possible if you follow the instructions. de la Maza never said that by purchasing the book alone you would magically improve. He provides a roadmap but it's up to the individual to put in the work. It's obvious some of the negative reviewers did not come anywhere near to following through with the plan outlined but then bashed the book in the review. Go figure. The second appears to be the "chess purists" who already possess good tactical skill and resent what they perceive to be the author's simplistic reduction of chess training into tedious drills. They also appear to be offended that as a non master/GM, he has the audacity to write a chess book in the first place. I have no qualms about criticizing either category of reviewers as I simply think that they don't get it.
Bottom line, if you're a weak player but would kill to get better and are willing to put in 1-2 hours per day for 3-6 months, then I think this is one of the fastest ways to get there.
Book Review: Underestimated...
Summary: 5 Stars
I am surprised to find that the book that once was nominated for the "Book of the Year" award ended up with the quite unimpressive average of 3 stars. I truly believe that the emotional charge of some of the criticism stems from the frustration (and recognition) that there is simply no quick fix for and adult player who wishes to improve and not be mated on the sixth move by a kid who holds a toy bear on his lap. It is quite amazing that all the chess literature can not guarantee even a minimal progress if one is not committed to hours and hours of practice day after day. The author deserves five stars for several reasons:
1, He struggled as we all struggle (just look at his own two chess game samples), he was not a prodigy, but did not give up.
2, He developed a system that may not work for everyone, but certainly did work for him. The improvement he demonstrated in his rating is amazing (although he appears to be stuck at the same level according to the USCF rating list).
3, He never states that this is an easy way. Chess vision drills (not only vision, he wants you to physically move the pieces to achieve almost a body memory pattern), tactical puzzles, 8-step thinking process etc. Hours and hours of practice, dedication and commitment are required.
(4, But: you can not neglect the knowledge of opening principles, positional ideas, as your tactics may not get a chance if your opponent's tactics ambush you first from his/her carefully prepared position.)
Overall, this is a decent attempt to find and demonstrate a way what it may take to get your game better. I wonder, how many readers criticize the author without ever giving a shot to his advice.
Book Review: I think most of the reviewers missed the point....
Summary: 5 Stars
I think most of the reviewers absolutely missed the point of De La Maza's book. It's not that he's saying what has been said before, study tactics. It's the method of study. See, not only do you study 1,000 problems. But you study the same problems 7 times over. The repitition is the key, more than anything else. See, what you're trying to do is drill the patterns into your subconscious. If you study it once, yes you'll get better. If you study the same problems twice, you'll get even better. But, if you study it seven times over. It gets to the point where on the seventh time you're instantly recognizing the pattern. THAT IS WHERE YOU ROCK! You are not just learning tactics, you're drilling them into your head, where you instantly recognize them. You'll see the patterns on the board instantly, while other players may not see them at all, or would only see them after intense study.
There are tactical motifs that are essential in chess, doing these 1,000 exercises seven times over will drill these into a deeper level of your consciousness than almost any of your competitors.
That I believe is the true worth of De La Maza's program.
However, I will agree with most of what has been written. You can find the meat of his program online. And for most of us we don't have the time to devote hours every day. But, most of us could take 1/2 an hour pretty easily.
I've been putting an hour into tactics a day, and my rating went from a low 1300 to high 1400. So, it's working for me. We'll see where I am in a few months.