The Improving Chess Thinker
by Dan Heisman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Dan HeismanForeword: Lev Alburt
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-12-01
ISBN: 0979148243
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Mongoose Press
Book Reviews of The Improving Chess Thinker
Book Review: It's Never Too Late To Start Improving
Summary: 5 Stars
The Improving Chess Thinker is the most useful book I have ever seen on the chess thinking process. From the practical point of view - how do I improve? - it is unsurpassed. For one thing, it introduces you to a systematic procedure that you can actually perform over the board. With experience this should become second nature, and if you get good enough, probably unconscious. For another, it gives you examples of other players of all levels. The reader is able to see - via the recorded protocols on 6 selected positions (a protocol is the verbalization of a players thinking process, in other words thinking out loud) - how others perform the same decision making tasks, an eye-opening and not altogether intimidating experience. Those god-like 2000 players can be just as confused as a 1600 player, especially compared to the gold standard, World Champion Euwe.
What this book is not, is a book about chess knowledge per se, though there is a good deal of that too. As the author states most clearly in his summing up section, "What players learn from the exercise" on page 195: "despite the imposing depth of Dr. Euwe's thorough analysis, it is not terribly difficult to emulate his process. Thus everyone who hears this process can, and should, strive to do something similar. The harder part is not emulating the process, but picking up all the extra knowledge and skills that allow one to analyze and evaluate well."
There are other books that can help you gain knowledge and skills. Jeremy Silman's books come to mind as far as positional understanding and plan formation. As far as tactics, the author is a firm believer in the tactics, tactics, tactics mantra. One reason of course is that solving tactical puzzles, especially simple ones, will speed up his suggested analytical process.
But it is important to realize that this book is directed at two different issues. First, the emphasis here is on adopting a thinking process throughout the game that is safe. By rigorously examining checks, captures and threats after your opponent's move, after your own candidate moves, and double checking again before you play your selected move, you will greatly improve decision-making. But second, this process is especially crucial in what the author calls "analytical" positions. These positions by their nature do not lend themselves to general thinking. When your "criticality assessment" tells you that you have reached a position in the game where there may only be one best move, these methods shine.
A key finding of this book is that even strong players, from the point of view of the average club player, have muddled analysis. And surprisingly, according to the author, these are the very players who get the most rating points from their analytical skills. When a player becomes a master they begin to use memory more, they have seen more positions, and evaluate better. So the author is not claiming that process alone, analysis alone, will make you a grandmaster. But he does show even 2000 players, that they could benefit by making their thinking process more systematic. I would even guess they have no choice, if they want to get better.
Back in the day when I started playing tournament chess, when we had Fischer as our hero, and the Soviet training methods (not to mention computers) that have swept through the chess world, were still years away, Alexander Kotov wrote a book called "Think Like a Grandmaster". Great we thought. Now we too can be grandmasters. What? You have to make a list of candidate moves, analyze each one only once, never revisiting a line? I can't do that. Turns out even grandmasters don't do that, or computer engines.
I gave up tournament chess for almost 30 years, returning to the chess club about a year ago. Rated about 1600 USCF, I am on the cusp of the Class C (1400-1599)-Class B (1600-1800) chapters in the book. That is, I am just beginning to play what the author calls "Real Chess". On the one hand I am a little atypical. I didn't spend those 30 years playing, but I was a reader and a spectator. I love the history, I love the literature. I went to tournaments and watched grandmasters for hours and hours and I saw Kasparov play the computer twice.
But when I came back I found that, while I had much greater knowledge of chess than the average 1600 player, I have key weaknesses involving complicated positions and time-management (something the book also addresses). I find I can often outplay 1900 players and then lose a game of blitz at the end. Of course, I often run into gaps in my knowledge too. If Gary could just whisper into my ear, play the pawn break now or sac the exchange now, I would have won. The book doesn't really help with that. But I also make occasional tactical oversights and retained image errors. Oh, his last queen move in a cramped position now protects that square, so the line I calculated on his move doesn't work. The book will help with that.
I agree with the author's central point. I now believe that my rating - a true reflection of my strength, you are only as good as your record - is in large part due to my disorganized thinking, which is often circular, and the time trouble issues that emerges from it. This book has helped me both to realize the degree of my disorganization, but also given me the tools to begin to correct it. For that I am grateful.
I have several suggestions for reading the book.
First, attempt to analyze at least the first position, de Groot A, before beginning the chapters on the protocols of the class players. In my case it made me realize how confused I was by the position, even though I selected a decent move. It isn't easy. But it gives you something to compare the other protocols with and also makes them easier to follow, since you tried it yourself.
Since de Groot A is the most used position, I did that first and then analyzed the other ones as I came to them. Do not be discouraged if they are hard. In fact, de Groot himself (the cognitive psychologist who wrote "Thought and Choice in Chess" in 1965, where most of the positions come from) got some of them wrong. (see below)
Second, read the class chapters from the beginning. I know many people will think: I'm too strong to care what those patzers think about the position. Not so in my opinion. I found it very useful. But then my rating is in the middle, so others may disagree. Once I passed my own rating class, I read the one above it and then skimmed ahead to the masters and the rest of the book. I plan on revisiting it later.
Third, wait until the end to read Max Euwe's gold standard analysis of de Groot A, and the computer analysis of all the positions. I found it helped me not to know for certain what the best lines were, though you do get an idea from the author's comments as you move through the classes. The computer analysis is especially interesting. It turns out that some of de Groot's original analysis was wrong. Nowadays, with older books this can't be helped. But I know that I found Silman's The Amateur Mind frustrating because he would tell a kid he was playing a game against in a lesson that his move didn't work. Lo and behold, Rybka said it worked. You don't have that problem here.
There are many fine books on chess thinking. As a book junkie I have all the ones I can lay my hands on, including de Groot. (My Holy Grails include Iossif Dorfman's The Method in Chess and The Critical Moment. Come on Amazon.) Dan Heisman pays tribute to many of these authors. Jonathan Rowson's books are fantastic, but they aren't as focused and systematic or practical. I am now ready to continue reading Jacob Aagaard's, Inside the Chess Mind (another book of protocols, though with higher rated players which is why you want to tackle it later). I want to try Heisman's methods and compare myself to Yusupov. We will learn from all of them.
But if you want to begin to build, rebuild or just tune up a chess thought process that will stand the test of time... It's never too late. For most players there is no better place to start than The Improving Chess Thinker. I'm betting you will see almost instant results. But, I'm hoping, not against me.
Summary of The Improving Chess Thinker
When a club player decides he wants to raise his rating, he typically looks to improve his middlegame or endgame understanding. Often, however, the true secret to improvement lies not in studying additional chess material but in learning a more powerful thinking process. The Improving Chess Thinker provides representative thought processes from all classes of chess players, highlights the differences between these levels, and provides insight to help players raise their thinking process to the next level.Chess Books
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