Dionyseus: Everyone should go buy The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book by John Emms. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...The book has 1001 puzzles, all of the puzzles come from actual games and the players, location, and year of the game is always indicated in the puzzle solution. His puzzles come from three sources, his own games, games from the years 1998-2000 that are in The Week In Chess and Megabase 2000, and games from old soviet tournaments. The book is pleasantly wide and contains 8 high quality print puzzles per page.
In chapter 1, he introduces the tactical ideas and terms that will be used in the book.
In chapter 2, there are over 100 level 1 puzzles. He describes level 1 puzzles as a starting block for those who have little experience in dealing with chess puzzles. The first 34 problems give you a hint under the diagram, those are the only puzzles in the book in which you are given a hint. I actually like that because when you are playing a real game you are never given hints, so I believe this format prepares you better.
In chapter 3 there are 66 checkmate puzzles that range in difficulty from 1-4, with the most difficult puzzles appearing towards the end. He descrives level 4 puzzles as puzzles that even grandmasters would have trouble with.
Chapter 4 has 272 medium difficulty puzzles (difficulty levels 2-4) .
Chapter 5 is a self-test. 16 puzzles, two are level 1, four are level 2, six are level 3, two are level 4, two are level 5. This test should take about 1-2 hours to complete. There's a Test Score To Elo Points Conversion Chart, in which you tally up your points and depending on how many points you get you can see what your elo performance was (ranges from 1000 to 2600+) .
Chapter 6 has 86 puzzles from the Soviet Championships from 1947-67, the difficulty of these puzzles range from level 2-4.
Chapter 7 has 44 "Find The Wrong Move" puzzles. This chapter was intended to teach you how to spot a blunder from your opponent.
Chapter 8 is a self-test. 16 puzzles, two are level 1, four are level 2, six are level 3, two are level 4, two are level 5. This test should take about 1-2 hours to complete. There's a Test Score To Elo Points Conversion Chart, in which you tally up your points and depending on how many points you get you can see what your elo performance was (ranges from 1000 to 2600+) .
Chapter 9 has 80 puzzles that range in difficulty from level 2-4.
Chatpter 10 is a self-test. 16 puzzles, two are level 1, four are level 2, six are level 3, two are level 4, two are level 5. This test should take about 1-2 hours to complete. There's a Test Score To Elo Points Conversion Chart, in which you tally up your points and depending on how many points you get you can see what your elo performance was (ranges from 1000 to 2600+) .
Chapter 11 has 101 puzzles of level 5 difficulty.
Here's an example of a level 1 puzzle:
41b (black to play):
Kibitzing
