CHESS TIPS FOR THE IMPROVING PLAYER
Author: Amatzia Avni
Quality Chess (2008)
233 pages
$29.95

Reviewed by Jeremy Silman

Lately a slew of books have appeared with titles that feature 50 WAYS ... and SURVIVAL GUIDE TO ... and PLAY LIKE A CHESS BARBARIAN ... and THINK LIKE ... and PENGUINS PLAY CHESS. Whenever I see a number, the words "survival" or "play like" or "think like" or "tips" or something that equates an animal with high quality chess, I immediately think the worst. And this brings us to CHESS TIPS FOR THE IMPROVING PLAYER.

Amatzia Avni, an Israeli psychologist and FIDE Master, has the ability to write a very good chess book. My favorite is his THE GRANDMASTER'S MIND (click to see MY REVIEW of this book), which delves deeply into the thinking processes of various grandmasters. THE GRANDMASTER'S MIND is a tremendous piece of work. However, he is also quite capable of entering the "trick title game" that I mentioned above. His DEVIOUS CHESS comes to mind. His latest book, CHESS TIPS FOR THE IMPROVING PLAYER, sadly falls into the "trick" category.

The first question that occurred to me is, what exactly is an "improving player?" In the introduction, Avni tells us that this denotes an audience at the "above-beginner level." This still left me confused since how far "above beginner" is he talking about? Pushing the whole "level" issue aside, I was also left wondering whether his "tips" were meant to be instructive, entertaining, something in between, or something completely alien.

After reading through it, I was both intrigued and repelled. On one hand Mr. Avni offers up penetrating ideas, many of which I have been pondering myself for quite a while. On the other hand, he doesn't do these ideas justice -- he let's you know these ideas exist, then gives an example or two, and quickly moves on to a different idea.

The problem is that all the ideas he presents deserve serious study and serious presentation. Unfortunately, we are not entertained since he (quite rightly) understands their importance and thus takes them seriously, and we are not taught anything because mentioning something and giving a couple examples is NOT instruction (though many chess writers try to tell you it is).

What we're left with is a quick taste of something that should be worthwhile (depending on the audience's level) but doesn't come close to its potential. The reader, who is left unsatisfied and ultimately bereft, would do well to leave CHESS TIPS FOR THE IMPROVING PLAYER alone.

Click to buy (or get more information about) CHESS TIPS FOR THE IMPROVING PLAYER

Also by Mr. Avni:

THE GRANDMASTER'S MIND

DEVIOUS CHESS