Learn from Your Chess Mistakes

by Baker, Chris

• ISBN13: 9780713487664
• ISBN10: 0713487666
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-06-30
• Publisher: Batsford

Summary

Most players want to put the experience of defeat behind them as quickly as possible, but there is no better way to improve your game than by analysing your lost games to find out what went wrong, ensuring that you don't make the same mistake again. This original work -- designed specifically for club players -- identifies typical failings, such as poor opening preparation, inappropriate choice of openings, being tricked, losing the thread of the position, miscalculation, lack of confidence, faulty judgement, time trouble, missed opportunities, confusion, failure to adjust and losing the initiative. This books helps the reader identify and analyse these mistakes in order to avoid them next time round. Players suffering a defeat will take heart and benefit from this upbeat book, written in the author's informal style with a gentle sense of humour. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Chris Baker is an experienced chess writer and teacher. His popular monthly column in Chess magazine, 'How Bad is Your Chess?', concentrates on analysing the games of average players with whom he has developed a great rapport

Table of Contents

Introduction	5	(2)
Part 1: Openings	7	(42)
Poor opening preparation	7	(7)
Being over-prepared and getting `stale'	14	(4)
Being caught by opponent's preparation	18	(9)
Choice of openings/learning new lines and styles	27	(9)
Understanding standard and re-occurring themes	36	(7)
Being caught by move orders and transpositions	43	(6)
Part 2: Middlegame	49	(52)
Losing the `thread' of the position	50	(5)
Miscalculation	55	(6)
Confidence and playing against weaker/stronger opposition	61	(18)
Middlegame judgement	79	(9)
Losing the initiative	88	(6)
Missing your shot	94	(7)
Part 3: Endgames	101	(38)
Endgame technique	102	(9)
Forming a plan	111	(2)
Having too many choices and missing tricks	113	(4)
Understanding `good and bad pieces'	117	(13)
Control	130	(9)
Quiz	139	(3)
Spot the mistake	139	(3)
Solutions	142