What it teaches
For this book, Jeremy Silman had his students play out and talk through positions, then published their actual thoughts alongside his corrections. The result is a mirror held up to the typical club player: the fear of imaginary threats, the love of pointless checks, the refusal to trade into a won endgame, the drifting when no plan is obvious. Silman then shows how a strong player sees the same position, using his imbalances method.
Because the mistakes are so familiar, the lessons stick in a way abstract principles rarely do.
Who it's for
Players from about 1200 to 1800, especially adults who want to understand why they make the decisions they do. It pairs perfectly with Silman's How to Reassess Your Chess but works on its own.
How to get the most from it
Before reading each student's comments, write down your own thoughts about the position. You'll often discover you'd have made the same mistakes, which is the point. Then review a few of your recent games looking for those same patterns, or use our Analyze My Games tool to find them.
Key takeaways
- Most amateur errors come from thinking habits, not missing knowledge.
- Fear of the opponent's ideas often leads to passive, planless moves.
- Trading into a winning endgame is a skill, not a cop-out.
- Listing the imbalances brings a plan into focus.
Read next
Learn the full imbalances method in How to Reassess Your Chess, and explore the psychology of decisions further in The Seven Deadly Chess Sins.
