The Bottom Line
The Improving Chess Thinker by National Master Dan Heisman focuses not on giving players new knowledge, but rather improving the thought process they use when choosing their moves. The book relies heavily on protocol positions developed by Dr. Adriaan de Groot, and shows how players of different ability levels analyze positions and deliberate their move choices, while also providing plenty of insight on how to ween oneself off of bad thinking habits and using more efficient thinking techniques. This book is great for chess instructors and anyone who wants to attack their chess weaknesses from a different angle.
Pros
- Deeply examines the thought process of the average chess player
- Helpful advice for players of all levels, from beginner to expert
- Well-organized by ability level to point out issues relevant at different rating levels
Cons
- Material may be too scientific or dry for some readers
Description
- 220 pages
- Foreword by GM Lev Alburt
- Includes computer analysis and Max Euwe's thoughts on the De Groot positions
Guide Review - The Improving Chess Thinker by Dan Heisman
While the most common way to improve you chess is to increase your chess knowledge -- whether this means learning more tactical patterns, studying openings and endgames, or gaining strategic insight -- Dan Heisman's columns and books often focus on improving the thought process used to come to decisions in chess instead. His latest work, The Improving Chess Thinker, covers this subject in depth and is designed to help players of all levels to improve their chess thinking.
Most of the book's material is based of research done by Dr. Adriaan de Groot in the late 1930's. Dr. De Groot had a variety of players -- from class players up through the world's strongest grandmasters -- verbalize their analysis of several positions. His analysis of their efforts showed that while grandmasters didn't necessarily think deeper than reasonably strong players, their thought process was more efficient, more accurate, and aided by knowledge of more positions.
Heisman has continued to use these positions with his own students, who have ranged from beginners through experts. Heisman shares his students' thoughts, pointing out how and why players of different levels think differently about chess, and in what areas players of various strengths should focus on improving. There is a chapter devoted to the thought process of every chess class from Class F (players rated under 1000) through experts (2000-2200), meaning there's something in here for just about everyone.
Some may find the information a little bit too dry or scientific, but if you're interested in improving your chess, it's worth working through it. Improving how one thinks about positions is fundamental to improving at chess, and few books cover the subject in as much depth as this one.
Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
