‘...well-written and original...Grandmaster Levitt writes with a welcome passion.’ review, British Chess Magazine.‘This book should have a red label on its front cover marked ‘dangerous stuff’ or ‘use only if prescribed by a doctor’’ Amatzia Avni, Kingpin.
‘Chess books are usually easy to categorise. But every so often, a book appears that doesn’t quite fit any of the usual categories. Genius in Chess by English GM Jonathan Levitt is one such book.
Levitt has set himself a tough task, as writing about chess genius is not easy. Originality is called for, as there is no template for this subject, in the way there is for opening books and game collections. Fortunately, Levitt, whose skills as a writer and philosopher are at least equal to his playing strength, has succeeded in producing a thought-provoking book. John Donaldson, Inside Chess.‘British GM Levitt, one of the most literate chess writers now going, addresses an intriguing topic: the nature of chess genius. The text parts of this book make a good read, enlivened by interesting anecdotes based on the author’s experience, and enriched by his thoughtful discussion of what the available data seems to mean. ...GM Levitt is an experienced chess teacher, and co-author of the acclaimed Secrets of Spectacular Chess. It is hard to describe his books but easy to recommend them.’ Review, Chess Horizons.
‘This is a fascinating and original book which endeavours to penetrate the innermost thoughts and judgements of chess players. What differentiates the talented and creative players from those who rely predominantly upon memory and calculation?’ Review, Scottish CCA Magazine.
‘A good read.’ John Walker, The Oxford Times.
‘He doesn’t just cobble together a few puzzles. He composes his own positions and forces his super-GM friends to work them out. Hence you can compare how well you are doing vis-à-vis Nigel Short, Mickey Adams or Matthew Sadler.’ David Norwood, The Daily Telegraph.
Genius in Chess (J. Levitt, 128 pages, Batsford, 1997, £12.99 ISBN 0 7134 8049 1)