This book covers a topic that often eludes the average player, and it is a broad discussion of how intuition can be used in various aspects of the game. Just about every player, when analyzing with a stronger player, has come across a point where the stronger player, without much discussion, declares that he/she “knows” a move to be the right one. Often it is hard for the player to articulate just why this is so, and this book seeks to provide at least an explanation of why this situation exists in certain kinds of positions.

Even with the explosion of chess books covering a variety of topics, the authors have found an area that has received relatively little coverage. You’ll find lots of books devoted to improving calculation, understanding tactics and strategic play, but most of these are concerned with the concrete evaluation and execution of a plan with a definable end result. Understanding and utilizing chess intuition would seem to be about defining something that isn’t definable.

Given this state of affairs, it is understandable that the authors spend several pages in the introduction explaining just what is intuition. They explore definitions from grandmasters (Anand’s “intuition is the first move I see in a position, Pfleger’s belief that it is something that cannot be substantiated rationally, and is in effect a feeling, etc.). They also reach their own conclusion – that it is the knowledge we have formed in our minds on a purely subconscious level.

The book deals with all parts of the game (opening, middlegame, endgame) and provides a variety of methods for utilizing intuition in these areas. While there are plenty of opening examples and a ten-page chapter devoted to the endgame, the bulk of the coverage focuses on the middlegame. Within this realm, the discussion often can be split into intuition that is combinative or positional. The largest single chapter in the book is devoted to combinative intuitive decisions, and there are others, such as the opening chapter devoted to the intuition of Mikhail Tal, that are generally tactical in nature. As a counterweight, chapters on improving the worst placed piece, exchanging, and “which rook” are generally more positional in nature.

In all, there are 19 chapters, and the discussion does cover a variety of topics. Besides those listed above, the book covers simple intuitive decisions; exchange sacrifices; piece sacrifices for two pawns; queen sacrifices; pawn sacrifices; mysterious quiet moves; analysis, intuition and mistakes in judgement; intuition and risk; psychological factors; Suetin on intuition; and a test for the reader to judge their own intuition. There is also an index of players and openings.

Because the authors choose to cover so many areas, the discussion within the examples chosen is limited. The coverage is more focused on the moves than drawn out discussions of the factors surrounding the intuitive decisions themselves. In many ways, this is a catalogue of the types of positions that may lead to intuitive decisions. This, of course, fits with the author’s description of chess intuition – you have to be exposed to the types of positions and ideas and let your chess subconscious soak them in for them to take root and appear in your own play.

Of course, the counter is that it’s hard for these ideas to take root when the seeds haven’t been fertilized all that much. This reminds me of a famous statement, perhaps by Tartakower, that he could find Alekhine’s combinations, he just couldn’t get the positions that led to them. There are a variety of moments in the book where I would have loved for the authors to stop and explain why this particular point was one where the chess intuition would kick in. For example, in the chapter on exchanging as an intuitive decision, we have a typical English position where white exchanges his bishop for knight with Bg2xc6. In this game, white proceeds to put his rook on g1 (in response to …Bh3), keep his king in the center, and win by applying pressure against the weak pawns. While the moves may seem instructive enough, the scant comment surrounding them leads me to wonder whether many players will really pick up on this example and add it to their chess subconscious.

I suppose the authors would suggest that players should absorb the material, and the additional examples will eventually kick in, subconscious-wise. However, doesn’t this require understanding? I’m not sure that enough of that is provided in some parts of the book.

In the end, I think this book is most useful for certain types of players. There are many players who are afraid of trying anything that they cannot analyze to a logical conclusion. There certainly are times when a player should trust their instinct and not succumb to timidity. In general, I think the book is written for a slightly stronger than average audience. It is likely to be the somewhat experienced player, perhaps around 2000 ELO (or, alternatively, those possessing strong fundamentals and heading toward that level) who will benefit from developing a greater trust in their intuition.

In conclusion, this is an interesting book on a subject that has not received much coverage to date. While the chapter topics are interesting and the examples well chosen, the book glosses over some important discussion of the mechanics of developing intuition. As a result, it is probably more useful for more advanced players seeking to expand their chess horizons than the average tournament player.

Click to see Donaldson’s and Silman’s reviews of this book.

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