Rate Your Own Chess

by F. Donald Bloss

CHESS AT A GLANCE. A highly unusual introduction to this "game of kings," which teaches the principles underlying skill at chess and the strengths and weaknesses of pieces of pieces and positions. The... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0442008295
• ISBN13: 9780442008291
• Release Date: January 1972
• Publisher: VAN NOSTRAND REINHOLD
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.

Customer Reviews

From the Back Cover

"The Bloss book provides a standard method for determining the approximate United States Chess Federation rating of a person who solves the Mate-Rater problems...a good system...I would not hesitate to buy the book..." --Personal Computing "Rate Your Own Chess" is a unique and timely addition to the chess canon. Chess enthusiasts of all levels can test their skill without undergoing extensive play against officially rated experts. This newly revised edition incorporates computer-chess as well as descriptive notation throughout for universal application. The problem-oriented format itself will broaden your repertoire and hone your abilities, as dozens of USCF-rated players who tested the system discovered. You will proceed from relatively easy one-step-to-mate problems to two- and three-move-to-mate stumpers, checking your improvement periodically on the rating tables. Over 85 illustrations provide the visually and psychologically important over-the-board perspective of actual competition.

A Must for the Serious Match Player

This very practical companion for those idle times waiting in line or on a long airline flight. A must for any serious match playing chess player. It contains a graduated set of mate -- rating problems (ranging from mates in three and up) that range in difficulty from moderate to very difficult -- to be solved in under two minutes. There are warm-up problems leading up to the actual "Mate-raters." These are non-trivial problems taken from actual match play with solutions given in the back of the book. Scores conform to the FIDE scoring system and range from 1600 FIDE points (a class "D" Player) up to 2300 ("Master") depending on how quickly the problems are solved. Various tactics and strategies are grouped in an effort to stress given themes or weakness. It contains 85 problems with 65 mate-raters. It is one of my most prized possessions.The diagrams are clear easy to analyze three-dimensional pictorials. A valuable contribution to any chess library. Five Stars