You think this is a good book?

I went down to a bookshop today and got myself a promising-looking book called: 'Complete idiot's guide to chess'. I haven't read that yet, because i'm playing chessmaster 10th edition, that i bought, it's very helpful. What do you guys think of chessmaster and the book i mentioned?

Originally posted by danielkirk1
I went down to a bookshop today and got myself a promising-looking book called: 'Complete idiot's guide to chess'. I haven't read that yet, because i'm playing chessmaster 10th edition, that i bought, it's very helpful. What do you guys think of chessmaster and the book i mentioned?

I like chessmaster best of the programs I have played against. I started their training, but it was initially too easy and I didn't stick with it to see if it improved. I make a point of not reading Idiot's Guide to ... books.

Originally posted by danielkirk1
I went down to a bookshop today and got myself a promising-looking book called: 'Complete idiot's guide to chess'. I haven't read that yet, because i'm playing chessmaster 10th edition, that i bought, it's very helpful. What do you guys think of chessmaster and the book i mentioned?

I tried chessmaster 10th ages ago can't really remember much tbh I also had chessmaster 9 I thought it was ok but some of the playing strengths were a little messed up imo, stronger players would make silly mistakes and weak players would be making moves I felt they wouldn't be capable of.

After cm 9 I got fritz 8 which I enjoyed more. There were some nice lessons in chessmaster but it really depends on your level as a chess player. I think if your just starting out chessmaster might just edge it over fritz however fritz has been making more and more learning materials and versions 9 and 10 come with a whole host of learning videos for the beginner and advanced player.

Originally posted by zebano
I like chessmaster best of the programs I have played against. I started their training, but it was initially too easy and I didn't stick with it to see if it improved. I make a point of not reading Idiot's Guide to ... books.

Why is that?

Originally posted by danielkirk1
Why is that?

Vanity. I don't consider myself an idiot, and therefore refuse to read guides written for idiots.

Originally posted by zebano
Vanity. I don't consider myself an idiot, and therefore refuse to read guides written for idiots.

At the back of the book the first 5 words are : " No you're not an idiot '' then starts talking about the book.

I once got "chess for ginger, smelly, lazy pieces of crap"

Originally posted by danielkirk1
At the back of the book the first 5 words are : " No you're not an idiot '' then starts talking about the book.

That's 6 words.

Originally posted by Diet Coke
That's 6 words.

Sorry i always count you're as a whole word.

Originally posted by danielkirk1
I went down to a bookshop today and got myself a promising-looking book called: 'Complete idiot's guide to chess'. I haven't read that yet, because i'm playing chessmaster 10th edition, that i bought, it's very helpful. What do you guys think of chessmaster and the book i mentioned?

The Idiot's Guide series have nice features and usually cover the basics well. I have the one on flyfishing, and used it quite a bit when I was getting back to my faith after falling away for a couple of decades.

Chessmaster X is the Idiot's Guide to chess: nice feature for covering the basics, but superficial. As you improve, its utility declines.

I recently downloaded Chessmaster for my cell phone. So far, I've won every game. This was its best effort so far:

Chessmaster (cell-expert) - Wulebgr [C06]
Motorola V180, 18.12.2006
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Qxf6 10.Qa4 Bd6 11.0–0 0–0 12.Nf3 h6 13.Be3 Rd8 14.Rac1 Nf8 15.Rc3 Bd7 16.Rfc1 Qf7 17.b3 Rac8 18.R3c2 a6 19.Nc3 Nb4 20.Ne5 Bxa4 21.Nxf7 Kxf7 22.Nxa4 Rxc2 23.Bxc2 Nxa2 24.Ra1 Nb4 25.Bd1 Rc8 26.Nc5 Bxc5 27.dxc5 Nd7 28.Ra4 Nd3 29.b4 Nb2 30.Bh5+ g6 31.Ra2 Nd3 32.Be2 Nxb4 33.Rb2 a5 34.Bxh6 Rxc5 35.Bd2 Rc2 36.Rxc2 Nxc2 37.Bxa5 e5 38.Bc3 d4 39.Bd2 Nc5 40.Bc4+ Kf6 41.f3 b6 42.Kf2 e4 43.fxe4 Nxe4+ 44.Ke2 Nxd2 45.Kxd2 Ne3 46.Kd3 Nxc4 47.Kxc4 Ke5 48.h4 Ke4 49.Kb5 d3 50.Kxb6 d2 51.Kc5 d1Q 52.Kb4 Kd4 53.Ka5 Kc5 54.Ka6 Qd7 55.h5 Qc7 56.hxg6 Qb6# 0–1

The term "idiot:" in the context of this book is merely facetiousness. I've taken a look at the book and it would be greatly usefull for novices and beginners. But as was said, it's utility decreases greatly as you improve. As far as Chessmaster, the last one I had was Chessmaster 4000 😕

Thanks guys, at first i felt like i wasted money, but now i feel i've made a good choice. And yes i'm a total beginner/novice. Let me put it this way... I got checkmated with having 2 queens on my side... Talk about stupid!

Originally posted by Wulebgr
The Idiot's Guide series have nice features and usually cover the basics well. I have the one on flyfishing, and used it quite a bit when I was getting back to my faith after falling away for a couple of decades.

Chessmaster X is the Idiot's Guide to chess: nice feature for covering the basics, but superficial. As you improve, its utility declines.

I r ...[text shortened]... 4 49.Kb5 d3 50.Kxb6 d2 51.Kc5 d1Q 52.Kb4 Kd4 53.Ka5 Kc5 54.Ka6 Qd7 55.h5 Qc7 56.hxg6 Qb6# 0–1

I can't agree that CM-X is as limited as this. Yes, someone who takes chess very seriously will be better served with Fritz or one of the other top engines running in the Chessbase platform. However, for someone who just wants a computer opponent, find the missed tactics in their games and take advantage of some on-screen learning, For someone with humble aspirations, such as becoming a decent club player, Chessmaster might be all you ever need. As far as it's playing strength, while Chessmaster's engine (The King) might not be the strongest engine avaiable out there, it can still challenge a GM, such as CM 9000's match win over Larry Christiansen in 2002 ( see http://www.logicalchess.com/hcc/reports/CM9000vsFritz6/cmvsfritz.html). Obviously CM-X and the cell phone version are different animals.

Originally posted by danielkirk1
I went down to a bookshop today and got myself a promising-looking book called: 'Complete idiot's guide to chess'. I haven't read that yet, because i'm playing chessmaster 10th edition, that i bought, it's very helpful. What do you guys think of chessmaster and the book i mentioned?

I haven't read "Idiots Guide to Chess" by GM Patrick Wolff, but I have read stuff that he has written before, and he is an excellent writer.

Originally posted by Skorj
Obviously CM-X and the cell phone version are different animals.

No question about it. Even the cell phone version is worth the price I paid.

I stand by my statement that the better you get, the more the utility of Chessmaster declines (not that it ever reaches zero).

By the same token, the better you become, the greater the value you will find with Fritz.