The Beginner's Game

Many top chessplayers are highly critical of this book.One needs to know that this book is aimed for the casual, casual club, or hobby player who doesn't have a lot of time to study chess. While many may dissagree on different things of this controversial book, all will agree (even GMs) that this system is the easiest to learn and somewhat very hard to beat, provided that the system is mastered and both players are of the intermediate level (1400-1650 elo).The genius behind the book (something the author may not be aware of) is that this book points to a feasible way to prove chess is a draw. If one can create an ideal setup and rules with black and prove systematically that such a position with rules can only lead to a draw at worst. Then the game of chess can be solved. This is possible to do since they are many positions in chess that can be proven to have a certain outcome without the use of using brute force. One can show the plans for one side and easily show that the other side cannot stop it (especially in a fortress type of position).I play chess off and on casually. After I learned a little from the book I tested it against other humans. My results were somewhat the same (not better) at first. But the more I learned and got use to the system I hardly ever lose against them (We are all in the 1500-1650elo range).I made a special chess engine opening book that contained all the opening moves, variations, and plans of this book. It took me a mighty long time to do this. Then I used the strongest engine (Rybka) with this book against all other top chess programs (they used their own books). The result was that Rybka had nearly the same score (within 5%) as it did with its own book (but with more draws and less losses). This alone shows that this system can be played at Grandmaster level with good results (especially at blitz).So if you at least 1500elo level in tactics and don't have much time to study chess or the opening or don't want to remember tons of chess theory and variations up the butt then this book is definitely the best way to go. You will definitely learn many times faster this system than any single one chess opening with all its main varitions without having to remember anything. This system is a tough nut to crack and it has plenty of counter attacking chances as one will see in the games. I let the chess computer prove this for me already. I am certain that a 1600 level player who mastered this system can always get good results playing almost anyone (especially at blitz).My only suggestion what be to update this book using a GM using this system playing against other GMs and newer chess engines (on modern hardware).Let the GM and chess engine correct any simple mistakes (bad moves made by either the author or his chess engine opponent) that is in the book or have them give further insight to more options of attack and defense.Or in short, update this book using a GM's and newer chess engine's help.This would keep chess alive longer. Fischer claimed that it is a dead game now due to the tons of opening theory must know to compete at high levels. I agree with him somewhat. Chess at the GM level is dying. Soon many will reach the human memorization limit of opening lines and most games would end in a dead draw. And thus chess would be surely dead.

First of all, one shouldn't expect the book to be a holy grail when it comes to opening theory. It isn't going to promise an opening advantage and you most likely end up with a slightly worse position since you are conceding space. However; there is that advantage of "being more familiar" at arising positions than your opponent. Eventually after playing this opening you will notice that there are certain opponents who rely on opening advantage to win and become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Simply put, you bypass the opening phase into a playable middlegame. And middlegame strategies also repeat to the point where your opponent may not be familar as say defending against the Bayonett Attack in a King's Indian Defense.As far as performance is concerned, what I felt that blitz is the best use of this system. That way you bypass all that "canned" theory you opponents would usually like to showcase. You opponents can't say, "Hey, I know all 500 sub-variations of my Sicilian Najdorf." [and for those of you that know the exact number...keep up the good work...I guess] And in tourneyment play it is a great secret weapon to throw off your opponent. Perhaps the match is tied and he knows you are going to play the French and he is ready for it...WRONG! Bust out the B-system giving you a psychological edge.So basically from the standpoint above it is an effective work, regardless of the authors credentials: and I've seen worse works from IM's!

For some reason, my review isn't showing up with a verified purchase, but I have the book on the desk next to me as I type, so I'm not makin' stuff up. The opening discussed here is also known as "The Hippopotamus," or at least, variations of the Hippo that include the double fianchetto and knights on the second rank in front of the King and Queen: complete symmetry, in other words, with all development restricted to the first three ranks, effectively daring your opponent to cross the center line and risk attempting to disrupt your barricade of pawns and shielded pieces. It reminds me of the Viking shield wall defense, which was really, really aggravating to the enemy and contained more poison than at first it seemed, as the enemy often got a spear in the gut if they presumed to storm the shield wall. There are actually two other books on Amazon that deal with this crouching strategy, one by Andrew Martin, which I have, and the other by Eric Briffoz. Andrew Martin is always fun to read; I haven't read Briffoz. I like the Beginner's Game because it is indeed a "system" book, with a general game plan backed up by detailed strategic and tactical ideas, depending on what your opponent tries to do. You will, as one reviewer says, be able to obtain your setup almost without reference to your opponent's moves, though you do have to be careful of a few things, all of which are covered in some detail in the book. If your opponent is unfamiliar with this maddeningly symmetrical, crouching, passive structure, he/she will burn up clock time trying to figure it out and may well overreach. YOU, on the other hand, will presumably have a plan and spend much less time on making decisions. This is a useful tactic in blitz, without a doubt. For example, one player I knew always played the King's Indian Attack as white because he could play the first seven moves no matter what his opponent played. He also made a deep study of the middle game and tactics, so he would gain more time there, too, and he knew how to punish mistakes. The KIA served him well through Expert level tournament play, and against almost anyone short of IM level in blitz, simply because of the time advantage. I can see where The Beginner's Game would confer similar temporal and psychological advantages, and it is less likely to be known than the KIA. The Beginner Game contains 100 example games with comment to illustrate how the strategy and game plans unfold. The games GM level, it's true, but they're plenty good enough for club players. I would also suggest looking at the course, Deep Dive, Vol. 1: Double-Fianchetto Domination by GM Damian Lemos on iChess.net (expensive). I have noticed a number of double-fianchetto GM tournament games of late, which suggests there's more life in the Hippo than previously thought. The Beginner Game makes a good introduction to an alternative approach. There's a lot of room for creativity in this opening as well. You must accept assuming a passive position in the opening, but the Beginner Game will give you an edge in finding weaknesses and exploiting them.

I agree with all the other positive reviewers, this book is excellent! My games against my chess computers last much longer, and I beat them at stronger levels of play!!