Worst Chess Writing Ever?

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  • Gary Ruben
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Neil Sullivan View Post

    I made the purchase before reading last week's review and have been looking the book over for a couple of weeks.
    For me the major question is if a person can improve his chess from the book.

    I don't care if he writes with an accent. I only care if the title fairly represents the content of the book. In you opinion, does the title fairly represent the content of the book?

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  • Neil Sullivan
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Egidijus Zeromskis View Post
    What was an impulse that you've purchased this book?
    Hi, I'm not sure I understand your question. If you're asking why I bought it, it was because the writer is close to my age and rating so I wanted to compare his book to mine.

    I made the purchase before reading last week's review and have been looking the book over for a couple of weeks. Even if I had read the review first, I might have still bought it out of morbid curiosity. :)

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  • Egidijus Zeromskis
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Neil Sullivan View Post
    I just reread it and wouldn't call it glowing. It seemed to me that the reviewer's praise was distinctly qualified.
    What was an impulse that you've purchased this book?

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  • Neil Sullivan
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Craig Sadler View Post
    if i remember properly, the review was quite positive in chesscafe...
    I just reread it and wouldn't call it glowing. It seemed to me that the reviewer's praise was distinctly qualified.

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  • Craig Sadler
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    if i remember properly, the review was quite positive in chesscafe...

    Leave a comment:


  • Neil Sullivan
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Egidijus Zeromskis View Post
    The book is reviewed at chesscafe: "Hortillosa spent a number of years in the military and his writing often reflects a somewhat stiff military style, as in ..."
    I would consider writing that was a little stiff and terse to be "military style". This is just plain bad.

    Just because it's a chess book shouldn't be an excuse for incomprehensible language.
    Last edited by Neil Sullivan; Monday, 22nd March, 2010, 03:50 PM.

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  • Peter Bokhout
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Egidijus Zeromskis View Post
    The book is reviewed at chesscafe: "Hortillosa spent a number of years in the military and his writing often reflects a somewhat stiff military style, as in ..."
    About ten years or so ago a whole set of books came out from the good ole U.S.A about "How to become an A player", and "How to become a B player", and perhaps even, if I recall "How to become a C player"! These would have to at least qualify as in the running for the worst chess book ever!

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  • Egidijus Zeromskis
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Originally posted by Neil Sullivan View Post
    Has anyone looked at "Improving Your Chess at any Age" by Andres D. Hortilosa? It's from Everyman (2009).
    The book is reviewed at chesscafe: "Hortillosa spent a number of years in the military and his writing often reflects a somewhat stiff military style, as in ..."

    Leave a comment:


  • Lucas Davies
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Holy CRAP that guy rules.

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  • John Coleman
    replied
    Re: Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Sounds like good advice for the organiser of that Bramption active, currently being dissed in another thread. Can't accuse him of "falsifying the idea first".

    Leave a comment:


  • Neil Sullivan
    started a topic Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Worst Chess Writing Ever?

    Has anyone looked at "Improving Your Chess at any Age" by Andres D. Hortilosa? It's from Everyman (2009).

    The book is interesting, but the prose is beyond tortured. I was going to put up a selection of quotes, but abandoned the notion as too painful. So, I'll just offer up the worst I have found so far:

    "When you can take something away from your opponent, wisely resist the urge and falsify the idea first before biting into the apple."

    It isn't clear who the editor is. If it was me, I wouldn't have put my name to it either.

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