Grandmaster Meets Chess Amateur

David Norwood takes on the daunting task of improving the chess game of Steve Davis (a household name in Britain according to my British-born wife). So, why was this such a daunting task? 1) Steve was stuck in the rut of being outclassed by his chess computer and yet couldn't seem to find ways to play against human players (in this case his father). 2) Steve was interested in improving but never really understood some basic fundamentals about the game. 3) Steve was lost in the opening, confused in the middlegame and totally disinterested in the endgame. Basically, this is the story behind most beginning chess players. This book allows the reader to follow Steve and David through their lessons ... and how often do you get a chance to be part of a personalized lesson with a grandmaster? David Norwood was the perfect choice for this book because of his dual qualities that he is both highly gifted and undeniably lazy, two qualities of so many chess players. David helps Steve make good general decisions about developing his play without overwhelming him with 20 move variations. The dialog (internal and external) is really entertaining for chess players of all levels and enough for me to highly recommend the book and give it five stars. The book is a very light read with enough diagrams to allow the more industrious reader to follow the games without a chess board. The production of the book has a few problems because often the dialop is not well marked on who is talking (although from content it's obvious). This is also one of the highest quality books in that the paper is a much thicker grade, making it a great gift for the chess enthusiast. This book works for a lot of reasons but it's primarily the wit and repoire of the two authors. Finally, there is a very valuable message that chess should always be enjoyable and this book gives the reader a little extra nudge in that direction.

Norwood is a genius. This book is both the funniest chess book ever written (where else can you see a photo of a guy sitting on the toilet reading a chess book! I have done that so many times), and one of the most instructive beginner/intermediate manuals. The teaching method is by comparing the thought processes of an amateur and a GM, and it works beautifully. I love this book!

This is one of the most entertaining chess books I've ever read. It is laced with wit, charm and a self-depreciating sense of humor.It's fascinating especially to read Steve Davis' thoughts as a non-tournament player approaching the game seriously. Norwood's comments and annotations are likewise enjoyable and easy to read. All in all a most enjoyable book, highly recommended.