member Sulpolitix asked: As a beginning chess player, I would like to know the next thing I should learn after I learn how the pieces move. Dear Sulpolitix: I will deal with this from the perspective of a chess teacher, and what inform...
member Dannyhume asked: Why should I bother reading anything written by someone other than a top-10 or candidate super-GM from the last 5 years? If there is a reason, then why can’t that reasoning apply to reading the works of a lower master/expe...
Here are several “nuggets” that might be gold or might be rabbit pellets. You decide. member AnlamK asked: In your books THE AMATEUR’S MIND and HOW TO REASSESS YOUR CHESS 4th edition, you write about the importance of ignoring the opponents’ (ph...
A word to the readers of my column: Some chess fans get upset at certain articles and demand more instruction. They fail to understand that I’m not writing an instructive column, I’m writing a column that answers people’s specific questions. This ...
member Jemptymethod said: Here’s the thing Silman. This is the second week in a row where you’ve denigrated masters. But OMG when I dispute an IM’s opinion about an opening variation, I’ve committed the unforgivable sin, I need to learn to be hum...
DT asked: I would like to know what you think differentiates an EXPERT, MASTER, FIDEMASTER, INTERNATIONAL MASTER, and GRANDMASTER. Besides the obvious rating points. How would you describe deep thinking in chess? And last, I’ve seen a lot of tale...
member Zuud08 asked: What should a developing player try to obtain from: a) His games / tournament experience b) A book c) A coach d) Private training (tactics etc) Dear Zuud08: I get so many questions asking about improvement methods and ...
member Adam Katz asked: Do you know of any works of fiction that mention or give pride-of-place to chess? The older the better. I am a sucker for the 19th century, but, though I can find plenty enough in the 20th century (Eliot’s THE WASTELAND ha...
LionHeart319 asked: I’ve been spending hours and hours of study to improve my game, I mean I’m kinda obsessed with the game. But recently (after reading a couple of books, improving my tactics, and solving a lot of chess puzzles), I seem to lack ...
Member miguelnalexandre asked: What do think about correspondence chess and what do you recommend on openings, study plan, books... in sum, everything that you might feel is useful. Are unorthodox openings ok for CC? Once, someone very known in ...
Chess_Enigma asked: You and other authors recommend creating an opening repertoire according to likes, dislikes, study time, etc. You lay down some basic examples like 1.e4 and Sicilian defenses are for tactical games and demand more study time a...
Capltal asked: My rating is 1130. For Black, I’m interested in both 1.c4 e5 and 1.e4 e5! However, both have many variations so I bought two books: THE MARSHALL ATTACK by Bogdan Lalic and THE PETROFF DEFENSE by Forintos and Haag. Is it a good ide...
Anpu3 asked: I would like to broach another aspect of “the psychology of chess” that always seems forgotten. While the focus of your “psychology” post is on the internal mental struggle, I always wonder about the more visceral expressions in OTB ...
From LondonSystem89: You mentioned your new book contains a section on chess psychology. I’m wondering if the material is different than the chess psychology information in your previous works: THE AMATEUR’S MIND and THE COMPLETE BOOK OF CHESS STR...
Countless chess “fans” say: “Please talk about chess moves and only chess moves!” Dear “chess moves and only chess moves” fans: Ever since I first put chess pen to chess paper, I have run into people that scream to the heavens when anything ...
jlueke asked: I suffer mostly from missed tactics, more often my opponents' than my own. I do study tactics 30 to 60 minutes a day, slowly, and I can solve the easier ones but slowly. What I want to ask about is a related issue I have at the boar...
Eric asked: You once mentioned that when you were in Budapest, you asked to see Fischer. If you got that opportunity, what would you have said to him? Dear Eric: I’ve found in my life that, when it comes to big meetings, it’s very important to ...
Jahnknight asked: Could you tell me your honest evaluation of the Colle system as a whole. Is it effective at the sub 2000 level? Dear Jahnknight: First, let’s clarify the difference between the Colle and the Colle - Zukertort: Colle - Zukert...
Ridley asked: I fairly recently invented the following line for Black against the English opening 1.c4. I have tested this extensively through computer analysis and with help of some friends and it seems to be a very good option for Black. Black...
Glen asked: I have an old chess book titled Chess Traps, Pitfalls & Swindles by I.A. Horowitz and Fred Reinfeld published in 1954. In the first pages of the book they use notations like N-N3 and B-N5 etc. There is no explanation in the book ...
NN (sorry, I misplaced his name!) asked: You describe the 1931 Mitchel - Nimzowitsch game, illustrated at Diagram 138 on page 217 of the Third Edition, as one of your favorite positions. You mention that the “greedy” variation 10.Bxa7 is to be av...
Ed Asked: I enjoy chess and would like to progress. I am a smart fellow and play intuitive chess. It serves me well. However, when I run into someone with training, it is apparent. What should I do? Dear Ed: What is “intuitive chess?” There’s ...
Even before my 3 part series on How to Study Master Games, I had gotten various letters asking about the ultimate value of non-master games. Also, many people have asked me how to improve their attacking skills. I addressed the “do non-master game...
The cover of my new book, How to Reassess Your Chess 4th Edition, contains a secret that might take the skills of a Sherlock Holmes to unearth. The first that notices this anomaly and sends the correct answer to David Pruess (at dpruessatchess.com...
