Book Review - The Amateur's Mind by IM Jeremy Silman

Book Review: The Amateur’s Mind by IM Jeremy Silman

I don’t read many chess books these days. I’ve bought plenty over the years, but most ended up half-read, their lessons lost somewhere along the way.

But I think I’ve finally found “the” book that I’ll actually stick with: The Amateur’s Mind by IM Jeremy Silman. I’m only about halfway through, but it’s been absolutely brilliant so far.

He has this great way of describing what amateur players (like most of us!) tend to overlook. He compares how players of different ratings assess the same position, and it’s fascinating to see how the thinking diverges, and what we miss. I certainly found it to be an eye-opener for understanding where your game stands and how to evaluate positions better.

I’ll admit, his talk about “imbalances” can feel a bit heavy at first. But once you see how those ideas translate into practical advantages, it really clicks into place. It’s the kind of concept that grows on you as you read.

Honestly, I can see myself coming back to this book again and again.

Writing this got me thinking about how we all study chess books. I’ve tried just reading, and I’ve tried using a board alongside, but what works best for me is pairing the book with my computer (not the phone!). It saves me time when setting up and resetting positions, and the bigger screen feels like a great middle ground between a real board and digital convenience.

That setup has been perfect for working through Silman’s ideas, and I can’t recommend the book and the approach enough.