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Blue Steel

Blue Steel

Only Chess

MT

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http://i.imgur.com/vESfX.jpg

Thoughts?

greenpawn34

e4

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Yippeee. Another overpriced chess book on openings.
This one has a picture of the current World Champion on the cover.
(The Champ sells to the Chumps plan.)

It's part of a series of opening book numbering so far 1 to 13.
(The Marketing for Mugs plan) it cost £19.50

The blurb states it is analysis on the Petroff and the Lopez without a6.
(So it's the Berlin Defence).

Analysis (computer vomit) of two of the most boring openings
in the whole game in one book.

I predict it will out sell the Bible.

T
I am become Death

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Originally posted by greenpawn34
Yippeee. Another overpriced chess book on openings.
You think that's overpriced? Look here.

I ordered this book from a seller for like $30 dollars. Apparently the honest folks at the store where I ordered it did a quick price check, and my book was uncannily "stolen" by an employee before it shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Grunfeld-Jonathan-Rowson/dp/1901983099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300050883&sr=8-1

Paul Leggett
Chess Librarian

The Stacks

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Originally posted by Thabtos
You think that's overpriced? Look here.

I ordered this book from a seller for like $30 dollars. Apparently the honest folks at the store where I ordered it did a quick price check, and my book was uncannily "stolen" by an employee before it shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Grunfeld-Jonathan-Rowson/dp/1901983099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300050883&sr=8-1
Holy $%^%^ I own that book!

I have to admit that it is one of those awesome books that will teach you a lot about chess and incidentally also about a particular opening, but that much money? I think I'd wait for the second edition, because I'm sure GM Rowson has a whole lot more in the tank.

That said, the chapter on "Dealing with Delroy" alone was worth the original price of the book, and $70+ for this book is probably money better spent than $19.95 on a host of other opening books. You get what you pay for, and maybe that's why the aftermarket is so strong.

Paul

n
Ronin

Hereford Boathouse

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It is interesting how the used book market has gotten really inefficient these days. I have a hard time believing that anyone would pay 70 bucks for a used copy of Rowson's book that is more than a decade out of date..

M

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better than zoolander!

greenpawn34

e4

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I live within a mile of about 40 charity shops.

I pop into 5 everyday on my way to work or during my lunch hour.
Very rarely return empty handed.
Latest finds. Zurich 1953 (The Hardback) £3.00, 'How To Think Ahead in Chess.'
£1.00 & King's book on Kasparov v Deep Blue £2.00.
(I already have them, these are Ebay bound).

If there are any near you then give them a try.

Also Car Boot sales (huge one near me every Sunday) and Jumble sales.

Five 2nd hand bookshops near me give me a call when they get in chess books.
(as do a few charity shops.)

One book shop 200 yerds away has over 50 (most of which I have or don't
want) including all the classics and loads and loads and loads and loads
and loads and loads and loads and loads of opening books.

90% of my entire library are 2nd hand books.
Including all my Sci-Fi, Aggie Christie etc...

Charity shops also often produce some really nice chess sets.
Not those hidious glass things. We are talking boxed, wooden, felted
and weighted.

Recently swapped one for the Orient v Arsenal cup match programme.
Also pocket sets, Chess jigsaws, chess mugs, chess everything.....

I personally would never pay more than £10 for a chess book
no matter who wrote it or what it was about.
I wanted Rampant Chess to go for £9.95 but that was out of my hands.

So get out there and make contact with shop owners and search your junk shops.
(They usually have them under 'Sport' or 'Hobbies'.)

n
Ronin

Hereford Boathouse

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Originally posted by greenpawn34
I live within a mile of about 40 charity shops.

I pop into 5 everyday on my way to work or during my lunch hour.
Very rarely return empty handed.
Latest finds. Zurich 1953 (The Hardback) £3.00, 'How To Think Ahead in Chess.'
£1.00 & King's book on Kasparov v Deep Blue £2.00.
(I already have them, these are Ebay bound).

If there are any near you ...[text shortened]... owners and search your junk shops.
(They usually have them under 'Sport' or 'Hobbies'.)
With brick and mortar book sellers going the way of e4 in America, I think it will be hard to find many good used chess books without going online. Ten years ago I could get almost any chess book used for a 50% discount at a good used book shop. Now if you can find a used book shop, it's going to be Sudoku puzzles or a discarded copy of a Pandolfini book.

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