Book Recap #6 : Woodpecker Method and Rapid Chess Improvement with Neal Bruce

This month on Chess Books Recaptured, I am joined by Neal Bruce. Neal is the head of product management for a software startup, a dad, and a dedicated adult improver who has built a following on Twitter by sharing a lot of the chess puzzles on which he is always working.

For this month’s book review podcast, Neal suggested that we discuss two groundbreaking chess tactics books, Rapid Chess Improvement (2002) by Michael de la Maza and The Woodpecker Method (2018) by GM Axel Smith and GM Hans Tikkanen. As we explain, these chess books have significant differences between them, but they share a common thread in that they both strongly emphasize the efficacy of using spaced repetition to better assimilate tactical patterns and to improve chess visualization skills. Whether you are a chess player, chess teacher or both, it is important to be aware of the benefits of spaced repetition and to give some thought to how best to incorporate it into a chess training routine.

In our conversation, we summarize and offer our opinions of each book, and discuss the experiences that other chess players have had using the training methods that these books advocate. As always, please read on for lots more details, links and timestamps.

0:00- We begin by introducing this month’s guest co-host, Neal Bruce.

Guest co-host application form here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/co-host

Chris Chabris Perpetual Chess interview here: https://podcasts.apple.com/jm/podcast/ep-95-uscf-master-cognitive-scientist-christopher-chabris/id1185023674?i=1000421410393

7:40- First up is a discussion of the controversial tactics manifesto, Rapid Chess Improvement by Michael de la Maza.

Mentioned: USCF Master Dan Heisman, Dan Heisman’s Chess.com article, The Michael de la Maza story, de la Maza’s Chess Cafe article here, GM Ben Finegold, IM Jeremy Silman, Silman review of Rapid Chess Improvement here: https://www.jeremysilman.com/book-review/rapid-chess-improvement/ IM Christopher Yoo, Young-Kyu Yoo, Chess.com thread discussing Rapid Chess Improvement, Polgar’s Chess Tactics for Champions, CT-Art

30:00- This episode is brought to you in part by Chessable. It provides a great way to train with and learn the Woodpecker Method. Check it out here: https://www.chessable.com/the-woodpecker-method/course/10582/

31:00- We introduce and discuss the excellent 2018 book, The Woodpecker Method by GMs Axel Smith and Hans Tikkanen from Quality Chess.

Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating by GM Axel Smith,, IM Andreas Skytte Hagen, and Talent is Overrated by Geoffrey Colvin, A free excerpt of the Woodpecker Method is available from this link: https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/327/the_woodpecker_method_by_axel_smith_and_hans_tikkanen/, IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Steam of the Woodpecker Method can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVp5Aaip2NECv2nW2GhWPqOjWqZW2h1xP

51:00- We discuss the experiences that some other chess players have had using the Woodpecker Method. Mentioned: NM Elijah Logozar, IM Kostya Kavutskiy, IM Andrew Greet’s blog regarding The Woodpecker Method is here: http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/blog/category/woodpecker-method, FM Gabriel Petesch, 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations by Fred Reinfeld

58:30- We discuss some other tactics books that could be effective with the Woodpecker Method.

Bain- Chess Tactics for Students:

Simple Checkmates by Gillem

Polgars Chess Tactics for Champions

Tactics Time 1 and 2

Practical Chess Exercises

1:04:00- I almost forgot to discuss Chess Twitter Superstar Mr. Dodgy’s success with De La Maza’s recommendations.

Mentioned: CT-Art 3.0

Chess Reddit Thread about Rapid Chess Improvement here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/osyqa/the_problem_with_michael_de_la_mazas_rapid_chess/

Jenn Shahade, How I Beat FIscher’s Record by GM Judit Polgar, The Metrowest Chess Club in Massachusets

1:09- Thanks to Neal Bruce for joining me, you can often find him at The Metrowest Chess Club in Massachusetts, and you can follow him on twitter here:

https://twitter.com/nealbrucebc?lang=en

1:10- Blindfold Puzzle Time

Puzzle #1-

White: Qa8, Ne2, Kb1

Black: Pawn h3, g2, King h2

Diagram without solution here:

https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=CtHlIdi7v5KwhYZKLeX8KdwATJb4Z+RYNB4gL3s0KIl/bXhLJciNi3uIyyyTvFVK

Puzzle #2-

King on e6, Pawn on f5, Pawn on h2

Black- Pawn on g7, King on e4

Diagram without Solution here: https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=rXk3i7RQycyvOctzSUHBDFSJro9imf2wP2eVil+22YlpuPK+wk5sBX+H3SSccNUL

Diagram with Solution here:

https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=azBNpAgXY9oGDztWmyP+q2v3Mt0fa94dgPdcUtHMz2erkqRWd4lmlQlsJtwSnpUw

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https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/donate

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