--- product_id: 21824624 title: "Secrets of Practical Chess (New Enlarged Edition) Paperback – April 30, 2007" brand: "john nunn" price: "€ 336.18" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/21824624-secrets-of-practical-chess-new-enlarged-edition-paperback-april-30 store_origin: SK region: Slovakia --- # Secrets of Practical Chess (New Enlarged Edition) Paperback – April 30, 2007 **Brand:** john nunn **Price:** € 336.18 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Secrets of Practical Chess (New Enlarged Edition) Paperback – April 30, 2007 by john nunn - **How much does it cost?** € 336.18 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/21824624-secrets-of-practical-chess-new-enlarged-edition-paperback-april-30) ## Best For - john nunn enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted john nunn brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![Secrets of Practical Chess (New Enlarged Edition) Paperback – April 30, 2007 - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51qVwCWNPFL.jpg) ![Secrets of Practical Chess (New Enlarged Edition) Paperback – April 30, 2007 - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31+nY8fnddL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐ Good for lower rated players... who want to stay that way. *by B***T on Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2019* I'm on a crusade to root out bad chess books, and I don't think this book is very good.What is frustrating is there that is so much advice he could have given but doesn't. He waffles between extremes of being far too brief and superficial to going way overboard in providing many pages of analysis of specific variations. I see the point he's making in these analyses - but this book could have been far more informative by reducing the scope of such analyses and providing more examples and providing a lot more practical advice.I truly believe that this book is just a lot of loose topics that he’s written about over the years and thrown together. It is not cohesive. Sometimes his text seems to be targeted toward players rates 1600. Sometimes it seems targeted toward candidate masters or masters.I think this is one of the books that can easily stunt your development as a chess player.Here are a few thoughts on specific sections...Chapter 2 | The OpeningI got two pages in, and already I'm surprised. For example, he characterizes 1. ... e6 in response to 1. e4 as leading to "closed positions, strategic." That’s not necessarily true. For example, 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 is quite different from 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 and both of these are quite different from the Advance Variation or the Rubenstein Variation or the Exchange Variation.Forty years ago, I never played 1. ... e5 in response to 1. e4. Too complex! To scary! What if my opponent knows more than me? Lions, tigers, and bears! Oh my! But guess what? Now I play 1. ... e5 almost exclusively. I've learned a lot by doing so and am a stronger player because of it.And 1. e4 c6 leads to a "safe king?" I cannot count the number of times I've sacrificed a knight on e6 in the Caro-Kann. Every opening has its nuances and there are usually many ways to stir the pot. That to me is a far more instructive point than very unhelpful generalizations.There is so many points he could talk about in this chapter but doesn't. So many examples he could give, but doesn't. It's far too brief, and then he says, "Once you have your repertoire mapped out, then you can study each line in detail." As if he just gave you a lot of very concrete advice to do so. He barely provides anything. And at what point do you have your opening repertoire mapped out? Hint: Never. You're never done. It's an ongoing process that evolves over time as your understanding increases and you become more discerning about your move selection. Does he say, that? If he does, it’s buried somewhere in the detailed analysis he provides.Then he goes into an in-depth analysis in the Elephant Gambit. I understand his point, but he goes into such a level of detail that for many chess players this will not be helpful. He should have provided a lot more examples from many openings rather than spending so much time on a few examples.He then goes into in-depth analysis of some lines from the Giuoco Piano. Again, I understand the point. But he could have been far briefer. Many pages of analysis. Here's the reality - chess is dynamic, and you should always raise questions about every line provided by a chess author. It doesn't matter who the author is. You must think on your own. Does he make that point? If he does, it’s not very explicit or it’s buried in the analysis.Chapter 4: The Endgame | King and Pawn EndingsThis is almost useless. Just a few well-known examples and brief discussion about a few concepts. You want to learn K+P vs K+P endgames? Open Fritz and subset on specific types of K+P vs K+P positions and play them against the computer. You'll learn 90% of what you need to know. I'll give him credit for alluding to this idea in the chapter on chess computers, but even there, it’s far too brief. There is so much he could have said but doesn’t!Chapter 5: Using a ComputerVery outdated. But beyond that, as I was reading this, I was thinking about how many things he could have mentioned about chess computers that he didn't. And then he spends too much time on specialized features of ChessBase. And then far too much time giving pages and pages of analysis of the Poisoned Pawn variation.I can go on and on... the more I read, the less "practical" I think this book actually is. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ On the road to mastery *by R***N on Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2013* Extremely helpful to one who is trying to improve their chess prowess. I have learned quite a lot in my reading this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ a good read! *by T***B on Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2013* Ive read this book on kindle & liked it, its very rich with practical advice, yet it was Nunns first book that has small analysis mistakes when computer checked (Maybe! since I`ve never computer checked any other books) like the flaw in Anands game where he played f4! according to the computer its an inaccurate move, of course it proves the correctness of the DAUT theory, but after all it doesnt lead to a win!.Although I do understand that this is no reason whatsoever to consider some positions in the book unpurposed, yet I think publishers should double-check the older "republished" books with the latest available programs before republishing, I mean this is the least they owe us as buyers. anyway overall a good book indeed. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sk/products/21824624-secrets-of-practical-chess-new-enlarged-edition-paperback-april-30](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/21824624-secrets-of-practical-chess-new-enlarged-edition-paperback-april-30) --- *Product available on Desertcart Slovakia* *Store origin: SK* *Last updated: 2026-09-01*