Three Hundred Chess Games

This edition may not include the autobiographical details, but even the German original does not tell the most important detail: Game No. 11 is played blindfold by an 18 year old Tarrasch. The original does not mention how the young player learned to play blindfolded, after starting studying chess 15 years old. Probably the chess genius learned it just by studying the chess books available in the 1870es. That is not enough for most of us average talented, however, we need persistent work to improve our visualisation ability, not to think about blindfold skills. This path is necessary to walk to better our tactical skills. Without tactics we can't do anything in chess and studying the present book will then have limited impact.300 chess games is not move by move annotated. When your tactical vision improves, and thus your ability to see the position, comments on trivial moves become annoying, however. Tarrasch does never insult your intelligence. If you need annotation to see a mate in one, you should fix that problem before you start studying annotated games, because the annotations will not help you start seeing the board and stop blundering. Training visualisation and tactics will therefore be much more helpful to develop your strength.That said, Tarrasch explains very much when warranted, not only tactics but also strategy. There is very much explanation. You will become a much better player after studying these games - in depth! By all means, don't skip the variations. You won't improve without aiming to visualise each one.The 300 master games are not of modern super grandmaster quality. These games are much closer to games played at club level. Tarrasch teaches us the fundamentals of the game, and he does it in a way that improves my ability to think in chess.The question is not if these 300 games of chess are good enough for us average Joe's, but if we are good enough for them.

The 1 star rating is not for the contents of the book, but for the product. I would have given 5 stars for the content of the book. Tarrasch’s masterpiece should be in every chess lover’s bookshelf.However, the product I received is not a book but a bunch of loose sheets stacked between the covers. I have attached a picture. These sheets are probably computer generated printouts of the pdf of the original book by Hays. They seller should have at least bound the book into a real book before they consigned it to the buyer.This bad experience takes away 4 stars from the rating.

There is almost nothing that i can add about this excellent book,knowledgeable trainers recommend the study of well annotated games as one of best ways for players to improve, well this classic has being doing that for well over a century!!

Great book...great games....Explanations do by Tarrasch....nothing more to say...and algebric notation...then....buy It!!!

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that the very first move in the very first game in this book, which was made by no less than a young Siegbert Tarrasch himself as white (vs a Herr Mendelsohn) is: 1.a3!

Classic.