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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) What is the worst chess book ever ? (Read 148478 times)
Uruk
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #70 - 09/17/09 at 01:54:50
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MNb talks about a mythical book here. I can't resist quoting from the introduction.

Quote:

This monograph has several goals
1) to present an historical overview of the development of the variation and to bring the existing literature up to date

It is with considerable difficulty that I remember the original era of my being; all the events of that period appear confused and indistinct.

2) to further investigate a variety of unclear positions, and clean up some past mistakes in the literature

It was almost impossible to believe that the things which we had seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears were living truths.


Roll Eyes
  
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MNb
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #69 - 09/16/09 at 21:39:00
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Then you haven't seen (the word read is unappropriate here) yet Schiller's "work" on the Frankenstein-Dracula Variation of the Vienna. It is a collection of unannotated games alternated with quotations from the two horror-classics.
  
The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
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Bogojump
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #68 - 09/16/09 at 21:05:03
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How to play the From Gambit by Eric Schiller. I ordered this book some years ago and when I got it just laughed!! Since then I read chess reviews before I buy a book. Schillers book is just a BAD copy past production. Schiller has written two good books as I know (out of 200?). But it should be a crime to write such "books".

Second worst book is a game collection of Boris Spassky Grand Strategy

Just read a review from Silmans page :

http://www.jeremysilman.com/book_reviews_js/js_grand_strategy_60.html
  
"You must lead your opponent into a deep, dark forest, where 2 + 2 = 5 and
  where the path back out is only broad enough for one of you." (((Mikhail Tal)))
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Jesse Gersenson
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #67 - 09/16/09 at 18:39:20
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FischerTal wrote on 09/08/09 at 18:48:54:
by De La Maza.

His basic Tatctics tactics tactics thesis is quit sound but someof those ultra boring drills are ridiculous.


I did those drills. I was unrated when I did them. Found them helpful. The concept for his book is straightforward and takes the guessing out of 'I'm a beginner, how can i learn to play chess better?' He answers, "Do this. Here's the schedule. Get started." 

Worst book ever? Chess Fundamentals, written by Capablanca but hijacked/stolen and re-written by Nick de Firmian.
« Last Edit: 09/17/09 at 05:35:26 by Jesse Gersenson »  
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snits
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #66 - 09/08/09 at 19:03:22
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FischerTal wrote on 09/08/09 at 18:48:54:
snits wrote on 09/08/09 at 17:38:35:
Rapid Chess Improvement by De La Maza.


His basic Tatctics tactics tactics thesis is quit sound but someof those ultra boring drills are ridiculous.


His thesis that reptition of tactics is important is sound. His belief that it is all that matters is not. In the end he even quit playing actively when his method took him as far as he could go. Everything of redeeming value in the book was already available in his chesscafe articles on the same subject. The book is basically those 2 articles and a bunch of fluff. How many people have burned themselves out on chess following his system?
  
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FischerTal
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #65 - 09/08/09 at 18:48:54
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snits wrote on 09/08/09 at 17:38:35:
Rapid Chess Improvement by De La Maza.


His basic Tatctics tactics tactics thesis is quit sound but someof those ultra boring drills are ridiculous.
  
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snits
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #64 - 09/08/09 at 17:38:35
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Rapid Chess Improvement by De La Maza.
  
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GabrielGale
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #63 - 09/08/09 at 08:11:28
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I thought i would resurrect this thread by providing a link to an "interesting" piece written on our "fav" chess writer, Eric Schiller over at Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/2/771776/-Meet-the-2009-Daily-Kos-Chess-Cha...
  
http://www.toutautre.blogspot.com/
A Year With Nessie ...... aka GM John Shaw's The King's Gambit (http://thekinggambit.blogspot.com.au/)
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FischerTal
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #62 - 05/26/09 at 17:22:06
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Blitz Theory by Maxwell - he suggests saying check when it is not check to distract your opponent Angry
  
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Bibs
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #61 - 05/13/09 at 09:49:49
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Markovich wrote on 05/07/09 at 16:32:18:
kylemeister wrote on 05/07/09 at 15:05:46:
Markovich wrote on 05/07/09 at 14:44:09:
Smith and Hall were never known for their originality.  Some of the worst chess books ever published were those by that Italian group with the pretty four-square logo.  They're now defunct.  Does anyone know who I'm talking about?


SC Editrice, or something like that?


Yeah, I think it was SI Editrice.  Their stuff was unbelievable crap, so I think.


Not so. The book on the Dutch Leningrad by them is  very reasonable, and the best on the Leningrad with Nc6 - Na5.
  
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GMTonyKosten
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #60 - 05/13/09 at 09:09:17
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Stigma wrote on 05/12/09 at 21:33:22:

Gary Lane's book on the Blackmar-Diemer
- An IM should be able to add some objectivity I thought, but what you got was game after game where White won quickly, with little explanation of where Black went wrong.

Sounds a bit like some of his work on the Anti-Sicilians section! Sad
  
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IM Christoph Wisnewski
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #59 - 05/13/09 at 07:04:39
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Stigma wrote on 05/12/09 at 21:33:22:
Gary Lane's book on the Blackmar-Diemer
- An IM should be able to add some objectivity I thought, but what you got was game after game where White won quickly, with little explanation of where Black went wrong. Maybe that is the standard for BDG books, but that's no excuse.


It is not. At least not for all.
  
"Chess you don't learn, chess you understand!" (V. Korchnoi)
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MNb
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #58 - 05/13/09 at 01:58:13
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Stigma wrote on 05/12/09 at 21:33:22:

Gary Lane's book on the Blackmar-Diemer
- An IM should be able to add some objectivity I thought, but what you got was game after game where White won quickly, with little explanation of where Black went wrong. Maybe that is the standard for BDG books, but that's no excuse.


Ah yes, I had forgotten about that one. One of his illustrative games sees White playing a2-a3 at an early stage, immediately answered by Black with ....a7-a6. No explanation, no comment, no other moves suggested .... Didn't every amateur at a very early stage learn that moves like that need a very good reason? Anyhow, a glimpse was enough to put me off.
  
The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
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Stigma
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #57 - 05/12/09 at 21:33:22
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I always read the reviews before buying chess books, unless I really trust the author. So usually no bad books for me!

Apart from the mentioned Italian S1 Editrice books, some of the worst I have read (parts of) are:

Gary Lane's book on the Blackmar-Diemer
- An IM should be able to add some objectivity I thought, but what you got was game after game where White won quickly, with little explanation of where Black went wrong. Maybe that is the standard for BDG books, but that's no excuse.

Ehlvest's book on the Leningrad Dutch
- I think most people have rightly forgotten this one. Close to a big database dump with little explanation or attempts to engage the reader. The many excellent books on this opening (Kindermann, Beim, Pedersen, McDonald) makes this one look even worse by comparison.

Mastering Rook vs Minor Pieces
- Published by International Chess Enterprises, this gets a special mention for weirdest editing. The index is spread out on random pages throughout the book! Possibly the rest of the series is better...

For worst language/grammar my vote goes to Pongo: Tactical Targets in Chess (2 Vols). This is a well structured tactics course and probably great in the original Hungarian, but marred by the at times incomprehensible English, particularly in the quotes and tips sprinkled among the positions.
« Last Edit: 05/13/09 at 15:38:14 by Stigma »  
Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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TonyRo
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Re: What is the worst chess book ever ?
Reply #56 - 05/07/09 at 18:33:30
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The Kalinichenko books are hilariously bad. Agreed.  Grin
  
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