The book review series Chess Books Recaptured is back to discuss a couple of great puzzle books with a strategic orientation. 1) First up, we discuss a lesser-known but excellent collection of puzzles and insightful analysis, Strategic Chess Exercises by GM Emanuel Bricard. Following that, we discuss one of the most (rightfully) acclaimed books of recent years, Think Like a Super GM by Phillip Hurtado and GM Michael Adams. Because these are both reasonably advanced books, we also share some similarly-spirited recommendations for lower-rated players. Joining me for it all, is returning guest, Dr. Michael Franco (NoseKnowsAll) who is a Software Engineer and fast-improving amateur player, who is active in various online chess communities.
Timestamps of books and topics discussed are below.
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0:00- For what levels are these books best suited?
0:03- Why does Michael love the book Strategic Chess Exercises ? What is its format?
Mentioned: Available on Chessable and Amazon, Michael’s appearance on Chess Journeys (Episode 102)
14:00- What are my quibbles about this high-quality book?
20:00- We discuss Think Like a Super GM by GM Michael Adams and Phillip Hurtado
Mentioned: Thought and Choice in Chess by de Groot, GM Jesse Kraai’s Video Review of Think Like a Super GM, My written review of Think Like a Super GM
35:00- Any quibbles with Think Like a Super GM?
39:00- Conclusions from and comparison between the 2 books.
47:00- We suggest similar books to these two that are accessible for players rated below 1500.
Mentioned: Evaluate like a GM, The Reassess Your Chess Workbook, Power of Pawns, Simple Chess, Mastering Chess Strategy, Winning Chess Strategy
52:00- We finish up by discussing Michael’s next chess books and tournaments.
Mentioned: Small Steps to Giant Improvement
Contact Michael via Lichess:
https://lichess.org/@/NoseKnowsAll
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