Who says that you can’t learn from the games of amateurs? Renowned chess instructor and writer Dan Heisman presents thirty games by intermediate-level players, each one offering a rich variety of lessons in practical competitive play for all chess enthusiasts.

The catalog of errors runs the gamut from taking too much (or too little!) time to think, to shoddy calculation, cutting off analysis too soon, and ignoring the principles of sound strategy. Using gentle humor, Coach Heisman gives a blow-by-blow account and patiently dissects the players’ thinking process, offering tips for improving clock management and making better decisions at the board.

Because the advantage can swing wildly back and forth, amateur games can be entertaining as well as instructive. Heisman gives a choice selection of cases of chess suicide, for the purpose of suggesting what the victim could have done to prevent disaster. Learn from this - better them than you!

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The author of ten previous books, National Master Dan Heisman has been a full-time chess instructor since 1996. His “Novice Nook” column at Chess Café has received numerous annual awards for Best Instruction from the Chess Journalists of America, and in 2010 he was voted the CJA’s Chess Journalist of the Year. This is his third [?] title for Mongoose Press.

Content:
009Introduction

016Chapter 1: TOO FAST

017 Game 1 French Defense, Tarrasch Variation

028 Game 2 Sicilian Defense, Closed Variation

039 Game 3 Colle System

055 Game 4 Sicilian Defense, High School Variation

067 Game 5 King's Indian Defense, Sä misch Variation

075 Game 6 French Defense, King's Indian Attack

083Chapter 2: TOO SLOW

084 Game 7 English Opening

093 Game 8 English Opening

101 Game 9 Slav (Grü nfeld transposition)

111 Game 10 Queen's Pawn Game

120 Game 11 Queen's Pawn Game

133Chapter 3: ENDGAME MISHAPS

134 Game 12 King's Indian Defense

147 Game 13 Pirc Defense

157 Game 14 King's Indian Defense

171 Game 15 French Defense, Winawer Variation

181 Game 16 Pirc Defense, Classical Variation

192Chapter 4: A VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIVE PLAY

193 Game 17 Queen's Gambit Declined

200 Game 18 English Opening

205 Game 19 Queen's Pawn Game

220 Game 20 French Defense, Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit

230 Game 21 Queen's Pawn Game

237 Game 22 Sicilian Defense, Chekhover Variation

248 Game 23 Tarrasch Defense

258Chapter 5: DISASTER STRIKES

259 Game 24 English Opening

265 Game 25 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack

274 Game 26 King’s Indian Defense, Sä misch Variation

281 Game 27 Sicilian Defense, Grand Prix Attack

290 Game 28 French Defense, Winawer Variation

297 Game 29 Alekhine's Defense

306 Game 30 Sicilian Defense, Wing Gambit

317Bibliography

319Glossary