Bill Harvey (1)

A slim but attractive collection of nearly 200 'mate in 2' chess puzzles, which compliments the online compendium of 10,000 chess puzzles at www.wtharvey.com. The book is nicely laid out and has chess puzzles to match the skills of novice and experienced players, with solutions at the back. I personally found the comprehensive online resource more useful, and would suggest starting there. But if you're already a fan of chess puzzles, and want something to do on a rainy sunday afternoon, then this is a treat.… (más)

This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaway

After reviewing and using one of Bill Harvey’s previous books, 100 major chess upsets of 2010, I was given the opportunity to review this book. Mr. Harvey has taken almost 200 historic chess puzzles from his website of over 10,000 puzzles and published them along with their solutions. These puzzles are extremely challenging.

You must know how to play chess, understand chess notation, and be an adequate player in order to effectively use this book. Since I do not like to use the computer to play chess, this book allows me to set up the puzzle on a chessboard and think about the possible solutions. My grandsons and I did several of the puzzles in this book and, to be perfectly truthful, they were much better at finding the correct solution than I was. But I find that using this book along with Mr. Harvey’s previous book is improving my skills. I can recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the fine points of the game.… (más)

This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaway

Bill Harvey has published this book containing 100 chess problems and their solutions. The board is pictured with the side making the next move indicated. Solutions are in the back of the book.

First, this is not a book on how to play chess. You need to know enough about the game to follow common chess notation. There is no key in the book explaining the use of these conventions. Also a high level of expertise is needed to be able to solve the puzzles.

I found it necessary to set up my chess board since, unlike a friend, I cannot visualize moves without the setup. I expected that these puzzles would be similar to the ones in the old Games Magazine of the 80s which were challenging. These were more so. My grandsons and I spent the weekend setting up puzzles and trying to duplicate the solutions. I set up one where white mates in the next move. I couldn’t see it and neither did my older grandson. The eight year old came over, glanced at the board and moved the white queen to exactly the spot indicated in the solution. I’ll never be as good a player as the kids are but the book was a lot of fun for all three of us.

The editor has a website with a lot more chess puzzles and solutions when you’ve finished this book and need more challenges.… (más)