In many instances chess self-help books resemble a chessic search for the Holy Grail – in this instance, while the author provides some useful advice, it is not likely to end or even curtail blunders from occurring in the readers' games. Blunders happen at all levels of the game, among all variety of players, and even very strong players who recognize their proclivity for certain types of blunders have not always been able to overcome the disease. I doubt that the contents of this book will provide the cure.

International Master Angus Dunnington is a seasoned author and trainer. Unfortunately, this book reads more like a catalogue of typical types of blunders than a book about cures for these common chess ills. With the exception of a chapter on psychology (which touches, for example, on the pressure of defending, adjusting to a turn of events, etc.), there is little discussion here about methods (whether they be training, teaching, or conduct of the game) that could prove helpful in overcoming chess blunders.

The chapters cover broad topics, such as sense of danger, traps and pitfalls, the king's defenses, checks, faulty plans, the dangers of simplification, time trouble, and typical blunders. In most cases, the author provides some discussion of a type of situation where a blunder can occur and then provides one or more examples. Unfortunately, it is hard for me to figure out how this “here is a blunder” examination will translate into actually making fewer of them in practice. 

There are some teaching methods that have been advocated for reducing blunders, including doing something of a “blunder check” before making a move, looking for pieces that are left undefended because of an advance, checking for “retreats that threaten” or long range queen moves. Some teachers advocate writing moves down before playing them as a useful anti-blunder tool as well. None of these methods or areas where blunders can occur gets much mention. There is an occasional reference to searching for threats and scanning all the board for long-range threats, but these get only a passing mention.

In conclusion, blunders are a part of chess, and every player should work to reduce their occurrence. While the present book presents many telling examples of blunders, it is by no means certain that having seen them in the context of this book will help reduce or eliminate their occurrence in the readers' own games.