Think first or think later - part 2

This is a different kind of review. It's not just a review of one book, but two (actually three). Therefore, it's written in two parts, and this is part 2. I have chosen the book Move first, think later by Willy Hendriks and Understanding before moving by Herman Grooten (which is actually a series, with two books so far). The main reason I chose these books is that the titles indicate completely opposite views of how to approach chess: Think before you move or just move and think later. So how should a patzer like me make sense of this?

I read this book using the Forward Chess app on my iPad. This is especially handy when it comes to books like this, which tend to have many and long variations. I find that when it comes to openings, it helps to see each move played out. Also, the book has a collection of entire games, which can easily be displayed using the app. The Forward Chess app is truly excellent for this kind of book.

What can you expect from this book?

Althought the title of the book suggests that this is a book on middle games, it is actually an opening book. Volume 1 deals with the Italian and Spanish openings, and volume 2 deals with Queen's gambit openings. As explained in the preface to vol 2, ”This series of books deals with the central question: how does one identify the essence of opening positions?”. The approach is similar to the Starting out series from Everyman chess, in the sense that these are opening books for club players. You get an overview of the most important principles and major plans of the openings without too many variations. One main message is that you need to understand what you are doing, and not just memorize moves.

Without any comprehension, this opening becomes unplayable. (...) What this means is that the guidelines of the middlegame need to be studied, before one can start on the opening variation.

This quote really summarizes the book's intent: You should understand what you are trying to achieve in the opening, and follow one of the main plans that are available within the given pawn structure. Grooten puts emphasis on the pawn structure that the opening leads to, and suggests that this is the basis for formulating a plan and derive the proper placement of the pieces. This is an idea that has a lot in common with the book Pawn structure chess by Andrew Soltis. Thus, one could say that Understanding before moving is a combination of a "Starting out" book and Pawn structure chess. Since each volume focuses on structures from certain openings, you can choose a volume that deals with the kind of openings you play. The books can be read separately.

The book presents the main opening variations and associated plans. For each opening variation and possible plan, there are examples in the form of master games. The games are well annotated, and fairly easy to follow. In addition, there are a number of "model games" at the end of the book. These are, however, not annotated. The book ends with a few exercises by which you can test your understanding of the content.

Who should read this book?

This is an opening book written specifically for club players. You should probably have a fair grasp of basic opening principles and tactics before picking up a book like this. In order to get the most out of the book, you should have some experience with the openings at hand. So if you are a club player aiming to improve your openings, this should be a good choice.

About this book

Author:	Herman Grooten
Title:	Understanding before moving (part 1 & 2)
Type of book:	Opening theory
Level:	Intermediate