The Amateur's Mind 2nd Edition – Jeremy Silman

The Amateur’s Mind takes the student on a journey through his own mind and returns him to the chessboard with a wealth of newfound knowledge and the promise of a significant gain in strength.

Most amateurs possess erroneous thinking processes that remain with them throughout their chess lives. These flaws in their mental armor result in stinging defeats and painful reversals. Books can be bought and studied, lessons can be taken -- but in the end, these elusive problems always prove to be extremely difficult to eradicate.

Seeking a solution to this dilemma, Mr. Silman wrote down the thoughts of his students while they played actual games, analyzed them, and catalogued the most common misconceptions that arose. He then eliminated these mental traps by offering advice, rules of conduct and strategy, and penetrating psychological insight.