Samurai Chess: Mastering the Martial Art of the Mind

An enjoyable "How to Go for the Juggler" type. Interesting tips applicable from the martial arts. RW

Truly an interesting book to a person how does both Martial Arts and chess (As a side note a have been studying both now for a number of years). The theme was interesting because one of my Teachers actually talks like a chess person when going about how to get in an attack in sparring although he does not play chess, so I have seen this connection before. As a straight chess book it would be on a beginner to an intermediate level. If you take into consideration the philosophies of the book though it becomes more profound. I have read most of the books they use as exerpts and found it to really help blend these two worlds together. It has been said that If you read The Book of Five Rings once you will get something out of it. Twice, you will get something different again. Etc. These books (The Art of War, The Book of Five Rings) are also business books and found in this section if you go to Indigo. So not only is this book talking about chess, it discusses Martial Arts, Business and Life as a Whole (ie. "The Way"). If you can look at this book in this light then it becomes much more than "just a chess book", it becomes something of a reminder of how to live life. Perhaps I lost a couple people there but it boils down to is there are some people who all they do is chess, this book could be an introduction to a new way of looking at things, and new philosophies. So Enjoy!

Being on my school's Chess team, I'm exposed to many strategy guides. Although they can be helpful, they...are....DULL! Maybe I'm just not a serious-enough player, but I don't especially care for memorizing dozens of openings. I want general strategies. Samurai Chess does just that. Besides being a stategy guide, it's a pretty good read, giving insight to an alternative mindset for playing Chess. I could be biased, though, as I am in third-year Japanese and I love their culture.

This is are very interesting book written in a different perspective then most chess books. If you have any backround in the martial arts or enjoy chess, you will enjoy this book, if for nothing else than the unique and interesting position that it endorses. Not only that, but it is a pleasant read as well.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the book's title... Once I started to read it, however, the laughter came to an end. Based loosely on the "Art of War" and "The Five Rings", this book applies the principles of martial artist to the mind of a chessplayer. How to think clearly, train better, and follow through on your plan. The book is peppered with stories from both the history of chess and the history of Japan's Samurai warriors. Fantastic reading. I must say, the chess examples in this book are a little sparse, but the overall concept is well presented. A definite read.