Customer Reviews

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

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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.