Brief Review: How I Beat Fischer's Record Judith Polgar Teaches Chess Volume 1

How I Beat Fischer's Record

Judith Polgar Teaches Chess Volume 1

Judith Polgar continues her remarkable chess career with a unique volume that combines superb biographical narrative with outstanding learning material.  Beginning in early childhood, the author integrates the life experiences, impressions, and learnings of an aspiring grandmaster with examples from her games. Indeed,  the format of the book is as original and creative as the author's chess.  Readers will thoroughly enjoy both aspects. Ms. Polgar has generously given us glimpses of her family and home life and the support system that enabled her success.  We are treated to many photos with scenes of practice, study, and fun. The chess material begins with the chapter "Tricks" and becomes more complex  as the book progresses (though this reader found the first several chapters complex enough.) The game examples/chapters focus on specific areas i.e. Trapping The Queen, Improving Piece Placement, Zwischenzug, etc., and are all the time set and explained in the context of Ms. Polgar's life circumstances and ascendency through the years into the highest ranks of elite chess.  In this the reader finds two parallel growth paths: Judith Polgar the girl and young woman, and Judith Polgar the becoming grandmaster.  The final chapter includes splendid annotations from the tournament in which Ms. Polgar earned the grandmaster title.  How I Beat Fischer's Record is a consistently wonderful book that readers will return to time and again for both the chess materials and for insight into the life of this leading professional chess player and significant historical chess figure. Highest Recommendation.