Book Recap #14 : The Seven Deadly Chess Sins by GM Jonathan Rowson 01:29:22

Perpetual Chess is back with another monthly bonus edition of Chess Books Recaptured. This month  Chicago-based law professor, dad, and speed chess specialist, David Franklin joins me. Like me, David is a long-time fan of the writing of GM Jonathan Rowson, and of his 2000 book, The Seven Deadly Chess Sins, in particular.  Due to its  uniquely philosophical, digressive tone and its advanced chess subject matter, The Seven Deadly Chess Sins is not universally loved. Nonetheless, both podcast hosts and many other chess fans consider it to be a classic. In our conversation, we define and discuss each of GM Rowson’s 7 "chess sins", as well as sharing a bit of information about the author, the guest-co-host, and of course, a few of our favorite quotes. Please read on for many more details, links, and timestamps!

 

0:00- Why does David love this book? Why is this book somewhat polarizing despite many rave reviews? 

Mentioned: Perpetual Chess Episode 193 with Tom Murphy, Adult Improver Episode 151 with JJ Lang 

 

08:30- We discuss GM Rowson’s background and his other chess books briefly. 

Mentioned: Understanding the Grunfeld,Chess For Zebras, The Moves that Matter, Perpetual Chess Episode 150 with GM Jonathan Rowson, IM Andras Toth, IM John Watson’s review of Seven Deadly Chess Sins: Some Products and Two First-Rate Books

 

12:00- What other books might have been the intellectual inspirations of this unique book? 

Mentioned: Facebook Chess Collectors Group, The Chess Mind by Gerald Abraham,  Secrets of Practical Chess, Improve Your Chess Now, Genius in Chess, Improve Your Chess Now Book Recap Podcast with FM Alex Chua, Alex King, Godol, Escher and Bach, Emotional Intelligence, Richard James, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,  Dynamics of Chess Strategy, GM David Navara 

 

15:00- For what rating level is this book best suited? 

 

20:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com! 

Check out their blog here: 

https://chessmood.com/blog

 and check out their YouTube, featuring Lessons with a Grandmaster here:

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChessMood

20:45- We discuss Sin #1- “Thinking”- lack of faith in intuition, and “bureaucracy”

Mentioned: “Talking to Your Pieces”, Tom Murphy 

 

27:00- Sin #2- “Blinking” Identifying, missing critical moments 

Mentioned: Bobby Fischer, Russians vs. Fischer , GM Alex Yermolinksy’s The Road to Chess Improvement, The Road to Chess Improvement Recap Podcast, Episode 7 with GM Jon Ludvig Hammer 

 

31:00-  Sin #3- “Wanting” Attachment to results, carelessness, ‘chalking it up’ expectation 

Mentioned: “The Theory of Infinite Resistance,” FM Bill Jordan, GM Ian Rogers, GM David Smerdon, Jerry Wheeler 

 

42:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Be sure to download the much-anticipated Chessable app for IOS, and Seven Deadly Chess Sins will be available on Chessable later this year! 

 

43:00- Sin #4- “Materialism” Lack of dynamism, oversights

Mentioned: Plato’s Symposium, 

 

49:30- Sin #5- “Egoism” ‘forgetting the opponent’- fear - how many results am I playing for?

 

54:00- Sin #6- “Perfectionism”  time trouble, jam-lust (asking too much of your position), moralizing (punishing the opponent), copy-cat crime (trying to emulate another player)

Mentioned: GM Alexander Grischuk, Chess Explained’s YouTube Channel , GM Michael Adams 

 

1:03:30- Sin #7- Looseness-  losing the plot, drifting (playing without a plan), “neural hijackings” (emotions overwhelm the thinking brain, whether consciously or not), “tension transference” (relieve tension at all costs, uncomfortable with discomfort) 

Mentioned- Anand-Carlsen 2013, Kasparov-Sokolov 1999 

 

1:07:00- We share a few favorite quotes from the book. 

Mentioned: Endgame Strategy, GM Tiger Hillarp Person, GM Jonathan Levitt, GM Jan Gustafsson, GM Luke McShane 

 

1:11:30- A question from Patreon supporter and friend of the pod- is it a fair characterization  that Rowson characterizes this book in hindsight as “a good first draft?”

 

1:14:00- What were David’s personal interactions with GM Rowson like? 

 

1:18:30- Does David get more nervous before a tournament chess game or before arguing before the Supreme Court? 

 

1:19:30- Thanks to David for contributing his time and knowledge! You can keep up with David on twitter or Facebook. Next month will likely feature a recap of Attacking the Strongpoint by GM Igor Zaitsev

Twitter- https://twitter.com/DFranklinChi

Facebook- David Franklin | Facebook

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