Good Buy on Wood Chess Set

This set has a 3.75” King (1.5” diameter base).  It comes with a 11.75 in. x 9.25 in. x 2.75 in. wooden box. Free shipping.  Regularly sells for $65.95.  NOTE: These pieces are advertised as “weighted” and while they are heavier than plastic pieces, they are not what one would normally expect as “weighted,” meaning they are not double or triple weighted as is often the case. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a nice wood set that is low in price, this is a good choice.

 

Psychology in Chess by N. Krogius

      I have the original edition of this book that was published in 1976. This book would be useful for average players up to master. GM Krogius was Karpov's trainer in 1978   
      Even though I have long been ‘retired’ from OTB chess, I still think chess psychology is a fascinating subject and this book is probably the best available on this interesting subject.  For anyone interested in this largely ignored area of chess, I suggest Googling ‘how chess masters think’ and reading some of the interesting material that comes up.

     Krogius uses an informal, anecdotal style that makes for easy reading, but the real question is, can you actually improve your chess by reading about psychological factors in chess? Determining whether learning theory or practicing play is more effective in improvement, whether evaluation skills can be successfully taught and can players be taught how to accurately look farther ahead are all important aspects of chess psychology that many recent studies have tried to answer.
      One psychological study conducted in Great Britain several years ago that I read stated, “Talents that selectively facilitate the acquisition of high levels of skill are said to be present in some children but not others. The evidence for this includes biological correlates of specific abilities, certain rare abilities in autistic savants, and the seemingly spontaneous emergence of exceptional abilities in young children, but there is also contrary evidence indicating an absence of early precursors for high skill levels in young people. An analysis of positive and negative evidence and arguments suggests that differences in early experiences, preferences, opportunities, habits, training and practice are the real determinants of excellence.”
     We all know that when it comes to chess players, some people seem to have a natural gift for chess and, as we are seeing today, many kids display this talent very early because they, as the article stated, have early experiences, opportunities, habits, training and practice that simply were not available to previous generations.  Also, we all know that for many, no amount of practice seems to result in improved play. That does not stop us from trying though.
      In this book, Krogius begins by looking at chess psychology gleaned from writings of Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Reti, Torre and Botvinnik. Then he discusses chess images, intuition, attention, time trouble, tournament tactics, knowing yourself and your opponent, emotions and mistakes.
       In the forward Boris Spassky notes that Krogius has not followed the traditional method which consists of concrete analysis of positions but has tried to shed light on chess from the point of human psychology.  Spassky adds, “It is difficult to overestimate the significance of psychology in chess, for it is not only knowledge, but also character, attention, will and, on occasion, the player’s mood which determines the outcome.”

 

Understanding Chess. My System, My Games, My Life by William Lombardy

You have to buy this book direct from  Lombardy who will autograph it  and it can be purchased HERE.

From Lombardy’s website:

      "Understanding Chess is William Lombardy’s sixth book to date, aside from his collaborations in many books and periodicals. This ambitious project consists of an exposé of Lombardy’s most important games viewed through the prism of his system for learning. The first section of the book introduces the author’s background, how he came to learn chess, and how he came to formulate his theory of learning applied to chess, ultimately becoming one of the top players of his day. In this part the reader will find an articulated approach on how to learn the game in a well-rounded manner for those with long-term aspirations.
      The remainder of the book consists of the “Games” section, where the author highlights the underlying presence of his system. Many of the games are also complimented by the appendix section that often provides background information while supplementing the various motifs the author seeks to explore. Furthermore, the 119 newly annotated games (including several unpublished games and 37 appendix games), along with the 46 photographs, are embellished by anecdotes and observations drawn from Lombardy’s remarkable career, spanning almost sixty years from the early 1950’s to the present. Thus, aside from its main didactic endeavor, the book has a strong autobiographical undertone."

It is a paperback, 312 pages with 119 of his games, starting with one against Jack Collins in 1953 and ending with a 156-mover against Deep Shredder in 2009. The annotations have a huge amount of text in them.

Sample Game for Download

 

      Among his opponents are US chess greats from the past as well as international stars: Dr. Eliot Hearst, Anthony Santasiere, George Kramer, and Dr. Max Pavey, Hector Rossetto, Samuel Reshevsky, Tahl, Botvinnik, Olafsson, Spassky, Portisch, etc. Strangely, no game against Fischer though.

      This looks like a pretty interesting book that I would like to own and it’s gotten great reviews, but I hesitate purchasing it because of its hefty price tag of $54 plus a $6 fondling charge.