Anyone ever heard of this book? Not sure where I got it from. I just found it a while back under a bunch of junk in a box.

It starts out with something called Chess Vision Skills where you do exercises like putting the black king and a black rook on the board, move the rook around the king and, using the white queen, look for squares where you can fork or skewer.

The author talks about learning these principles with just a few pieces to eliminate the distractions and complictions that come with so many pieces on the board.

Anyway, it's an interesting idea and I was wondering if anyone else had ever heard of this book.

What year was it published?  Before computers?

I am not familiar with this book, but I have heard of another other exercise where you have two or three pieces on the board behind you.  You call out where the pieces should go and your friend moves them around the board.  It is supposed to help you with understanding how the pieces can work together. Personally, I end up playing golf or drinking with my friends.  Improving my chess is very low on their to do list.

It was publised in 2002. 

It looks almost like a sel-published job; cheap cover, copied illustrations.

It caught my attention for 2 reasons;

1) It had the word 'rapid' in the title.

2) I liked the authors idea of simplifying the playing field to address basic idea.

Yeah, if I were to choose between drinking beer and improving at chess, my chessboard would be a lonely little soul.

Gee, I think I found it on Amazon. They have an entry for 

"Rapid Chess Improvement: A Study Plan for Adult Players by La Maza, Michael de (2002) Paperback"

Unfortunately there is no description or review, so one can't tell if it is the one you refer to.  However, anyone who is interested could order it and check it out.  Sounds like a real, genuine bargain for only $395.99 (not including shipping).  Better hurry and order it before they run out!!

Yeah, that's the one. Except not that edition. Mine is just the 'Rapid Chess Improvement' that is selling for $19.00.

I did this first exercise this morning (The one I described above). It is interesting; after the first time through, I started seeing skewers and forks I didn't the first time.

There might be something to this.

There are some reviews on goodread.  How many pages you read kleelof?

I read the introduction and the first exercise. 

The book is meant to be followed in order, so I stopped at the first exercise which takes 14 days. When (if) I finish, I will read the next part.

I bought that book a few years ago.  Its garbage, and offers nothing new.  Actually if you have no job, arent going to school, not married, and dont have a family, and want to get by on tactics alone, its a good book.

HOw closely did you follow it?

The author says it made him a lot stronger. All we know is his rating increased a lot (how underrated, if at all, he was before he began is what we don't know).

Also some make an interesting case for his having cheated in those games he won, which is interesting.

In any case, his "revolutionary advice" is as old as chess coaches... and that is solving tactics and putting in lots of work will make you a better player.

Anyway, here's one chess.com member who tried it out and reports his results:

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/outcome-of-de-la-mazas-seven-circles-program

Considering i work, have hobbies, daughters, church, I didnt put anywhere as much time as he says you should.  I would die of boredom following his plan.  In a nutshell, he promotes tactics only.

Well sure. But don't most chess authors only focus on one or 2 major aspects of chess? 

I found this article by Dan Heisman: http://www.chess.com/article/view/the-michael-de-la-maza-story

In it, de la Maza tells Heisman that he knows his technique is exhausted once you reach a certain level of play and that to go further, he would have to invest time in non-tactics based material. So he decided to quit playing.

Nothing wrong wth that, but his method is based on doing nothing else in life.

The book often creates a debate.

IMO it boils down to some people don't like it because to them the author comes off as a snake oil salesman. The idea isn't new, is not very fun, and is definitely difficult.

I'm pretty much in that group, but the good thing about the book is, if you follow the advice, you will almost certainly improve. If it helps motivate you to improve then even if I don't like the book I guess it was a good book for you :)

MdlM burnt out using his own method. He grew to hate chess.

I have no doubt it will help you improve, i just think his method is painfully slow, and there are other ways to study tactics that are better.