Fischer's book teaches this using a flash card like approach with real situations and instant reward for those who select the correct move and answers for those who fail to see the trees for the woods.

I specifically enjoyed this book because it was easy to visualise each situation and my game improved immediately!

I recommend this book for those with limited time who do not wish to drowned in the name for every move or position but solely wish to improve and enjoy their game.


A really alful book - but just possibly useful   February 3, 2004
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

The book might have Bobby Fischer as the first author, but I suspect most of its material (or lack of it) was from the other two authors who work for a company specialising in teaching materials.

The book does not really teach chess. I doubt there is more than a couple of thousand words in the whole book. There's no depth to any of the discussions.

The quality of the printing is appauling. When there are small board diagrams, it is often difficult to determine if there is a black piece on a black square or not. Once you have decided there is a piece there, then the next problem is to determine what piece it is. Had it not have been so cheap, I would have sent it back and complained it was too poorly produced, but I could not be bothered given the cost.

The basic stratergy of the book is that there is a question on the page, page 1, the answer on page 3. Another question is on page 3, and the answer on page 5. Another question on page 5, and the answer is on page 7 ... So what happens to the the even pages then? Well, once you are half-way through the book, you turn it upside down, and work from back to front. Quite unique. Personally it is not my style. It's in the style of a flip chart one might get at a meeting or short course.

Now to the possible use of this book. It is one of the only chess books one can read on a train without a chessboard nearby, although you might get some funny looks from passengers who think you read books upside down! In fact, if I so desired, I could read it on a packed London tube train whilst standing up (nobody would notice on a tube train). If you were on a long airplane journey, you could finish the book by the time you reach your destination, and throw it in the bin.

It's a shame so few chess books can be usefully read in bed on on a train without a chessboard nearby, but this does manage that, as it's all so simplistic.


Great player, lousy book!   December 3, 2003
 4 out of 6 found this review helpful

Don't be fooled by the title of this book! Bobby Fischer was a great player and a great writer(sometimes), but this lack luster effort will surely bore any new comer to chess. This book is largely made up of lots of diagramed postions which are overly simple and not backed up with much written text. It's boring! and could have written better by a much lower rated player. Sorry there are no world champion insights here. There are plenty of better books out there for a person starting out in chess. I'd suggest Yasser Seirawan winning chess series.
Fischer's outstanding classic "My 60 most memorable games" is quite the opposite to this book.