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I bought this book because it is strongly recommended in the media, but I didn't like it. It only say, basically, that you must master tactics in order to be a better player. It then give you a basic plan to get it, based mainly in the repetition of a collection of exercises. Nothing new, isn't it?

 

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I was really excited about this book when I started reading it: "Finally, a book that will give me the answers I have been looking for!" How disappointed I was a couple days later. The entire book is based on the premis that board vision and tactics will make you the best you can be. There is no discussion of opening theory or endgames or even middlegames. It is all tactics and board vision.

 Have we heard anything else from this author since?

Silman says it is a good book.

http://www.jeremysilman.com/book_reviews_jd/jd_rapid_chess_improv.html

 

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Not really. 

I have been told that just about everyting in this book can be found in the columns at www.chesscafe.com

While I would agree with my fellow critics that this book is about tactics and vision. I would also emphasis that this is not a book for all level of players. This book is definite meant for strong immediate and higher players. Not anyone above a rating of 1975 or below 1600. Its meant for players who have opening knowledge and may be weak in middle game play. The author said that if you follow his exercises, you can increase the strength by 200 points. I download an example of the software he recommend and I have to admit if I could just incorporate it into my game. I believe I could improve my game a lot. So I recommend it but it's not for every one!

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There are better books than this.  The book is way over priced for the amount of information in it.  The seven circles is only for someone who can devote many hours a day, and eventually several complete days to doing tactical problems.  If you are expected to work and maintain relationships perhaps you may find the seven cirlcles to be a bit much, I did.  But my problem is not with the material in the book, just the fact that theres not much there and you could probably do just as well searching the internet. 

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Rapid Chess Improvement, practice tactics. There, I saved you some money!

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That knight vison exercises and stuff, jeez louise, talk about taking the fun out of things. There seems to be this idea in the book that RAPID chess improvement is only possible by studying in a boring manner.

I think that this is the sort of book that would suit a very specific person. There would definitely be a, 'Where have you been all my life?' moment for them. For everyone else, look for something that gets you excited, inspired!

Actually, Silman did not say it was a good book:

"When all is said and done, I can’t recommend RAPID CHESS IMPROVEMENT (a book that, in my view, offers a philosophically bankrupt vision of what chess is). It smacks of “the blind leading the blind.” But, as I said earlier, his book might prove useful for some."

The link cited was for Donaldson's review on Silman's website, and that was lukewarm, at best.

Having said that:

if you find value in this book, congratulations on your purchase/acquisition!

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To summarize the book for everyone. He reccommends that you take 1000 tactical problems and practice them through a cycle of seven times. With every cycle it should take you less and less time to do. On your seventh cycle you should be able to do all 1000 problems in one day.

The core of this book (maybe not the differant visualization exercises is contained in these 2 articles:

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles148.pdf

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdf

Also look up the knights errant, a collective of bloggers that follow the teachings of michael de la maza.

The 3 biggest problems I've heard with this book are

• Your chess becomes soulless, and looks like an early computer play due to michael de la mazas suggestion to not have any strategical play at all. 
  
• You certainly can rapidly improve if you follow Michael de la mazas teachings.  However, that involves 3 hours of study a day
• Lots of filler that talks about what he's going to teach without actually teaching you anything.

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I'm sorry to be the sore one guys. But I don't think many of you have read this book or actually done what it describes. The exact comments you are posting are what he says you will say in the book. Not that De La Maza is Christ or anything but their's a reason he wrote the book.

Maybe it isn't for every single person, I agree. But if you actually follow his methods and finish the program you lie if you say it hasn't improved your game. The only really valid comment I have seen from these reviews is that it makes your chess "lifeless". That may very well be true but if you strive for ten years to develop your "artistic" chess and someone else can advance 200 or 300 points in a year and developing such "artistic" vision later on I can't really see the point.

Just as de La Maza said in his book:

When referring to objections with study tactics solely for a period of time:

"I must confess I agree with this objection...When I started studying tactics seriously, blood poured from my forehead. However, you must know that if you refuse to study tactics then, to quote GM Miguel Quinteros, you are 'doomed to remain weak' and are 'well advised to take up something like knitting'.

Not getting down to the nitty gritty of chess *tactics* the other stuff won't make as much sense. Here's my honest opinion, if tactics isn't the better part of your focus until your 2000 you aren't gaining a large advantage. You can't drop pieces and "know" openings. I don't mean to be rude but if your tactics aren't excellent you're gaining minimal knowledge from studying.

Even besides La Maza what about Polgar(s)?

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it helps, but its just basically showing you a few drills instead of teaching anything. silman blasts the book as de la maza says in his book that silman is a bad teacher.

the drills do work to improve your tactical vision, when i did them a month i improved greatly, and a month after a stop them my vision went back down.

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I went through the book and enjoyed some basic concepts. The concept of studying tactics over and over again has really helped my game. While I didn't get the recommended software but bought a few inexpensive puzzles/problem books and they have truely helped. So check out the book from a library but don't buy it. Othewise the other players are right...you can find the basic gist online in articles the author wrote.

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I owned this book once. Notice past tense. Summary of the book practice tactics 25 hours a day till your brain bleeds and then do it some more. That's it tactics, tactics, tactics. Nothing that is not already known and recomended for a century now. My advise save your money, but hey it is your money after all.

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I have the book, but never really worked through it due to time restrictions. Read it one time and was a little disappointed because of all the self-appraisal. I fully agree with de la Maza (and most other chess players), that tactics is the important thing to learn and study for typical adult players like me (rating around 1.700). But the book simply isn´t inspiring. I just bought several boosk of J. Silman and these are really inspiring! I´m sure I know will leaan tactics and still have fun this time. 

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Junk

Absolutely hated this book in every way. It has no real tactics or anything but just download a program and get to work. I think it would be real good for someone that has to really get better before a tournament. But who am I to say since I have never played in that way. Don't waste your money on this one.

Okay, every thing should be taken with a grain of salt. One must not regurgitate or dogmatically follow anything, but emulate information based their own decisions. That being said, De La Maza does make a good point: tactics are vital.

Nimzovich states in My System that he was a combinational player before embarking upon positonal concepts. Silman was the same. In a Chess life article he states that he abhorred being a positional player when he was young. It is also accounted that Steinitz played combinationally before he began positonal warfare. 

With that being said, I recommend first gaining a positional understanding, maybe from that of ChessMaster or even My System ( I include endgame in positonal understanding, they're really close anyways...ChessMaster has a good beginner's program and Silman has a good read). Then study tactics. Then go back to position. Then back to tactics. You get the idea...again, this is like if you do not have the funds for a coach.

Sure, you may not reach master. But if you can improve within a relatively short time, then you will. But take in mind, if you want to have a life outside of chess, improvement eill come eventually if you are dedicated. It may take a few years, but then ask yourself why are you playing chess: " For the love of sculpting a piece of art"..."To have fun with friends or meet new people"..."Or to gain a title like Master because it sounds cool or will make you feel Superior"

Any hoot, this is my third year of the game while attending post secondary school. This is also my first and hopefully last chess post, so just wanted to share my thoughts :).

I played a guy who gives a testimonial in the book, about how it helped him.  In our game, on move 12 I think it was, went into a deep think...some 45 minutes of a G/90 game.  He finally slammed down a rook, smiled, apparently not realizing that he had put it en prise. 

Admittedly this book has become a project after two online articles that the author published on the ChessCafe website. He is proposing a system that he has used to improve his rating from around 1300 USCF to 2041 USCF in two years, ending this remarkable improvement by winning the under 2000 US Open in 2001. This is quite an impressive proof that his system must work. He might have studied chess 5 hrs a day to get there, but nevertheless he got there. His rating stayed the same ever since. (?)

He discusses that he found his biggest (only?) problem the tactical weakness and he is using computer analysis to point out that "Big Squiggly Lines" result in sudden and catastrophic losses at his level. How can you improve these tactical mistakes?

He suggests "Chess Vision Drills", "Seven Circles" (of CT-ART 3. assisted accelerated tactical training), his "Thinking Method", shows rating adjusted tactical puzzles, then presents some success stories.

He deserves credit for trying to find out the reason for his own his problems and that he created a system that seemed to correct these/his problems. What is missing that he does not discuss his opening preparation (if there was any), his positional wisdom or philosophy, his endgame skills, he does not show his own games (with the exception of a few) and it feels that he is not telling the whole story. You can not be brilliant tactician if you fall into opening traps, have no clue how to come up with a plan in a closed game or how to survive an endgame. Perhaps this is the reason that this type of improvement owes a lot to luck, hapless opponents and promises no further progress when you run into someone who learned to play chess with a more holistic approach. So, the magic runs out and we will just have to wait for yet another promising book. Please, where is another promising book???

 

from were can i buy this book ?

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I've read the book like a hundred times and every comment does not tell the whole truth about the book. I personally dont like people who just say a book is bad saying they are selling snake oil. I think the only way to argue about this book is face to face in a conversation because you cant tell if they are lieing. de la Maza says study tactics but only tactics in your rating. it doesnt matter how many thousand or 100 do it! i highly recommend his seven circles system as well as his chess visions(not as hard or boring as they say).

its seems to me that his (de la Maza)book is to make you blunder proof which Silman also says to do in his book but only when its your move and doesnt quite (silman)know what it feels like dropping pieces(me). if you want master positional pull go silman, if you want master tactical pull go de la Maza.

i personally have read silmans book like a bible as well but i havent got any position from his book and there is probably an unbelieve amount. the only thing that i have used and havent lost with is bishops v.knights and even when i had two bishops two extra pawns and an hour on my clock i still dropped my bishop and lost(before de la Maza). take the best of both worlds.

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I think the author of Rapid Chess Improvement is speaking directly to a specific audience:

An adult who has been playing for some time, who is stuck in the 1200-1400 range, even after studying Silman and others.  

It is not directed towards the young, but to an adult who is stuck.  He asks how many people had a ratings increase after reading How to Reassess Your Chess...even though many feel that they have a better positional understanding. 

His course of study  is also time specific and after the rapid improvement due to tactics, then comes the positional play.  His argument:  how can you learn positional play when you never get there, dropping a piece before the battle gets to the place of positional chess? 

It reminds me of Ken Smith's Chess Digest course of tactics, tactics, tactics. 

I am attempting Rapid Chess Improvement, but do not have a PC (Macbook Pro) so I am seeking to find a similar program for Mac, or will work tactics through books and see if I can do the seven circles.