Chess Improvement

Written by barry hymer and peter wells, chess improvement: it's all in the mindset is an engaging and instructive guide that sets out how the application of growth mindset principles can accelerate chess improvement. with tim kett and insights from michael adams, david howell, harriet hunt, gawain jones, luke mcshane, matthew sadler and nigel short. foreword by henrik carlsen, father of world champion magnus carlsen. twenty-first-century knowledge about skills development and expertise requires us to keep such mystical notions as fixed 'talentin perspective, and to emphasise instead the dynamic and malleable nature of these concepts. nowhere is this more apparent than in chess, where many gifted players fall prey to plausible but self-defeating beliefs and practices and thereby fail to achieve the levels their 'naturalabilities predicted. happily, however, the reverse can be true too; through learned dispositions such as grit, risk-taking, strategic thinking and a capacity for sheer hard work, players of apparently modest abilities can achieve impressive results. blending theory, practice and the distinct but complementary skills of two authors one an academic (and amateur chess player) and the other a highly regarded england chess olympiad coach (and grandmaster) -chess improvement is an invaluable resource for any aspirational chess player or coach/parent of a chess player. barry and peter draw on interviews conducted with members of england's medal-winning elite squad of players and provide a template for chess improvement rooted in the practical wisdom of experienced chess players and coaches. they also include practical illustrative descriptions from the games and chess careers of both developing and leading players, and pull together themes and suggestions in a way which encourages readers to create their own trajectories for chess improvement. review chess improvement is a brilliant mix of research and practical advice on what it takes to improve at chess (along with great takeaways for other pursuits, too).athere's a great blend of theoretical works, such as from carol dweck, combined with practical insights from the top chess players and coaches. the focus is not on memorising strategies, but on setting up the proper environment and mindset for success.athere's also a nice summary at the end of each chapter with specific advice for parents and coaches. the case is made for a growth mindset, that effort matters, that process matters, that every challenge is a learning opportunity, and that how we structure rewards and even the words we use with ourselves (often inadvertently) and our students can really impact progress. it sounds simple in theory, but the book does a great job in giving specific examples of the top players and coaches who are exemplary in how they approach chess improvement, as well as unfortunate examples of the less experienced who tend to get stuck in their progress.coaches working with young students will benefit immensely from watching how they word their praise or feedback, or even how they structure their lessons in general. i also really enjoyed grandmaster peter wellsinsights and anecdotes which described chess culture both from how the top players really think and approach tournament and training life as well as the culture at the junior tournaments that may be helpful for those who are ready to enter this magical world of chess. chess improvement is a must for all chess educators, as well as for aspiring players (and their parents) of all levels of ability. dmitri shneider, chief financial officer, playmagnus, and chess international master chess improvement is a hugely informative and highly readable account of how you can improve your chess by adopting a growth mindset. it is so reassuring to know that traits like intelligence are not fixed, but can develop with time and effort. barry and peter weave together theory and practice so that b