When a master (usually international or grand) quits playing over the board games on a near permanant basis but then starts to release large numbers of books are they trustworthy? For all we know, they might be disillusioned by lack of prospects (chess playing not being the most lucrative of jobs) and are trying to cash in on players hoping to improve their game by quickly releasing books on obscure lines before anybody else covers them.
I suppose there is the other school of thought, that not playing gives them the chance to comit themselves full time to checking over and writing the books.
But I am always suspicious of sombody who stops actually playing and tries to remain respectable, it is not hard to do. Take Johnathan Rowson, for example, he is a strong (nearly 2600) grandmaster still and has produced some very popular books while remaining one of the most active players on the british circuit.
In general, probably the most reliable sources of opening information are strong players who are no longer active writing about openings that they specialized in themselves.
I am only a NM and have been retired from OTB chess for many years...so would you buy a book from me that taught you what I have taught people here?
Tony and some of the other old timers will tell you that I really helped their game by looking at there personality and I believed it should follow over into chess. If you are a closed person and don't like to talk to much then d4 openings and closed positions are for you. If you are an outgoing person and can never shut up ( like me 😀 ) then open positions and gambit lines are for you.
I am not saying it is a perfect idea...but it really has worked for alot of people.
Would you buy that book if I really sat down and went over the games and analysis of those and showed the before and after results and had the interviews and all and showed beyond a shadow of a doubt of how you could utilize my theories to help your game? Cause in the beginning you might think you are Tal...when really you are Petrosian.
Even though I have not played in an OTB tourney since 98?
Those sound like quite good ideas, but there are still lots of 'lazy' writers whose books amount to nothing more then a few hours searching on databases and dont really cover what you are actually trying to achieve out of the opening or pointers as to how to play the middlegame.
Like, for instance, I have a book which was "written" by nigel short about the french defence and is nothing more then a collection of games by top grandmasters with a few vague comments about how some lines he thinks are good and others he doesnt like so much.
I am not sure whether short even wrote the book or just agreed to let his name be put on it.
Originally posted by nmdavidb You have forgotten the old rule...
"Those that can't do, teach"
I am only a NM and have been retired from OTB chess for many years...so would you buy a book from me that taught you what I have taught people here?
Tony and some of the other old timers will tell you that I really helped their game by looking at there personality and I believed it sho ally you are Petrosian.
Even though I have not played in an OTB tourney since 98?
Dave
Are you kidding? I don't think there is any reliable relationship between how much one talks and whether e4 or d4 is their best option.
Anyway, I do think that they're trustworthy if they played the opening themselves and have an IM title or higher.
I think it really just depends on the author. Eddie Dearing has pretty much given up serious chess to follow a law career (I think) and has written absolutely great books, including my favorite book ever, "Play the Sicilian Dragon". Also, "Play the Nimzo-Indian" and "Challenging the Grunfeld". My copy of PTSD is thumbed over and the pages are browning I've gone through it so much.
Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex For all we know, they might be disillusioned by lack of prospects (chess playing not being the most lucrative of jobs) and are trying to cash in on players hoping to improve their game by quickly releasing books on obscure lines before anybody else covers them.
On this topic the following comment is worth remembering.
'Ninety per cent of chess books you can open at page one, and then immediately close again for ever. Sometimes you see books that have been written in one month. I don't like that. You should take at least two years for a book, or not do it at all'. - Lev Abramovich Polugayevsky.
Do You Trust Them?
06 Dec '07 02:07
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