It’s not the first time that I am reading a book on sports. However, this is certainly the first time that I have decided to write a review for any sportsbook. Moreover, this is happening because I love sports being discussed in this book – chess! Chess has always been a weakness and I cannot avoid sitting for a battle whenever I get the chance. On the move, in isolation or even in the rush. Online and offline, you will find me ready for a duel except for the rare occasions I cannot indulge. So, the book that I am going to review or discuss today is Better Chess for Average Players by Tim Harding. This is certainly one of the most renowned books on chess aimed to be useful for those who have just begun playing this game.

“The ultimate aim in a chess game is to checkmate your opponent, but only a beginner will allow you to achieve this without a hard struggle.”

Harding opens the very first chapter in his book with this bold statement. Well, you can also see it a sarcastic jibe on those who begin reading the book – the beginners who fear their loss. 🙂 The book is aimed at telling the beginners how to play chess and not lose (so easily or without a tough fight). The author has tried his best to explain the basics, the moves, the strategy – defence and attack, and also the psychology of the game. So, after reading the book, anyone will have a better understanding of the game in an overall perspective compared to what was there before reading the book. So, if you are an absolute beginner or even an intermediate player of chess, this book, Better Chess for Average Players, is for you!

“The number and placing of the pawns has [sic] a deep influence on the game. In extreme cases, where there are several weak pawns (such as 4.13) the fight for the pawns and associated weak squares determines the players’ strategies completely.”

And there you see it – Tim Harding has used every word in the book to educate, inform and make the readers aware about the nuances of the game in the best possible way and it’s almost impossible to oversee how the author has taken care of these small things in his book. Chess is superb when you play it and it’s equally superb when you read about it. I might call myself a level above the intermediate player in chess and I can win over the beginners and also the rookies. However, there was too much in the book for me as a player who is not a beginner… and I do believe that the theories of chess remain the same for beginners, intermediates and also the advanced players. So, if you think you are many levels up above the beginners in chess, you might need to understand more about strategy, psychology and perspectives of the game that the author has written about.

Fortunately, Indian readers can also buy this book from Amazon India. Yes, you can get a copy from Amazon in digital as well as the physical format – click the link below to buy it now:

Buy the book from Amazon India now – click here

Review by Ashish for Indian Book Critics