Blunders and How to Avoid Them: Eliminate Mistakes from Your Play [Paperback]

Angus Dunnington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2004

Experienced chess player and writer Angus Dunnington takes a look at why the good, the bad and the indifferent all make errors, from small positional misjudgements to simply leaving a queen en prise.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

No one likes to make mistakes, but all chess players, even those belonging to the world's elite, are prone to blundering. How can this problem be eradicated or, at the very least, kept to a minimum? Read this book and find out!
Experienced chess player and writer Angus Dunnington takes a look at why the good, the bad and the indifferent all make errors, from small positional misjudgments to simply leaving a queen en prise. Dunnington explores the reasons for oversights and the habits one needs to develop in order to banish these problems. This book is crucial reading for those plagued by chess disasters!

*Offers help to blunder-prone players
*Explains techniques to avoid errors
*Written by an experienced competitor

About the Author

Angus Dunnington is an experienced International Master who is also a skilled chess coach and writer. He lives in the UK.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Everyman Chess; 1st edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857443446
• ISBN-13: 978-1857443448
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,054,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Does not adhere to its title in any way, May 20, 2006

By 

S. Sankaranarayanan "Shivsky" (Bryan,Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blunders and How to Avoid Them: Eliminate Mistakes from Your Play (Paperback)

This is my first negative review on a book but after going through it, it seems to be merely a blunder-gallery of rated players' games, where the author's approach is dictated by the steps :

1. See the blunder!

2. chuckle/gasp at the consequences!

3. Rinse and repeat.

That seems to span the entire book and as far as advice goes, this is terribly lacking for an average player (USCF 1500-1600).

Trying to avoid and eliminate mistakes by watching titled players make them is like trying to ski better in by watching olympic skiers undergo tumbles and mishaps. Somehow, I'd think getting to know the symptoms and avoiding a bad situation is SO MUCH BETTER than letting something bad happen and trying to assimilate a pattern. This book trains the latter, but does nothing for the former.

How about a thought process checklist that goes beyond a "mere blunder check before you move?" How about looking for "warning signs?". How about a gallery of "common opening blunders played by amateurs?" Nope ... the author insists on using only IM/GM games where the blunders come about after moves that no average player might have even played.

The author really should have titled this "Blunders : See how rated players make them and gasp". I feel the "Avoid them : Eliminate Mistakes" portion is an outright lie.