Who says that you can’t learn from the games of amateurs? Renowned chess instructor and writer Dan Heisman presents thirty games by intermediate-level players, each one offering a rich variety of lessons in practical competitive play for all chess enthusiasts.

The catalog of errors runs the gamut from taking too much (or too little!) time to think, to shoddy calculation, cutting off analysis too soon, and ignoring the principles of sound strategy. Using gentle humor, Coach Heisman gives a blow-by-blow account and patiently dissects the players’ thinking process, offering tips for improving clock management and making better decisions at the board.

Because the advantage can swing wildly back and forth, amateur games can be entertaining as well as instructive. Heisman gives a choice selection of cases of chess suicide, for the purpose of suggesting what the victim could have done to prevent disaster. Learn from this – better them than you!