Pandolfini

I've consistently heard mixed reviews on Bruce's books.  Some people say they are riddled with errors.  One amazon reviewer said he "regularly churns out positively horrid books."  Is this too harsh?  I would say so.  I've only read his column and some sample chapters of his books, but what I've read has been quite useful.  I'm a chess novice and the concepts he brings up seem to click with me.  I get the same sort of experience reading Dan Heisman too. 

If you are a Pandolfini fan, what are his best books?  Do any of them overlap in material?  I'm thinking of getting his Ultimate Guide, Endgame Course and Weapons of Chess.  Would any of these be redundant?  Any great Pandolfini classic's I should also consider (e.g opening traps/zaps, etc.)?  One thing that draws me to his writing is the fact that I don't really need the board in front of me while reading.  If you don't mind, please tell me why you like his books and how they've improved your game.

If you are NOT a fan of Bruce, please tell me why?  And what authors you recommend to novices. 

Thanks  - M.M. Bruch

I like his books. As far as errors you can find an errata list if you google it. I believe some of his books are just before chess authors really checked their work with computer analysis

Hi again Bronco - of Bruce's many works, what have you read and what did you like?

I have read About 1/3 of Pandolfini's Ultimate Guide to Chess. It not everyone's cup of tea since its written as a dialogue between a teacher and student aka questions and answers. There isn't a ton of diagrams per page but you don't need a board to understand the concepts. It's geared towards lower to maybe mid level players. I like his stuff cuz he breaks it down so it's easier to understand

thanks.

I bought the endgame one. After staring at one position where Pandolfini wanted me to complete mate by jumping a dark squared bishop onto a light square, the alarm bells went off. 5 pages & another 3 serious errors in the text later & I gave up. Books aren't cheap & I want to learn from them - not spend hours editing them. I bought Silman's Complete Endgame Course & it was a 1000 x better. Just my opinion but I won't go near a BP book again!

FFS, laughable.

i agree with shawdowknight911, Pandolfini books are good for novices to start out, but so are many others. Jeremy Silman's complete endgame course is by far the best endgame book i have encountered! in all fairness i have not read bruce's endgame book, but i can't imagine a more complete look at the endgame than Silman's book. it is ordered in such a logical way, and has many levels of play in the one book, so once you have mastered class c type endings, you don't need a more advanced book. this book has it all!!

Thanks to all for the comments.  So many books to choose from... so little time to read them.  Hope to get into Silman's Amateur's Mind and perhaps Pandolfini's Ultimate guide.  I'll let you know what I make of them.  Right now I'm just starting Heisman's Back to Basics Tactics.  So far so good.  He's a bit wordy though... 

Here is Pandolfini's errata (correction) list for his Endgame Course. I have heard very good things about this book from higher rated people here at chess.com. It's not wordy , it has 1 diagram per page with the moves listed for black and white.

http://www.glennwilson.com/chess/books/pec_errata.html

Bronco, have you gotten any further in Pandolfini's Ultimate Guide?  Worth reading?

Nah. Been too busy with family life :)

All the Pandolfini books are great for beginners and novices! @jakeel I have read his endgame book and I can't remember a page where he tells you to change colors of the bishops

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708095144/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review701.pdf

Pandolfini did help Josh Waitzkin win National Scholastic Championships, and to earn his IM.  I think his books are decent for the appropriate level.

My opinion FWIW:
Weapons of Chess: fantastic intro to chess strategy with emphasis on pawn structure

Ultimate Guide: Not a bad for a beginner book

Endgame Course: I have not read his Endgame Course, but this gets generally good reviews for lower level players... absolutely need an errata page to help read it

Endgame Workshop: I have not read this one either, but it seems similar to Endgame Course, but there are something like 550 positions and lots of verbal instrcution (maybe a better version of the Endgame Course?). He says it is generally for players 1600-2000.

Russian Chess: 6 annotated games without lengthy variations in tue annotations, lower levels can follow quite easily.

Weapons of Chess is his best. 

this endgame book is fulla errors. BUT ITS A GREAT BOOK !!...u just hafta work out where u see them. #115 is 1...Kxp and black wins.

His beginner selection is good with simplicity and straight forward language.

I treasure Pandolfini's Endgame Course. The problem with his books is the editor/publisher. I corrected all the errors.

What I like is his presentation of one concept per page, with a large diagram (occasionally in error) and clear explanation. My memory of these is by the name he applies : the squeeze, underpass, bishop roll. I'll never forget the underpass. He calls key squares "critical squares". These have had various names, but "key" seems to be most common in recent decades.

Definitely for beginners to early intermediate. I was a novice when I read it, and it made more sense than other endgame books.