This book is a whole lot meatier than Silman's Amateur's Mind in terms of really exploring the thought processes of weak vs. strong players. The Thinking Cap section at the end is quite useful as well, if you've not been a fan of his chesscafe Novice Nooks. Though, in a ways, I like Silman's book better because there are a whole lot more training positions that Silman subjects his victims/students to.
The Improving Chess Thinker
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Sorry if this sounds, well, rude, but Shivsky... Paul...
...I am not looking for a book review! I said that in the O.P.
I am looking for answers to my two questions. More than anything, I want to know other players' experiences with the protocols, and I want to know if anyone else out there endeavored to try them in the way Heisman conducted his.
Thanks for taking the time to post, but I'd really appreciate responses that address the O.P.
1. I found the book overall to be more interesting than instructive, but that's not to say that I didn't learn anything about my lack of a good thinking process.
2. I set the position on my computer and used my webcam to record my protocol. I didn't transcribe it b/c...well, what for? Unfortunately I only did this for de Groot "C" which was probably the least used position in the book, and probably led to the lack of useful feedback I received from the book.
Overall the book did help point out that my thinking process is one of the biggest problems in my game, and gave me good examples of how it should be.
Mar 17, 2010
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#5
Actually performing the DeGroot test? Did do the first position (A?) a while back. Was quite embarrassed at how little I seemed to care about the position which was clearly complicated and required some roll-up-your-sleeves analysis.
Have yet to try out the other test positions. The group I'm running has actually done the test in a forum manner, where interested members write their thoughts and present their move with the trademark "push clock". We might do another one soon.
Very useful exercise, though not limited to just these "test" positions.
You can grab any rich middlegame position and grind into it ala DeGroot, then have a strong player critique your thinking + analysis, if you don't have annotated analysis to verify your work with.
Fantastic. Thanks! I figured I can't be the only one who has done the exercise.
I would love to know more about the group you mentioned, Shivsky. I would be happy to transcribe my protocol for posting and feedback.
And you're right, any rich middlegame position lends itself to the exercise. I do not, unfortunately, know any players strong enough to critique my analysis, but I suppose in the case of a tactically sharp position a computer (i.e.: Fritz 10 on infinite analysis mode) could help. I also might look into doing the exercise with some positions from Kasparov's series "My Great Predecessors" which is filled with analysis and annotations.
For those who have read this book by Dan Heisman, I have two questions:
1. Did you find it to be more on the helpful/instructive side or merely interesting?
2. Did you perform the "DeGroot Exercise" for any of the positions, and if so, how did you go about it?
I spent years in sports radio broadcasting, so I used my old interviewing setup with a mic and a minidisc recorder to perform the exercise for the main 'A' position. I deliberately did not read any of the players' protocols for that position until after I had recorded my own, so as not to be biased. I have listened back to my own protocol since, but I have not transcribed it.
I found the book to be merely interesting at first, but after doing the exercise and revealing my own protocol, its instructive merit increased 1000 times. I uncovered some strengths and weaknesses that I never would have thought of otherwise.
Just curious what others' experiences with this book are/were. Not looking for a book review. Lol
Thanks!