News & Updates
Review by Guest Author Greg Delaney
England’s Andrew Martin, International Master and Senior FIDE Trainer, is in my mind, one of the foremost teachers of chess in the world at this time. I have watched numerous DVD’s featuring IM Martin, and have had the occasion to witness in person his edifying and entertaining presentations. Martin’s personality, presentation style, and material are engaging and always interesting. So when I saw this three volume series of DVD’s produced by ChessDVDs.com, I knew I would get Volume Two (which targets players of about my strength) and possibly Volume Three. I asked Andrew if the first volume would be of value to me, and all he would say is that there are some new ideas and new games presented. So, thus intrigued, I obtained all three.
Logic suggested that I begin with Volume 1, which I was able to watch in two sittings, as it contains a little less than two hours’ worth of material. The content of the DVD seems to be suited for someone who is beyond the basics of chess (how pieces move, how checkmate is administered, etc.), but who is still learning fundamentals of strategy, tactics, and principles. The DVD has a brief introduction by IM Martin, and then quickly moves into his ten suggestions for improvement, each presented with an illustrative game. Martin selects as examples games ranging from players at Grandmaster level to those of his students, and goes through them each in some depth, highlighting the application of his suggestion. Andrew Martin repeatedly demonstrates his ability to keep ideas simple and concrete – a necessity for the improving player.
Some of IM Martin’s “suggestions” for improvement are to be found in any chess improvement book, while others are a bit unique – but valuable nonetheless. Personally, I could have used ideas like “not being afraid to lose” and “not ignoring the endgame” while I was learning chess in my early teens. It is in the presentations of the games where Andrew really shines. While much of the material was review, I could not help but get energized and enthusiastic about playing chess while watching this DVD. Clarity, simplicity, and a smattering of humor make this DVD a good buy from the standpoint of content.
Unfortunately, the production quality of the DVD falls quite short of the standard achieved by its presenter. At the beginning one finds the familiar fire + chess pieces + orchestral music of the “Foxy” series of DVD’s, a clip that appears to have been copied numerous times. The level of audio between “suggestions” varies quite a bit, and I found myself often needing to use the “volume” control of my remote from section to section. Some of the sections begin abruptly following the end of the previous clip, as though careful editing was not done. Nearly the entire DVD is only a full-screen chess board with the audio of IM Martin playing, so if the viewer is interested in “getting acquainted” with the presenter, s/he will be disappointed.
I know that chess players can be quite fastidious and critical, so some may be unhappy with the DVD’s production problems, but if one can look beyond this and focus on what Andrew Martin is sharing, 10 Easy Ways to get Better at Chess Volume 1 is a useful and edifying bit of work.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of Wholesale Chess. We welcome open discussion on all aspects of chess on the Wholesale Chess Blog. If you would like to be a guest author on our blog, please contact us at marketing@wholesalechess.com.
The always popular Thursday Chess Deals from Wholesale Chess will begin again today, January 6. (The deals have been on hold through the holiday season.)
We know you have been anxious for us to start these up again. Although you will never know ahead what the deals will be, you will always get a true bargain.
Some of the items offered at huge savings last year included Fritz 12, several types of chess clocks, tournament chess sets, wood chess sets, chess pieces and chess boards, chess software and chess books, and chess tournament supplies. These same types of great chess items will be available this year. Although Chess Deals will change from week to week, the savings will always be significant.
These deals are available only for orders placed online on that Thursday. (12:00 am to 11:59 pm Pacific Time). Each customer may only buy one of each deal, but can buy both deals for that day. In order to only send notification to those who want it, you must sign up for the emails of the Thursday Chess Deals. You can do that in our free membership. You can also find the deals on our homepage each Thursday at www.wholesalechess.com
This article, written by the manager of Wholesale Chess, was first published in The Link Homeschool Publications (Copyright, 2009). Reprinted by permission.
With all the technology out there, it is a bit ironic that Chess, arguably one of the oldest games in the world, is still leaps and bounds ahead of today’s 
electronic games in helping youth improve their cognitive skills and learn real lessons about life, according to Lyndia Graham, manager of Wholesale Chess.
“Chess not only teaches children critical analytical skills, but it teaches them about choices–that each action is followed by a natural—but very real–consequence and that each of those choices must be carefully considered” she said. “Chess can help the IQ, memory, pattern recognition, analytical skills, overall comprehension, as well as develop patience.”
“It is an ideal game to use in a home, school or home-school setting because the implications of choice and consequence can be casually discussed and reinforced in a positive, but fun setting,” she said. “Bad choices — or chess moves — have immediate consequences and will impact the rest of your game — or the rest of your life. There are rules of play that must be followed, or the end result is not what you want. It’s an age-old lesson as relevant today as when chess first began.”
Nobody really knows just how old the game of chess is. However, Mrs. Graham said, some experts claim that chess is more than 2,000 years old. Some evidence suggests that chess, in its earliest form, was played in India in the 6th century AD and from there spread around the world. Of course, over the years, the pieces and rules changed somewhat. In the 15th century, chess began to more closely resemble the game we now play, she added. But chess really started taking off in the 1800′s when tournaments, chess pieces, chess clocks, championships, and titles like Grandmaster were introduced.
Chess is now thought to be the most popular game in the world and growing especially fast among children, as schools and parents recognize the social and intellectual benefits associated with the game. There are hundreds of millions of players in thousands of clubs around the planet. Women and girls are learning chess in record numbers. Younger and younger players are achieving Grandmaster status and a few are not even teenagers yet, she said.
The overall skill level of chess players is also increasing because of the Internet and computers. Players are able to play a game at any time online and can use chess computers to help them train and learn. There are huge numbers of software programs, some that even pit a player against famous grandmaster games. There are also many hand-held computer games for chess that give those die-hard electronic users a chance to have chess on–the-go without the need of a partner.
Part Two, hints on teaching children chess, will publish next week.
We will be closed over the holiday weekend (of course the website is up 24-7.) We appreciate all of our customers and truly do wish you a very Merry Christmas today.
We at Wholesale Chess hope this day of days brings you all you hope for in peace and joy (and a little turkey or ham, too!)
One of our Israeli customers once said he hoped the time would come that all 
of our battles would be fought over a chess board. That thought touched us. I suppose if we could give you just one gift, that’s what it would be–that all your life battles would be played-out over a chess board.
We will be closed over the holiday weekend (of course the website is up 24-7.) We appreciate all of our customers and truly do wish you a very Merry Christmas today.
Christmas Eve is almost as much of a holiday as Christmas Day. The kids are excited and often underfoot! Last minute errands are plentiful and there are packages to wrap. This is a day UPS does not pick up boxes at our warehouse (even though they deliver today.)
We have all of our chess sets, chess clocks, and other chess gifts shipped and on their way. This is a day that we and all our staff go home to be with our families. We will be back in on Monday so if Santa doesn’t leave that chess set you had your heart set on, we can ship it out then.
All of our staff wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Wednesday’s chess Deal of the Day is a great DGT Easy Chess Clock in the fun colors of purple & green. The DGT Easy is the first digital chess clock for everybody and for every game. The Easy clock combines high quality with absolute simplicity. Player friendly. Handy front buttons, simple one-touch reset, clear large display. Optional buzzer. The Easy comes in a nice gift-box. The DGT Easy is ideally suited for chess clubs, schools and home use.
Wholesale Chess has sale prices on may of our most popular chess sets as well as a 10% discount on top of that! We also have discounted shipping (we pay the major part of your shipping) so you can get all those bargains delivered before Christmas Eve.
Our favorite Chess and Game Set, the 5-in-1 Rosewood & Maple Chess Game Set: Checkers, Chess, Backgammon, Cribbage & Dominoes, is on sale for $84.99. A very popular chess clock, the DGT Easy Timer, is also on sale.
Click on our Sale and Clearance Tab to see all of the sale items we have for you just in time for the holildays. We have chess bags, chess boards, wood chess peices, as well as some of our nicest plastic chess pieces, weigheted of course, ad much, much more.
This sale will end Thursday night so don’t wait. Enter the word HOLIDAY in the promo box at check out to get your additional 10% off, and a Happy Holildays fro all of us!
One of our favorite Deals of the Day from a couple of weeks ago was the 5-in-1 Rosewood & Maple Chess Game Set. It was so popular we decided to offer it again—but this time in Walnut and Maple.
The WSC 5-in-1 Walnut & Maple Chess Game Set includes Checkers, Chess Pieces, Backgammon, Cribbage and Dominoes. (The chess board has squares for a chess game or a round of checkers on one side and backgammon on the other.)
Order today, this is the last opportunity you will have to save 40% off the retail price of this handsome chess set and game set.
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