how to win at chess book review

when i searched for chess books for actual beginners, the first recommendation was “how to win at chess” by levy rozman. i just finished it so heres an in depth review from an actual beginner.

first impressions

my first impression of this book was the way the it smells. if u open it up, u will see most of the space on almost every page is covered in printed chess diagrams, so i think its all the red and yellow ink. it also probly made it more expensive to print.

its not that bad, just distinct enough from other book smells that i noticed it. perhaps whenever you sniff the book the scent memory will help you to enter the chess state of mind and recall your chess knowledge. 

i found the color diagrams useful and easy to read in good lighting. if u are reading in the evening by candlelight or using ur anti-blue sleepytime lighting, the yellows start to blend in and the dark on dark can be hard to see. but overall its good.

publishing quality

this book has spent a lot of time as a coaster for a morning or evening beverage while i play chess in bed, and u would not be able to tell. its physically a solid book, with a cover that wipes clean of cup rings, in my experience.

the binding seems good and the design is thoughtful and appealing. all the details of layout and editing are there, complete with table of contents, index, and glossary. these are things people take for granted but its worth noting cuz the author is apparently also on the internet and sometimes internet peoples books are not done with care. but the content is on topic and professional. its not full of inside jokes or anything, or if it was it was subtle enough that a random person like me wouldnt notice or be distracted. if u skip reading the introduction u wouldnt even know.

corrections

i did not see a single typo in this book. im very good at typos so thats notable.

i do have two corrections tho:

the example of zwischenzug on page 201 is not really what id call a zwischenzug, cuz the knight is in trouble. the book says its a free rook but it doesnt look free to me. even if taking the rook looks like a positive trade on points, and so could be argued its an obvious enough take to be zwischenzuggable, to me it feels against the spirit of zwischenzug. i could be wrong tho cuz im new and bad.

the other correction is on page 205 on deflection. it says the pinned queen cannot move except to take the bishop. technically it could move elsewhere along the pinned diagonal. in fact, qd6 is a better move for black than taking the bishop, cuz the game is lost either way unless black can intimidate and confuse the enemy into making a mistake.

this may seem like a nitpick, but for a new player still getting used to the rules it could be confusing to say a pinned piece cant move at all except to take. cuz in chess sometimes moves a beginner would think are allowed, like moving in a way that puts ur king in check and hoping the opponent doesnt see it, are not losing positions-- they are actually illegal moves.

each page is covered in examples so overall id say two minor technical confusions out of the entire book is impressive for a first edition.

content

this is an actual beginner book suitable for fast-learning beginners like me who two weeks ago didnt know how castling works, or how the game ends, or that a pawn can promote at the end of the board, and apparently are now confidently issuing corrections on proper zwischenzuggening. if u had just this book alone on a desert island u could learn how to play a decent game of chess against urself.

part 1 goes over the rules, how to begin and end the game, and basic tactics like forks, pins, and skewers.

part 2 gets into endgames and intermediate tactics like discovered attacks and deflection. the parts on openings and strategy are a gentle overview to give u a taste of what u might explore with more practice and study.

the content felt thoughtfully put together and comprehensive for an absolute beginner, while still covering a decent amount of tactical and strategic ideas. it is exactly as advertised. well, except the part about winning at chess. im not doing a lot of that yet.

is it worth it?

even tho this book suited my desires, i wouldnt necessarily recommend it for everyone.

most people on this site are probly past the level where they need someone to remind them the king is allowed to take pieces. and if ur monthly chess budget per month is less than the price of the book, u might be better off spending ur chess money on something else. i get more value out of my chess dot com subscription right now, but i can afford both so i dont have to choose. if u want a physical object, this book is a pleasant physical object.

if u dont know chess very well and think u might want to go on a chess vacation where u unplug from the internet and learn chess with one comprehensive book, then this book could be the one for u, even if ur chess budget is not very high. if u want to learn chess without the internet and had to choose between buying ur first chess set and buying this book, id buy the book and draw urself a chess set on scraps of paper. but with the internet u can get pretty far without either.

if ur chess budget is limitless, obviously get the book and put it on ur chess book shelf, displayed aesthetically alongside ur expensive historical chess sets and other chess memorabilia. get a signed 1st printing. ur chess shelves should cover an entire wall of ur chess house.

lets admit it, most people buy books and never read them. so if ur gonna buy a book just to have it sit around, i can at least attest to this books positive qualities as a coaster.

the most valuable lesson

take all this with some salt cuz im an outlier, but for me this book was extra worthwhile for an unexpected reason.

despite that im still very bad at chess, reading this book made me think “this is basic stuff. im gonna want a more advanced book soon. maybe ill actually consider getting a thick scary book of openings someday, just like they have in the chess movies.” which was something that felt a bit beyond me before.

was i intimidated by chess? noooo of course not, i am very good at learning and know i could understand a fancy chess book if i wanted to put in the effort. but after this book i feel like i could read a more intermediate book pretty comfortably.

in that way, this book is serving its purpose in being a gentle stepping stone to the world of chess. this is a book that allows me to feel smart and capable, instead of trying to impress me with its lofty chess genius, and i think that is its intention. it is highly approachable, and not to the point of condescension. it is direct and systematic and does not assume i know things i dont know.

thank u, book, for being what i needed when i needed it. 

but im ready to move on.

final rating

“how to win at chess” is the martin of chess books

also just a disclaimer: maybe the book smells for other reasons. the amount of color printing was just a notable feature so i thought it maybe had something to do with it