English Chess Forum

I recently picked up a secondhand copy of Chess - The Mechanics of the Mind, a book on chess psychology and thinking published in 1987 and written by GM Helmut Pfleger and IM Gerd Treppner. Translated into English from the German and published in the UK by the Crowood Press in 1988.

I thought it was quite a good book, with some bits I'd not seen in other similar books. It ends with a fascinating look at the Kasparov-Karpov matches (as they stood at that time). Has anyone else here got or read a copy, and if so, do you have any thoughts on the book?

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:I recently picked up a secondhand copy of Chess - The Mechanics of the Mind, a book on chess psychology and thinking published in 1987 and written by GM Helmut Pfleger and IM Gerd Treppner. Translated into English from the German and published in the UK by the Crowood Press in 1988.

I thought it was quite a good book, with some bits I'd not seen in other similar books. It ends with a fascinating look at the Kasparov-Karpov matches (as they stood at that time). Has anyone else here got or read a copy, and if so, do you have any thoughts on the book?

I think there's a copy somewhere in the Chess Palace but I haven't read it since 1988 and don't remember a lot about it.

Got a copy. Okay read but nothing memorable.

I have it, good read. I particularly liked the first section around pages 12-14 where they discuss how masters considered concrete forcing continuations. The one chapter I haven't read is the one on the Karpov v Kasparov matches! Is it worth reading?

First published in Germany, by Falken-Verlag GmbH (1987). English translation by John Littlewood, for the Crowood Press, 1988. Many original ideas in this book, in a similar vein to Michael Stean's, "Simple Chess". The Crowood Press is not a main stream chess publisher, which would explain why this good chess book, is not widely known. Remember Helmut Pfleger playing at the Hastings Congress, 1965.

Gordon Cadden wrote:First published in Germany, by Falken-Verlag GmbH (1987). English translation by John Littlewood, for the Crowood Press, 1988. Many original ideas in this book, in a similar vein to Michael Stean's, "Simple Chess". The Crowood Press is not a main stream chess publisher, which would explain why this good chess book, is not widely known. Remember Helmut Pfleger playing at the Hastings Congress, 1965.

Crowood published a few chess books in the 1980s and wanted to expand the list. I applied for the job, was offered it, and turned it down. Apart from the fact that I would have had to take a fairly hefty pay cut, the whole setup seemed a little creaky.