Rowson Jonathan. The Seven Deadly Chess Sins

Gambit Publications, 2001. — 208 p. — ISBN: 1901983366.Everyone loses chess games occasionally, but all too often we lose a game due to moves that, deep down, we knew were flawed. Why do we commit these chess-board sins? Are they the result of general misconceptions about chess and how it should be played better? In this thought-provoking and entertaining book, Jonathan Rowson investigates, in his inimitable style, the main reasons why chess-players sometimes go horribly astray. He focuses on several underlying psychological pitfalls: Thinking (unneceessary or erroneous); Blinking (missing opportunities; lack of resolution); Wanting (too much concern with the result of the game); Materialism (lack of attention to non-material factors); Egoism (insufficient awareness of the opponent and his ideas); Perfectionism (running short of time; trying too hard); and Looseness (''losing the plot''; drifting; poor concentration). A great book for readers interested in understanding why they sometimes make the mistakes that frustrate their efforts at winning!