This month on Chess Books Recaptured, I am joined by Neal Bruce. Neal is the head of product management for a software startup, a dad, and a dedicated adult improver who has built a following on Twitter by sharing a lot of the chess puzzles on which he is always working.  For this month’s book review podcast, Neal suggested that we discuss two groundbreaking chess tactics books, Rapid Chess Improvement (2002)  by Michael de la Maza  and The Woodpecker Method (2018) by GM Axel Smith and GM Hans Tikkanen. As we explain, these chess books have significant differences between them, but they share a common thread in that they both strongly emphasize the efficacy of using spaced repetition to better assimilate tactical patterns and to improve chess visualization skills. Whether you are a chess player, chess teacher or both, it is important to be aware of the benefits of spaced repetition and to give some thought to how best to incorporate it into a chess training routine.In our conversation, we summarize and offer our opinions of each book, and discuss the experiences that other chess players have had using the training methods that these books advocate. As always, please read on for lots more details, links and timestamps.  Guest co-host application form here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/co-hostChris Chabris Perpetual Chess interview here:  https://podcasts.apple.com/jm/podcast/ep-95-uscf-master-cognitive-scientist-christopher-chabris/id1185023674?i=1000421410393 Mentioned: USCF Master Dan Heisman, Dan Heisman’s Chess.com article, The Michael de la Maza story, de la Maza’s Chess Cafe article here, GM Ben Finegold, IM Jeremy Silman, Silman review of Rapid Chess Improvement here: https://www.jeremysilman.com/book-review/rapid-chess-improvement/ IM Christopher Yoo, Young-Kyu Yoo, Chess.com thread discussing Rapid Chess Improvement, Polgar’s Chess Tactics for Champions, CT-Art   Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating by GM Axel Smith,, IM Andreas Skytte Hagen, and  Talent is Overrated by Geoffrey Colvin,  A free excerpt of the Woodpecker Method is available from this link: https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/327/the_woodpecker_method_by_axel_smith_and_hans_tikkanen/, IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Steam of the Woodpecker Method can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVp5Aaip2NECv2nW2GhWPqOjWqZW2h1xP  Bain- Chess Tactics for Students: Simple Checkmates by GillemPolgars Chess Tactics for Champions Tactics Time 1 and 2 Practical Chess Exercises  Mentioned: CT-Art 3.0Chess Reddit Thread about Rapid Chess Improvement here: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/osyqa/the_problem_with_michael_de_la_mazas_rapid_chess/Jenn Shahade, How I Beat FIscher’s Record by GM Judit Polgar, The Metrowest Chess Club in Massachusets https://twitter.com/nealbrucebc?lang=en Puzzle #1- White: Qa8, Ne2, Kb1Black: Pawn h3, g2, King h2Diagram without solution here:https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=CtHlIdi7v5KwhYZKLeX8KdwATJb4Z+RYNB4gL3s0KIl/bXhLJciNi3uIyyyTvFVK Puzzle #2- King on e6, Pawn on f5, Pawn on h2Black- Pawn on g7, King on e4  Diagram without Solution here: https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=rXk3i7RQycyvOctzSUHBDFSJro9imf2wP2eVil+22YlpuPK+wk5sBX+H3SSccNUL Diagram with Solution here:https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=azBNpAgXY9oGDztWmyP+q2v3Mt0fa94dgPdcUtHMz2erkqRWd4lmlQlsJtwSnpUw If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/donate       See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices