by Herman Grooten, 412pp. (New In Chess 2009) 

The Road to Positional Advantage

Every club player knows the problem: the opening has ended, and now what?

First find the right plan, then the good moves will follow!

With this book, International Master Herman Grooten presents to amateur players a complete and structured course on:

·         How to recognize key characteristics in all types of positions
·         How to make use of those characteristics to choose the right plan

 

 His teachings are based on the famous "Elements" of Wilhelm Steinitz, but Grooten has significantly expanded and updated the work of the first World Champion. He supplies many modern examples, tested in his own practice as a coach of talented youngsters.

In Chess Strategy for Club Players you will learn the basic elements of positional understanding:
   -- pawn structure
   -- piece placement
   -- lead in development
   -- open files
   -- weaknesses
   -- space advantage
   -- king safety.

You will master the art of converting a temporary plus into other, more permanent advantages.

The author also explains what to do when, in a given position, the basic principles seem to point in different directions. Each chapter of this fundamental primer ends with a set of highly instructive exercises.

Herman Grooten, is an International Master and a chess coach with over 25 years of experience. Quite a few of his pupils have gone on to become grandmasters, among them Loek van Wely and Jan Werle.

From the foreword by Jan Timman:
"This is a highly instructive book for readers who want to improve their chess skills."

Jan van de Mortel, Chess Education Partners, Chicago IL:
“One of my three favorite chess teaching books. Grooten supplies nice examples and great explanation in a very structured way.”

Bernard Cafferty, British Chess Magazine:
"A book that reads well and shows evidence of careful consideration of many points that occur to players in their attempts to improve."

Huub van Dongen, Brabants Centrum:
"A whale of book with over 400 pages, full of fantastic fragments (..) structured methodically, and therefore accessible for diligent chess students and their coaches."

Former British Champion Jonathan Rowson:
"I like the book, which appears to be one of the best in its genre."