IM Jeremy Silman Joins Chess.com Columnists

Submitted by IM dpruess on Wed, 05/20/2009 at 3:20pm.

Chess.com is sorry to see IM Andrew Martin move on. His "Your Questions Answered" columns have been extremely good and well-appreciated here. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors. We are lucky to welcome another excellent columnist to take his place.

International Master Jeremy Silman is a chess professional who has won the American Open, the National Open, and the U.S. Open; only a few other players have ever won all three of these prestigious events. Though highly respected as a player, Mr. Silman is better known as a world-class lecturer, teacher, and writer. The author of over thirty-seven chess books and one book on the psychology of gambling (ZEN AND THE ART OF CASINO GAMING), his work has been published by such houses as Maxwell/Macmillan, Cadogan, and Microsoft Press, with several books having been translated into German, Italian and French. His chess articles, over a hundred, have appeared in English, Dutch, German, and American magazines.

Jeremy began to write fiction in 1994. His first screenplay, THE CHESS PLAYERS, was optioned by LMK Productions, Inc. at the end of that year.

In 2001, Mr. Silman was hired as the chess consultant for the motion picture, HARRY POTTER and the SORCERER’S STONE. In 2002, he became the chess consultant for the HBO series, ARLISS. In 2003, Jeremy was called in to design multiple chess scenes for an episode of MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, and more recently he designed several chess scenes for an episode of MONK.

Jeremy has already contributed to chess.com some really great chess mentor courses (more than a dozen!), which I personally have been studying and enjoying. For example, check out:

http://www.chess.com/chessmentor/view_course.html?id=302

and http://www.chess.com/chessmentor/view_course.html?id=22

According to my recollections, during my first couple years of tournament chess, Jeremy was maintaining a really great column in Chess Life called "The Amateur's Mind." I think that the title itself highlights one of Jeremy's great strengths as a teacher: really thinking about what class players' thought processes are like. Hopefully, chess.com members can now benefit from this through his column. Send your questions for Jeremy to AskJeremy@chess.com .

As I like to do in these introductions, here is a selection of some of his great games. I have picked a few games, which show off the logical, deep positional understanding, which I think is fundamental to his play:

Jeremy is kind enough to provide us notes to this first game, a very thorough positional demonstration:

 

 

 

 

The following game starts off with strategical outplaying, but also includes an instructive and delicate rook endgame:

 



A win over the Canadian Champion (and GM):



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Comments:

by Benjamin72 - 6 months ago
California United States
Member Since: Feb 2009
Member Points: 60

Wow,I just bought his new book on the endgame:Complete endgame course. It's awesome! Can't wait to see his columns!

by intltax57 - 6 months ago
Stamford, CT United States
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 424

Great to have Silman aboard. I will echo one other comment, I think the endgame book of his is magnificent!

by StarJock - 6 months ago
Phoenix, Arizona United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 197

Great news! I have also read several of Jeremy's books and he has a very clear style of explaining things for patzers like me. I also met him a couple times when he attended some scholastic tournaments here in Phoenix. His comments were a riot as he watched a remote video feed of elementary grade students who were playing in another room. He made amusing observations on the body language, facial expressions and wiggling/jiggling of 8 or 9 year olds, and then predicted, with pretty good accuracy, what their next move would be.

by hazeleyes - 6 months ago
atlanta georgia United States
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 209

The more I struggle through his books and dealing with the tactics here the more I find my Live rating growing.Not to mention my O.T.B. rating going up.Anyone who takes the time to work through his books will improve.best books so far by him(Reasses your chess workbook+The Amatur's Mind)I may be a little biast but after 500 U.S.C.F. points growth I deserve to be.

I would highly reccomend his books to those who have reached the point where they dont hang pieces as much and struggle as to where to go next.I do with all the kids at the local liberary here that wonder how I suddenly got stronger.

by bigfundu - 6 months ago
Chennai India
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 381

Wow! This is great news .. I have been an avid reader of Mr.Silman's books. His arrival at chess.com is a win-win for both the world-class author, this wonderful site and of course, to us readers.

by aansel - 6 months ago
Long Island United States
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 663

I think this is a great addition to the ever growing chess.com community of skilled writers/title players. Jeremy is a great instructor, writer and a very interesting person--always has been one of my favorites.

by jpd303 - 6 months ago
west virginia United States
Member Since: Feb 2009
Member Points: 1507

i dont mean to be obnoxious but i want to express my excitement

jeremy silman is coming to chess.com!!!!!!

when someone asks what books are good for general overall improvement i reccomend Silman's "Reasses you Chess." i put that book in my all time need to read list along with Rubin Fine's opening and endgame manuals, and NImzowitsch's MY SYSTEM .  this is really cool Cool

by schackspieler - 6 months ago
United States
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 28

I welcome IM Jeremy Silman  to chess.com. I have a number of his works, and rely heavily on his book reviews when deciding what to add to my library.

by shootfilm - 6 months ago
Atlanta, Chicago, New York City United States
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 302

I too am excited to hear that Silman has joined the team.  I have recommended his books to many.

by slack - 6 months ago
Nebraska United States
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 1109

Great chess player and writer. His books have helped me alot. Looking forward to future columns!

by oinquarki - 6 months ago
The Finest City In The United States
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 3787

This is awesome! Welcome to chess.com Jeremy Silman!

I am reading Silman's Complete Engame Course right now, and also saw that Monk episode with the crazy chess guy.

by athalurijagadish - 6 months ago
hyderabad India
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 64

i    am too eager to read Mr Silmans columns.i am new to this sight.but known about him .great job chess.com to have such a multi talanted personality .we will all benifit,i have no doubts. 

by IM dpruess - 6 months ago
California United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 535

i would have said if i knew...

by Ian_Sinclair - 6 months ago
Taree Australia
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 2087

Where is Andrew going? Why has he left? I was enjoying reading his answers and questions section. I am very glad we got another great master and mentor to compinsate though. Glad ur aboard IM Silman!

by IM dpruess - 6 months ago
California United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 535

it speaks volumes how many people have posted positive comments about his books in just a couple hours. this is going to be good! :-)

by EnterTheDragon - 6 months ago
St. Stephen, NB Canada
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 87

I'm in the middle of Amateur's Mind and it's turning out to be the best chess book I have ever read!

by Eternal_Patzer - 6 months ago
United States
Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 306

Fantastic news!   Simply one the the very best chess writers and teachers on the planet.  Period.

Silman's Complete Endgame Course is perhaps not as well known as Reassess Your Chess -- but what a gem!   If you can only afford one endgame book, get this one.

by TheIronDuke - 6 months ago
Oceanside, CA United States
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 41

Definately nice to have Silman here, how to reassess your chess and his complete endgame guide have helped me grow as a player.

by CPawn - 6 months ago
Sacramento, California United States
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 773

Welcome to chess.com Mr. Silman.  A valuable addition to a great site!

by Politicalmusic - 6 months ago
Alabama United States
Member Since: Feb 2009
Member Points: 2458

I'm sad to see Andrew go... but we've gained another Jewel and Legend!  Who doesn't know Silman?!  Welcome!

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