My coach does not like Jeremy Silman...

A good chess book is one your willing to read. I find Silmans books very interesting and I am sure he is a much stronger player then your coach who is only a candidate master LOl. he is an IM. I have learned a lot from reading silman's books.

I would rather say you should dump your coach, been wasted money anyway. You only need a coach if you talented and can make a title. But thats only my opinion

I hate to say this, but he hasn't been active in many years so he 'was' an IM is more appropriate. Yes, it's a title...but it's like referring to President Bill Clinton. He WAS President...isn't any more...has no 'power' anymore.

If you took his IM title (and this applies to anyone who has not played in ages...so don't get me wrong) and he had to try to get it again...it might take a while if it would even be possible. Peoples 'abilities' decline with age.  I know...

The best teachers are not always the strongest players.  Silman has written some good books. What does it matter if he has been inactive, im sure he still keeps up with theory.  

While abilities decline it is only really apparent over the board ie harder to remember lines, becoming tired and making mistakes etc. Old people still know how to play, its just the mind slows a bit.  He still has all the knowledge

The first two sentences had me agreeing...then you stepped off a cliff.

And let me say that 'knowledge' alone doesn't make you a really good player, 'ability' does. Ability declines without use.

 Consider computers from not very long ago...2400 level because they had the ability to do ONE thing really well: calculate. Positionally they were about 1800 level at best, but made up for that in the ability to calculate (which in good part means, not making many mistakes that lose material).

For anyone who thinks I'm bashing...I have...about all Silmans books. Perfectly good to very good!  I think he would admit that he does not keep up with theory as a PRACTICING IM would...no more than I do probably - if that as I am still active OTB.

I guess I'm a  bit of an Existentialist at heart and believe that 'you are what you are'...not what you 'were' at one time.

Honestly, Silman is great 👍 man. Don't worry about your coach, you can't like everyone... your coach is an inspiring master, may be silman beat him at chess in the pass or may be he envys silman we don't know for sure ask him and tell him "if you have a problem with that well too bad" 

potato

It is a useful book.  You are not supposed to reflect too much on how the problems were validated or rated.  They were originally collated to be used by children, and they wouldn't even think to ask questions like yours.  You are supposed to Just solve the problems and allow your subconscious mind to learn what it needs to from them.

It might be that it is not a useful book for you. No problem. There are plenty of other books of tactical problems, as well as training programs on your PC or smartphone  and on-line.

Solskytz will like this puzzle.

The puzzle appears on "Ruy Lopez move by Move".

Doubling on the a-file is correct, and I think any way of doubling rooks is OK.

The position is an actual draw tho, a hard one to hold, but a draw.

 @Optimissed, a5 by black loses because it vacates the b4 square for the White king.

I would get rid of your coach.

Jeremy Silman is, in my view, one of the best chess instructional writers around.

Sounds like your coach thinks along the lines of magicians/illusionists who do not like admitting anyone into the Magic Circle.

Has there been a DragonSavage post in this thread since October of 2015?

I believe the way he is teaching you is different to the way silman's books are teaching you,he does not want you to get confused.

Typical american ready made packed food.

Even if someone doesn't like Silman's approach to teaching middlegame strategy, they should admit his endgame course is one of the very best books for low to mid-level tournament players. Most endgame books are too easy or too difficult, his is the perfect bridge between the easy and the professional level. I sure as heck couldn't have made my way through Dvoretsky without it. 

And on a personal note his books really helped my improvement a lot. Do I still consider the imbalances when I look at the board? Nope, not consciously. However before the internet age, his books were the key that allowed me to vastly improve and I learned a huge number of patterns following his system. I got much better at maximizing my pieces and restricting my opponents to say the least.

You're coach sounds like he's offended.

Or maybe he only wants you to buy books he's already famiar with?

I dare say, by the time you're done reading Silman's books you won't need the coach.

Maybe THAT'S what he really doesn't like.

I have to back this assessment. I would guess that 90% of people that are looking to improve their chess won't need more, nor could make use of, more than what Silman offers. If Silman isn't enough for you, then you don't have to worry about which book is best...you would easily be +2000.

Agreed completely.

If your coach 'does not like' Silman he has 'issues'.

Silman does teach to the lowest common denominator, but that means he is perfectly fine for anyone under 2200 to gain from.