Daily Archives: July 8, 2020

2020, Books, New in Chess, Reviews

Mental Toughness in Chess : Practical Tips to Strengthen Your Mindset at the Board

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Mental Toughness in Chess
Mental Toughness in Chess

Mental Toughness in Chess : Practical Tips to Strengthen Your Mindset at the Board : Werner Schweitzer

“Werner Schweitzer graduated as a mental coach at the University of Salzburg, Austria. He knows from experience which mental factors have impact on a chess players performance. Schweitzer has been coaching players and teams for many years.”

From the rear cover :

“Your performance at the board does not only depend on your pure chess skills. Being a winner also requires a mindset that is able to cope with lots of stress and setbacks during hours of uninterrupted concentration. Just like technical chess skills, mental toughness can be trained. There are simple steps you can take that will help you to better realize your potential. Professional mental coach and chess player Werner Schweitzer has been working with chess teams and individual players for many years.

In this book Schweitzer presents practical tips and tools that will help you to improve your mental power during a game. You will learn how to: increase your concentration and stamina; recognize your own strengths and weaknesses; cope with losses as well as victories; increase your self-discipline when studying; handle disturbing thoughts and feelings during a game; boost your self-confidence; avoid underestimating (and overestimating!) your opponent; make better decisions while under pressure and other mental skills. These lessons and simple mental workouts will help players of all levels to unlock the full power of their brain and win more games.”

I enjoyed this book, but to be honest, it looks and reads like something you would pick up in a station or airport, when you have nothing to read on the journey.

There is a lot of white paper, only 144 pages , which could have been condensed to 120 or so with a more economical use of space and thus at £17.99 it is overpriced.

The book reads as though it has been hastily adapted to chess. The book could easily be rebranded as “Mental Toughness and the art of Man Management” or “Mental Toughness in the Boardroom” ; you get the idea.

This is a self-help manual , which assists you to get your brain and character into better order. The author admits in the very first chapter , that as his rating is just short of 2100, mental toughness is but only one of the factors that make a good chess player. His tips can only take you so far. With this admission, the limitations of the book are shown.

As stated , I got something out of the book and you will too. You will learn how to become a more disciplined thinker. If that’s what you feel you need, then this could be a good buy.

IM Andrew Martin, Bramley, Surrey 8th July 2020

IM Andrew Martin
IM Andrew Martin

Book Details :

  • Paperback : 144 pages
  • Publisher: New in Chess (1 January 2020)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9056918583
  • ISBN-13: 978-9056918583
  • Product Dimensions: 14.9 x 0.9 x 22.2 cm

Official web site of New in Chess

Mental Toughness in Chess
Mental Toughness in Chess
2024, Biographies, Deaths, History, Player, Players, Remembering

Remembering FM Dave Rumens (23-ix-1939 08-vii-2017)

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BCN remembers FM David Edward Rumens who passed away on July 8th, 2017

David was born in Hendon, London (his mother’s maiden name was Little). (According to electoral registers) in his latter years he lived in Olney and then Wavendon both in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire but this is yet to be confirmed. A David Edward Rumens with the same year of birth lived at these addresses.

He became a FIDE Master in 1980 at the age of 41.

According to chessgames.com : “FIDE Master David Edward Rumens was UK Grand Prix Champion in 1976 and 1978.”

His highest Elo rating was 2355 in July 1981 at the age of 42.

His first game in Megabase 2020 is a win with Black against Dr. Fazekas in the 1958 British Championships in Leamington Spa. His most recent database game was a win with White over Jessie Gilbert at the 2003 British Championships in Edinburgh with 159 games recorded in total. Between 1982 and 2001 no games are recorded.

He played for Hampstead Chess Club.

David Edward Rumens at the 1959 Youth World Chess Championships in Munchenstein. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
David Edward Rumens at the 1959 Youth World Chess Championships in Munchenstein. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Championship in Munchenstein. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Carlos Bielicki of Argentina (left) beats David Edward Rumens of England in the final game of the 1959 Youth World Chess Championships in Munchenstein. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Carlos Bielicki of Argentina (left) beats David Edward Rumens of England in the final game of the 1959 Youth World Chess Championships in Munchenstein. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Here is an obituary written by Stewart Reuben from the ECF web site

The Cedars Chess Club May 1962 - David is seated, second left. Photograph sourced from ECF obituary.
The Cedars Chess Club May 1962 – David is seated, second left. Photograph sourced from ECF obituary.

Here is a discussion of David on the English Chess Forum

David at Stewart Reuben's 21st, on Stewart's right (Stewart has the jug) - March 1960. Photograph sourced from ECF Obituary
David at Stewart Reuben’s 21st, on Stewart’s right (Stewart has the jug) – March 1960. Photograph sourced from ECF Obituary
Dave Rumens is pleased to accept a cheque for £200 from Lady Thelma Milner-Barry for winning the 1978 Nottingham Congress with 5.5/6. Photo provided by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Dave Rumens is pleased to accept a cheque for £200 from Lady Thelma Milner-Barry for winning the 1978 Nottingham Congress with 5.5/6. Photo provided by Nottinghamshire County Council.

From Round Two of the above event we have David’s exciting win over his main Grand Prix rival, Andrew Whiteley. This game was provided by Freddy Reilly in BCM, Volume XCVIII (98), Number 6 (June), page 255 and is BCM game number 18688 :

A view of the display boards with David Rumens commentating from the 1976 Lloyds Bank Match by Telex, London - New York. From BCM, volume XCVI (96) Number 11 (August), Page 494. The venue was the Bloomsbury Hotel, London. Photo courtesy of Lloyds Bank.
A view of the display boards with David Rumens commentating from the 1976 Lloyds Bank Match by Telex, London – New York. From BCM, volume XCVI (96) Number 11 (August), Page 494. The venue was the Bloomsbury Hotel, London. Photo courtesy of Lloyds Bank.
LWB observes analysis between David Rumens and Murray Chandler from Brighton 1980. Courtesy of John Upham Photography
LWB observes analysis between David Rumens and Murray Chandler from Brighton 1980. Courtesy of John Upham Photography

FM Dave Rumens, unknown event and photographer
FM Dave Rumens, unknown event and photographer
FM Dave Rumens, unknown event and photographer
FM Dave Rumens, unknown event and photographer
FM Dave Rumens enjoys being introduced as "The late Dave Rumens" at the 2013 Terafinal by Mike Basman, Loughborough Grammar School. Courtesy of John Upham Photography
FM Dave Rumens enjoys being introduced as “The late Dave Rumens” at the 2013 Terafinal by Mike Basman, Loughborough Grammar School. Courtesy of John Upham Photography