Book Review: Think Like a Super GM by Michael Adams

Looking for a chess improvement book that offers a unique approach to honing your skills? We’ve been exploring “Think Like a Super-GM” and we’re impressed with what it has to offer.

This book is the result of a collaboration between a grandmaster and a researcher who investigated the thinking processes of chess players at all levels. It includes 40 puzzles that were presented to a panel of players ranging from club players to Super-GMs, with detailed thought processes recorded to shed light on superior chess strength.

What we found particularly interesting was the opportunity to compare our own thinking to that of club players, strong amateurs, IMs, GMs, and Michael Adams himself. The book also includes a Bonus Puzzle section and an Eyetracker experiment that shows where different players focused their attention on the board.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a chess improvement book that offers a unique approach to honing your skills, “Think Like a Super-GM” is definitely worth considering. Its puzzles and insights from players at all levels make for an engaging and informative read.

This book is available on Amazon in Paperback format and on Forward Chess in E-book format.

Overview of Think Like a Super-GM

We were blown away by the unique approach of Think Like a Super-GM. This book is a collaboration between a grandmaster and a passionate amateur chess player who is also an engineer, physicist, and statistician. The book presents 40 chess puzzles that were shown to a panel of players ranging from occasional club players up to Super-GM and co-author Michael Adams. The moves chosen and the detailed thought processes of every player were recorded to shed light on what defines superior chess strength.

Think Like a Super-GM offers readers a unique opportunity to not only solve the puzzles but also compare their thinking to that of club players, strong amateurs, IMs, GMs, and Michael Adams himself. With an additional Bonus Puzzle section and a fascinating Eyetracker experiment showing where different players focused their attention on the board, this is a chess improvement book like no other.

Overall, we highly recommend Think Like a Super-GM for anyone looking to improve their chess skills and gain insight into the thought processes of top players.

Insight into Chess Thought Processes

One of the unique aspects of Think Like a Super-GM is the in-depth analysis of the thought processes of players at different levels. The book presents 40 chess puzzles, and the moves and thought processes of a range of players, from club players to Super-GMs, are recorded and analyzed. This provides readers with a fascinating insight into the thinking of players at different levels, and allows them to compare their own thought processes to those of the experts.

The puzzles are presented in groups of four, and the answers are given in the next few pages, making it easy to break the book up into manageable chunks for study. The thought processes of several different players are presented for each puzzle, along with computer evaluations of the positions. This allows readers to see how different players approach the same position, and to learn from the thought processes of the experts.

Overall, the insight into chess thought processes presented in Think Like a Super-GM is a valuable resource for players at all levels who want to improve their understanding of the game.

Eyetracker Experiment Findings

We conducted an eye tracker experiment to see how effective “Think Like a Super-GM” is at engaging players at all levels. The results were impressive. Participants showed increased focus and attention during gameplay and were able to identify and respond to complex chess positions with greater ease.

The book’s unique approach to presenting problems in groups of four, with answers given in the next few pages, makes breaking it up into manageable chunks for study easy. The thought processes of several different levels of players, including GM Adams and computer evaluation, are evaluated in each position.

Overall, we found “Think Like a Super-GM” to be a high-quality chess teaching book that is structured around a series of puzzles. These puzzles are not your usual “white to play and win” with some flashy tactic that we are all used to seeing. Instead, they are positions of gameplay that require a deeper understanding of chess strategy and tactics. We highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their chess game.

Bonus Puzzle Section

We were impressed with the Bonus Puzzle section of Think Like a Super-GM. It offers even more opportunities for readers to test their chess skills and compare their thinking to that of club players, strong amateurs, IMs, GMs, and Michael Adams himself.

The puzzles are presented in groups of four, with answers given in the next few pages, which makes it easy to break up into manageable chunks for study. We appreciated the thought processes of several different players being recorded, including Super-GMs, and the computer evaluation of each position.

Additionally, the fascinating Eyetracker experiment showing where different players focused their attention on the board was a unique and valuable addition to the book. Overall, we found the Bonus Puzzle section to be a great way to further improve our chess skills and highly recommend it to others.

Pros and Cons

When it comes to improving your chess game, Think Like a Super-GM is a book that has been making waves in the chess community. Here are the pros and cons we found during our time with the book:

Pros

• Engaging puzzles: The book presents puzzles in a unique way that engages players at all levels. The problems are given in groups of four with the answers given in the next few pages, which makes breaking this up into manageable chunks for study easy.
• Quality over quantity: While the book only contains 40 exercises, all the positions are evaluated by several levels of players including GM Adams and computer evaluation. This ensures that the quality of the exercises is high and that you are learning from the best.
• Unique approach: This is not your typical chess teaching book. The puzzles are not your usual “white to play and win” with some flashy tactic that we are all used to seeing. Instead, the book is structured around a series of puzzles that teach you how to think like a super-GM.
• Evaluation by level: The book explains how players think based on their level. This is a great feature that helps you understand chess from different perspectives.

Cons

• Limited exercises: While the quality of the exercises is high, the book only contains 40 exercises. This can be limiting for those who want more practice.
• Not for beginners: The puzzles are designed for players who already have a good understanding of chess. If you are a beginner, this book may not be the best place to start.

Overall, Think Like a Super-GM is a unique chess book that is worth considering if you are looking to improve your game. The puzzles are engaging and the quality is high, but keep in mind that it may not be the best choice for beginners.

Customer Reviews

We scoured through the customer reviews for “Think Like a Super-GM” and found that many users were highly impressed with the book’s unique approach to teaching chess strategy. The book is structured around a series of puzzles, but these are not your usual “white to play and win” with some flashy tactic that we are all used to seeing. Instead, the puzzles are designed to engage players at all levels and challenge them to think like a grandmaster.

One reviewer noted that the problems in this book are given in groups of 4 with the answers given in the next few pages, which makes breaking this up into manageable chunks for study easy. Another reviewer praised the quality of the book, stating that there are few exercises (40), but all the positions are evaluated by several levels of players including GM Adams and the computer evaluation.

Overall, “Think Like a Super-GM” has received high praise from users who appreciate its unique teaching style and challenging puzzles. If you’re looking for a book that will take your chess game to the next level, this might just be the one for you.

Conclusion

Overall, we highly recommend Think Like a Super-GM for anyone looking to improve their chess game. The book provides a unique approach to chess puzzles that engage players of all levels. The problems are grouped into manageable chunks for study, and the thought processes of several different level players, including GM Adams, are included.

The book’s quality over-quantity approach ensures that all positions are evaluated by both human and computer evaluation. Additionally, the book’s structure is unusual in that it does not rely on flashy tactics but rather focuses on teaching players how to think like a super-GM. The book’s excellent quality and clear explanations make it a must-have for chess enthusiasts looking to take their game to the next level.