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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Beginners Book on Chess!,
By Brian A. Glennon "BAG" (South Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Samurai Chess: Mastering the Martial Art of the Mind (Paperback)
SAMURAI CHESS by Mr. Michael J. Gelb and Mr. Raymond Keene puts things in perspective for the neophyte chess player and gives one a basis of comparison with a familiar theme - the martial arts. I've poured through several chess books which were all too advanced and gave skant attention to a beginner chess player, but as a dedicated Judo and Jiu-Jitsu practioner, I was finally able to absorb some basic chess concepts through this book and the author's ability to draw a martial arts analogy. Yet the only flaw is that the Japanese already consider the Asian game of 'Go' a martial art equal to Karate or Kendo and they give those 'Go' players hard won Dan or Black Belt ratings; and this is hardly appropriate to Western chess, which is, after all, only a game!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very Valuable If Used With Caution,
By
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This review is from: Samurai Chess: Mastering the Martial Art of the Mind (Paperback)
I found this book so compelling that I read it through in practically one sitting. Why, then, three stars instead of more?
Because the *chess* advice is very general, and in fact at times so general as to be suspect ("always capture an enemy piece if it is safe to do so"); and as a *chess* book it is at a rather elementary level, spending a lot of time on the rules and basics of movement. Comparing chess to martial arts is not new, but here it is done in a more comprehensive, appealing, and gripping manner. In terms of *chess* advice this translates to a handful of general principles, such as "seize the initiative," which the book does not illustrate very well with practical examples or "how-to" advice. This has disappointed many previous reviewers and will likely disappoint many readers. Instead, to get the most from this book, you need to think in terms of changing your philosophy of play, and turn to other books to help you do that. If you are a passive player, as I was for a long time, take the "seize the initiative" principle for what it's worth and then go out and study other books on tactics and the art of attacking. In other words, use this book as a guideline for how you think about your approach to chess, and seek detailed knowledge elsewhere. Especially useful is the wholistic approach this book espouses. Information on diet, physical conditioning, meditation, pre-game physical exercises (they recommend stretching before play, something I had never before considered) can all be found elsewhere but nowhere in a *chess* book; and though you might initialy be skeptical, it makes a great deal of sense. Should you buy this book? I think so. It is relatively inexpensive on the used market, and if approached correctly, will teach you many things which apply to chess, even if it won't teach you a lot about chess itself.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Interesting Book,
By Kaizen Zanshin (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Samurai Chess : Mastering Strategic Thinking Through the Martial Art of the Mind (Hardcover)
Truly an interesting book to a person how does both Martial Arts and chess (As a side note a have been studying both now for a number of years). The theme was interesting because one of my Teachers actually talks like a chess person when going about how to get in an attack in sparring although he does not play chess, so I have seen this connection before. As a straight chess book it would be on a beginner to an intermediate level. If you take into consideration the philosophies of the book though it becomes more profound. I have read most of the books they use as exerpts and found it to really help blend these two worlds together. It has been said that If you read The Book of Five Rings once you will get something out of it. Twice, you will get something different again. Etc. These books (The Art of War, The Book of Five Rings) are also business books and found in this section if you go to Indigo. So not only is this book talking about chess, it discusses Martial Arts, Business and Life as a Whole (ie. "The Way"). If you can look at this book in this light then it becomes much more than "just a chess book", it becomes something of a reminder of how to live life. Perhaps I lost a couple people there but it boils down to is there are some people who all they do is chess, this book could be an introduction to a new way of looking at things, and new philosophies. So Enjoy!
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