well it's an entertaining book if nothing else. I'm reading the 4th edition presently and it's definitely entertaining and also I am learning.
Silman's thinking technique
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Sep 28, 2018
0
#3
The concept of looking for differences between the two player's pieces and then playing to your trumps and/or against your opponent's is good.
The idea that imbalances can be exchanged for one another is good.
The term "imbalance" has (at least somewhat) become part of the vernacular, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear some youtube NM like chessnetwork use it.
Having said that, I didn't really like his HTRYC book. The first dozen or so pages where he introduces the ideas I mention I liked, but after that not so much (although I haven't seen the 4th edition).
Sep 28, 2018
0
#4
DeirdreSkye escribió:
Hahahahaha
Imbalancies are well known since the dawn of chess.
Silman took some very well known terms (pawn majority , piece superiority, pawn weaknesses ) and added a new meaningless term without changing anything else. Amateurs love selling tricks like this. His book Reassess your chess , although a bad book sold like crazy.
@Farm_Hand,
The 4th edition is totally rewritten. It's aimed at lower rated players. I'm personally getting a lot out of it. It's simpler to read.
Sep 28, 2018
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#6
If you enjoy it, and you're learning from it, then it's a good book even if others don't like it 
Sep 28, 2018
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#7
DeirdreSky, What is your recommendation for a better book that covers the same material?
Well to be frank, any book that covers actual chess positions and analysis is a good book and Silman, at least the 4th edition has tons of these positions and analysis.
I would also like to add Chess Middlegame Strategies by Sokolov and Sacrifice and Initiative in Chess also by Sokolov
Not to mention Aagaard's books
DeirdreSkye wrote:
If you have studied nothing else , you will learn. If you have studied other books you realise that this book is a bad book. A lot of things missing from all chapters and those that are there are inadequately explained and with bad examples. No example on how to play with the isolated pawn.Only examples on how to play against it. The same with backward pawn and doubled pawns. This was a book to make some(a lot) bucks from people that never studied chess and not a book to actually teach. Silman was very clever and realised that a good book would not appeal to the huge audience of amateurs that only wanted to play better blitz and didn't care to actually study seriously. He followed the same policy with his next books although Amateur's mind and Complete Endgame course were good books because their material was more targeted.His other book "Complete book of chess strategy" might be one of the most useless books ever written. It's a pity such a talented writer and player only tried to get rich but I would do the same if I was him.
Not surprisingly "Reassess your chess" is not in the official list of FIDE recommended books.
Whether or not this is a good book, I am not qualified to say as I haven't read the 4th edition yet (I have the 2nd edition from many years ago). I did just buy the 4th edition so I'll be able to give my opinion after I go through it.
That said, at least one inaccuracy needs to be corrected in Deirdre's statement. This book IS on the FIDE list of recommended books. And personally, I value their opinion on books.
Here is a screenshot for those who can't open the xls (although I highly recommend LibreOffice).
I'll have to take a look at Pachman's books to make up my mind for sure. Aren't they terribly old though. Not necessarily means that they are outdated.
The problem I have with Silman's Reassess Your Chess is that he spends an entire book, "The Amateur's Mind" showing just how difficult it is to put his ideas into practice! The problem isn't understanding any particular imbalance. The problem is taking real, practical positions and deciding what is actually important and what isn't in a position.
But I think that is likely to be a problem with any strategy book. Understanding that a knight on an outpost on the 6th rank is strong isn't difficult. But in practice you usually have to give up something to get that something (short of just awful play by your opponent). And that is when it gets complicated.
Silman won't transform you into a better player by reading his books, like he says he will. At least, that wasn't my experience. "HTRYC" is a good book but I think Silman pushes the "this will make you a good player" train a bit too hard.
He does not tell you how to establish which imbalances are important; spotting a hole on b6 is completely useless if you can't see how to make use of it.
For a heady optimist trying to get ahead, his books are extremely confusing and frustrating. For a player looking or a source of reference or an exercise book, it's pretty good.
yeah it's not bad. silman can't tell you which imbalances are important since that would depend on the actual position but he does tell you to develop 'imbalance consciousness' and play on the side of the board where a favorable imbalance exists.
Sep 28, 2018
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#18
pdve wrote:
I've noticed a lot of strong players using Silman's imbalances. Notably I was watching NM ChessNetwork's youtube channel and he was using Silman's terminology.
Do you find it useful?
I like Silmans books. He takes everyday common chess ideas and...for lack of a better term "Dumbs them down" I believe how he labels things makes learning easier, but thats just me.
Sep 28, 2018
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#19
DeirdreSkye wrote:
IMBacon wrote:
pdve wrote:
I've noticed a lot of strong players using Silman's imbalances. Notably I was watching NM ChessNetwork's youtube channel and he was using Silman's terminology.
Do you find it useful?
I like Silmans books. He takes everyday common chess ideas and...for lack of a better term "Dumbs them down" I believe how he labels things makes learning easier, but thats just me.
I agree but I will argue that he "dumps them down" a bit more than needed.
Being simple is one thing , being simplistic or over-simplistic though is another.
Agreed, but he understands the market he is targeting. You have an old school player from back in the day where you didn't have online chess, or software. You actually had to do the work. Now he is trying to appeal to the "I want it now" "Cant i just have something that will tell me what to do" mentality.
K.I.S.S
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid
Sep 28, 2018
0
#20
DeirdreSkye wrote:
IMBacon wrote:
I like Silmans books. He takes everyday common chess ideas and...for lack of a better term "Dumbs them down" I believe how he labels things makes learning easier, but thats just me.
I agree but I will argue that he "dumps them down" a bit more than needed.
Being simple is one thing , being simplistic or over-simplistic though is another.
Agreed, but he understands the market he is targeting.
Yup , he certainly does. Maybe more than anyone ever did!
I like his books. I like his approach. I love his "snarky" attitude. But when was the last time you heard a top level player say they got where they were because of Silmans books?
I've noticed a lot of strong players using Silman's imbalances. Notably I was watching NM ChessNetwork's youtube channel and he was using Silman's terminology.
Do you find it useful?