Chess
Training for Budding Champions
by Jesper Hall is yet another in the Gambit series
for aspiring players. The title suggests that
this book is not aimed at the same audience as
earlier efforts like The
Road to Chess Improvement by
Alex Yermolinsky or Secrets
of Modern Chess Strategy
by John Watson. That said, this book is also not
for beginning chess players.
IM Hall, who is one of Sweden's
leading trainers, has written a very interesting
and readable book that can be used by players
across a wide range of playing strength. I would
say anywhere from 1600 to 2400 USCF. Of course,
different players will get different things from
this book. I would say it would be especially
useful for teenage players that are 2000-2300.
Hall divides his book into such
practical chapters as How to Study the Opening,
How to Study Specific End Games, Mental Training,
How to Calculate and How to Use a Computer. His
experience as a trainer has caused him to ponder
a lot of fundamental questions. One that every
chess player encounters is how to bounce back
from a particularly difficult loss or bad tournament.
Here Hall offers wise counsel. First, take a break
for a couple of weeks. Only then, play over some
of the games that really inspire you and cause
you to appreciate the beauty of chess. This should
get your juices flowing again. Hall also suggests
not only having a large database of games, but
also smaller, more individualized ones. For example,
you might have a database of your favorite games
of a player that you particularly admire or a
special theme that you're trying to learn. One
thing that Hall emphasizes is the need to personalize
information at a time when the chess player is
being increasingly flooded with more material.
IM Hall offers a very useful synopsis
at the end of each chapter highlighting the key
points covered. He also offers the student exercises
and perhaps, most importantly, suggestions for
further reading. This book is highly recommended
to aspiring students (1600-2400), as well as chess
trainers.
YOU
CAN FIND THIS BOOK AT
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