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This is probably the best book out there for players who are at the point where they don't drop pieces anymore, they get the basics of openings and strategy, and they know their tactics pretty well, but they can't get beyond that. What this book does best is unlock the secrets of each individual chess piece and the underlying pawn structure. It teaches you to evaluate a position and then find the best plan going forward.

If you haven't read this book, and you aren't already rated 1600 or above, GET THIS BOOK! 

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I completely agree. This is an amazing book, helped out my game. I think it's an excellent book even for those people who are stuck at A and are trying to get over the 2000 mark.

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I don't want to start off on this forum on a negative note, but I have to give my honest opinion and so I must admit that I found this book to be one of the least helpful that I have bought.

The 'imbalances' the Silman describes are just the advantages and disadvantages in the position and I find the thinking technique to be rather wooly.  The descriptions of chess elements e.g. knight v bishop, weak pawns etc. have been elaborated more effectively, in my opinion, by other authors.

The redeeming feature of the book for me is the large number of helpful exercises with detailed explanations.

Personally I prefer Modern Chess Strategy by Pachman.

After I finish "Play Winning Chess" and the "Tactics","Strategy" volumes of the same series I plan on buying "Reassess Your Chess".

cooool

I found this book to be useful in a number of ways, and it has helped me to improve my game.  The book may not be for everyone, but then again, what Chess book is all things to all people?  Mr. Silman gives the club player as well as the tourney player some useful methods for disecting and assessing games, as well as play style.

The average player will find this book very useful, higher rated players may find it is merely review, but good information none-the-less.  The exercises are good practice and include excellent, detailed discussion about each one.

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This book was not as good as i had expected at all.

 halo siapa yang bisa bahasa indonesia, tolong deh saya kirimkan buku catur(chess) yang madein luar ke alamt ,kampus lipi, ppet jalan sangkuriang bandung . sorry pakai bahasa indonesia bahasa english saya jelek tangkyou.nuhun ,and terimakasih.

Iyan

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This book is for the player who has gone past the basics of the game and has competed in tournaments, but has trouble with certain strategic concepts. It is more for the player who is a USCF Class C player or stronger. The book especially addresses the concept of imbalances as it relates to various middlegame themes. I find this book to be much more clearly written than My System by Aaron Nimzowitsch.

Great book   i really improved my game after reading this book!

I ordered the book already at Amazon before reading this, and I am really looking forward to its arrival!

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Excellent results with students - IF - they take the time to summarize this wonderfully insightful book into their own words, extracting all the major points, and putting them into their own words.

Chess coach for over 35 years now - always looking for more efficient techniques to help students.

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I want this book!

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Insightful – especially if you looking for more than usual beginner level books.

Here is a link for a lengthy review from amazon.com.  This review is very insightful and well thought out and from what I remember of the book, I had the book 10+ years ago and do not own it anymore, this is an accurate appraisal.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R36VGB1BDDN3KJ/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ASIN=1890085006#wasThisHelpful

Thank you Mr. Seuss68(Tim) for your info(url address). Give me a new sight about this book and others book.

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definately the best $17.50 i have ever spent on anything!

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GOOD

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I loved it

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The best middle game you can buy. Period.

its an indespensible companion

3 years ago I was at a standstill with my game and couldn't win a game, after just reading the book my game highly improved a month later, also this book is what I believe to be the bible of chess middlegame cause every time you read and study the whole book you'll learn more since the last time read/studied the whole book. Also my room mate at that time was just starting in chess, he read and studied the book after it sank in long time players had a hard time playing him, and today I can't even beat him.

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Great Book.  This book is exactly what I was looking for.  I needed help on evaluating and figuring out what to do next.  I am half way through the book and will no doubt finish it.  It will be the first chess book that I have read (studied) from cover to cover. 

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This book was great!  I use the fantasy postioning several times in tournaments, and it has helped me become a better player.  I didn't see it take effect on my rating immediately, but over time, it has improved my rating by so much that I am reading it a second time!  The evaluation of imbalances makes the position easier to understand, and building your plan on the imbalances actually works!  I now have the Reassess Your Chess Workbook, and that's also doing wonders.

ordered it from Amazon today so looking forward to it!!

As far as I am concerned this is a must have for any player wanting to improve their game. I go back to it again and again. It is well written and easy to understand. Every time I pick it up I absorb a new technique. If you only can get one book this should be the one.

He also has a newer book called the "How to reassess your chess: a workbook. I just ordered the original.I enjoyed Serawan's books (by Everyman's chess) and Jeremy Silman is like a co-author of those books. I definitely need to study much more.

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I think it's cool!

great book ?

the book is good

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I spent 4 hours at Barnes and Noble last week, sitting in a confortable chair, reading chess books. I already possess 2 chess books about two kinds of opening i like, one for white, one for black. They are great but I still needed to find a great chess book that is interesting, exciting, well written, and that really makes you feel that you are improving your skills while you read. 'Reassess your chess' is definitely the best book I've been reading that day. By the way guys, don't bother buying the de la Maza 'rapid chess improvement' book. He's just telling you that you're gonna have to practice tactics if you want to be better, that's it. In this book, Silman gives us all the subtleties we need to know in order to have an accurate vision of the game and its evolution. I found it in good condition for 8 bucks on Amazon. I hope i'll find it in my mail box tomorrow!

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I only discovered this book recently. Fantastic book, I will probably read it several times and keep referring to it later. The explanations are so rich and complete and it really teaches the formulation of a plan based on the position on the board. This is rare! Other chess book usually show moves without any reason.

Love it!

you people only ever say 2 things about this book

one that it is a great book filled with great stuff

and two that this is not a good book because it is flawed

anyone want to tell me the truth about this book before i go off and buy it?

My Mom bought me this book around 5 years ago. I went through it back then and it totally improved my playing. I've just pulled it out of a box and will go through it again. This time I'm sure to find deeper wisdom within the pages. If you're an average or intermediate player and want a straight forward boost to your playing ability, buy this book! Although some of the concepts may be a bit challenging (they were for me), it is so well written that it is possible to absorb the data efficiently.

How can i buy this book then? I only learn chess for one year ( just watch and play) i am not sure if i am already at intermediate level, perhaps still beginner, is it suitable for me to use?

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A must have book.

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my dad told me about this book iread the book and beating my dad at chess most of the time now

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 .,,,.,,.zz@ZZ99ZZ@zzz

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I love it.

Great book.... Can i download it freely ... pls help me  @ luqhman25@gmail.com

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[COMMENT DELETED]

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Attenion!

The Picture of this Book is from the 4th Edition, but all the comments obove are about the 3th ( or even the 2th ? ) Edition of this book. There is no " thinking technique" or Endgame-chapter in this book anymore.

The focus of the 4th Edition is still the Middlegame, Positional Evaluation and Strategy. The 3th Edition was already one of the best Middlegamebooks for Class-Players and the Best written the last 30 Years. But there where some minor-points of weaknesses in the 3th Ed: the examples where not tested by computer ( now they are ) , at the time of the old editions the computers where not that good, sometimes things seems to do not fit to the chapters... The "imbalances" are just an other word for "Positional Evaluation" but with a slightly change in focus. The focus is now on the "positional differences in the positon" of black and white because only these "positional differences in the positon" (simply called shorter: imballance) can give a hint for a strategy.

I am not finished with the 4th Ed., but it fist impression is excellent. As an owner of a few thousand books, i see immediately, that this book is made with love. Layout, Typesetting, Typography,.. nice book. Weeell, i am afraid the paperback will not survive that long.. But for less then 2 cents for each page, a good bargain. Its easy to read ( so far ) and has many Tests. Almost 200 Pages are for the "Answers to Tests".

 

 

So this book should be called how to reassess your middle game not your CHESS

@seuss68: Great link and review...

I  would  like  to  add  an argument which  will  sound  provocative;

i  am  doing  it  only  to  make it  out  if  is  really worthing

to buy the  book  or  not  .

This  is  the  fourth  edition ,  it  has  been  completely rewritten and  so  on.

Good ! When something  is  changed logic   suggests  there  was

a  kind  of  defect before and  now ,  hopefully  ,  it has  been erased .

But  from  a  strict logical  point  of  wiew   the   defect could  still

lie  inside  the book  itself ,  so  the  true  question which  arises  is 

wether  the  defect  was  in  the previous  edition  on  in  the  current one.

Is  there  anybody  willingly to  answer?

Some people are worried about a flaw in the book. New editions in literature are not just to fix flaws in previous works but to add depth to already existing material. Just like car companies come up with new designs each year. Nothing is wrong with the previous years design the new one is just improved. I have worked my way  through this book and find it exciting and fresh.The more I learn to accurately notice imbalances the more I find myself creating them rather than just recognizing them once they appear.So if you want to become a more creative chess player capable of creation not just waiting for something good to happen and hoping you recognize it your new guide has arrived. Enjoy.

The newspaper I read, The Guardian has given awarded this the chess book of the year 2011.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/nov/21/ronan-bennett-daniel-king-chess?newsfeed=true

Based upon the reviews, I've just ordered the book and will spend 2012 (I'm a very slow reader) working my way through it. I hope I enjoy the read and perhaps improve my chess a little.