Summary: Train Like a Grandmaster

As the continued success of Train like a Grandmaster and Play as a Grandmaster (numbers 9 and 10 of this collection) Alexander Kotov can be considered the most penetrating and attractive chess writer of the last decade. In his books he always placed great emphasis on understanding, planning and training, insisting that success in chess, as in any sport, depends on both talent and hard personal work.

In this his posthumous work, Kotov shows how current Soviet training methods can help any player progress, no matter what his strength. As in previous books, Kotov directly addresses the great problems and challenges of chess, and achieves success, producing an eminently practical book, full of content.

"Train like a Grandmaster" is, in my opinion, the worst of the three ("Play as ...", "Think like ..." and "Train as ..."), by far.

Three pages do not go by without Karpov (which seems very good to me, but it turns out to be tiresome), proposes ideas that are a bit absurd (create a kind of prize-giving "the Oscars" to the most interesting games, combinations , ..?), and something else I don't remember right now.

As a "curious" book it is worth, but little else. It is interesting how chess teaching was structured in the former USSR, the tournament system, ...

However, "Play as ..." I think it's a very good book. In my modest (modest!) Opinion is the best in the middle of the game. It is very well explained and with the right examples. As a learning book of analysis, assessment and general strategy I see it very good, simple and understandable.

"Think like .." I find it less applicable to practice and with perhaps less tuned examples. Although it also seems a very good book (not as much as "Play as ...", for which I have weakness, it shows, no? Heh, heh, heh)

I repeat that this is my modest opinion. Surely I have not studied as many books as you.