Willy Hendriks Books

Willy Hendriks agrees that there is much to be learned from the pioneers of chess. In The Origin of Good Moves he challenges, however, the conventional view on what the stages in the advancement of chess actually have been. Among the various articles of faith that Hendriks questions is Wilhelm Steinitz's reputation as the discoverer of the laws of positional chess. This thought-provoking book is full of beautiful and instructive 'new' material from the old days. With plenty of exercises, the reader is invited to put themselves in the shoes of the old masters. Never before has the study of the history of chess been so entertaining and rewarding.

The chess instruction establishment claims that all you need to do is concentrate on the characteristics of a position. Stick to some rules of thumb and good moves will pop up more or less automatically. But that is not how it works, finds International Master Willy Hendriks. Chess players, both weak and strong, don't first make a plan before looking at candidate moves. Trial and error is a very common and in fact highly effective way to get to the best move. In his journey into the chessplaying mind, Hendriks uses recent scientific insights in the working of our brain. He raises a number of intriguing questions: Can you, too (whether you are talented or not), become a grandmaster? Why does a chess trainer's advice often sound like a horoscope? Can you find strong moves by ticking off a todo list? Is it possible to reach master level without ever making a plan? Presents a wealth of valuable, nononsense training material. In this refreshing, entertaining and highly instructive book, Willy Hendriks shows how you can travel light on the road to chess improvement!"

The rivalry between William Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort, the world's strongest chess players in the late nineteenth century, became so fierce that it was named The Ink War. They fought their battle on the chessboard and in various chess magazines and columns. It was not only about who was the strongest player but also about who had the best ideas on how to play the game. In The Ink War, IM Willy Hendriks once again offers his unique perspective in a well-researched story that continues to captivate until the tragic outcome. It gives a beautiful impression of the 19th-century chess world and the birth of modern chess.