I bought this book yesterday, it's written by IM Jeremy Silman. I've heard of this book before and was told that it was very helpful. I'm just starting it and working on the endgame chapter. But I was just curious, how many of you have read this book and have you had any good/bad results from it? Would you recommend it to a friend? What level of player would most benefit from this book?   Thanks.

EXCELENT BOOK GOOD results.

its a great book that explains what you need to know about every aspect of chess and it also recommend what to read further on to improve. its my bible:)

Its very very good in that it is one of those rare books that bridges the knowledge gap between tactics and strategy.  It allows for a better process of evaluating a position while over the board. 

There is a good reason why so many people have this book in their recomended lists.  For myself, after reading this book I found that I understood my other chess books a bit better as well.  Some concepts just "clicked" to me better afterwards.

Hmmm...

I will have to deviate from the others.

Not that it isn't a good book, but if you've been playing even a little while I feel that the Reassess Your Chess Workbook is probably a better fit.

It is a collection of (140?) positions that you have to solve.  They cover every phase of the game so it's very helpful. 

I think this book is better because it gets right to the heart of the matter.  Silman has written an endgame book that makes the beginning portion of HTRYC a bit unnecessary now.  The endgame book rocks by the way.

Overall it is an excellent book and I'd say about 2/3 of improving adult chess players have a copy, I just believe that the workbook is better.

The workbook is much better.

It goes over the basics of reassess your chess at the beginning, which are generally enough, and then gets right to the all important exercises.

Both books are pretty much useless for anyone under 1750-1800 OTB anyway.

I have both Silman's Complete Endgame Course and Reassess Your Chess and I have to say I've spent much more time with the endgame book -- I'll get to Reassess Your Chess, I've just found the endgame book to be outstanding, and a much easier read in comparison and so have focused my attention on it first.

Yea the endgame book is pretty much the best thing ever. You can throw away Dvoretsky's endgame brick and Mueller's book too, this one is all you'll ever need.

Plus, if you're really serious, a little supplimental material on K+Q vs K+R and K+B+N vs K (among a couple of other rare positions, I'm sure) which aren't covered due to their difficulty and infrequency in actual play.

I have HRYC and HRYC workbook and feel they have some overlap (welcome repetition via different examples) and differences, so consider both worth the purchase. To complete the trilogy, Silman's "The Amateur's Mind" greatly augments the other two books.

And, yes, I will get in line to applaud Silman's endgame book.

Thanks for the input, I am satisfied so far with the purchase. I've learned a few things already and I've only read one chapter. A few things are kind of over my head, but overall I am pretty happy with the book. It's too soon to see any read results but I would recommend it to anyone serious in trying to improve.

I have read the amateur's mind by Jeremy Silman and it greatly boosted my play, bringing my rating up 200 uscf rating points from 1330 to 1584 after just reading it once. I assume how to Reassess Your Chess will similarly be an outstanding book although i have heard that it's better to read the amateurs mind first to prepare you for the material inside.

Just an FYI, but I heard that Silman is going to release the fourth (and probably last) edition of HTRYC.  Supposed to be out early next year (2009) I think.

Good book, read it several times.  I say it is best for USCF 1400+ players. 

I should add on from Dan Heisman's excellent site on chess book recommendations (http://home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/General_Book_Guide.htm):

"My recommended order (though all stand alone):

1) Read Reassess Your Chess through page 52. Then put it away! 
2) Read all of The Amateur's Mind. 
3) Read the rest of How to Reassess Your Chess. 
4) Read The Workbook. 
And yes, you have to start people out with tactics and the basic mates else they will get shredded instantly.”

- IM Jeremy Silman in an e-mail to Dan, 11/16/2001.

Great to read about a new edition!!

great book it explain what you have read? hahahhahahaha