We are going to publish a new book, in both German and English, by GM Thomas Luther. In German we already have a title – Vom Schüler zum Großmeister. The direct translation into English would be ‘From Pupil to Grandmaster’ or ‘From Student to Grandmaster’, but we are not happy with either of those options. Maybe they are too similar to Jonathan Hawkins’ ‘From Amateur to IM’ or maybe it’s something else, but they don’t feel right.
So we are looking for suggestions. The book is about chess improvement and training, including the story of Thomas’s journey to the GM title. So maybe the title could involve the word ‘grandmaster’, but in fact we are open to all non-obscene suggestions. If we use your suggestion, you will be mentioned on page 2 of the book and, if I’m feeling really generous, maybe we’ll even give you a free copy of the book.
“The Journey to Grandmaster”?
“How to become a Grandmaster”.
Based on dfan, “The Path to the Grandmaster title”.
“Pump your rating even more” 😛
Leaving aside Euwe, Ermolinsky and Yoda, while retaining an “pupil to master” flavour:
– a chess education
– to mastery and beyond
– Chess: the Inner Master
Train to the Top
“I would still plant the apple tree” A grandmaster’s journey
I suggest:
Chess Evolution: Beginner to GM
A Improvement guide: The road from Amateur to Grandmaster
The Road to Grandmaster title
Unexpected Journey ( A Grandmaster’s tale )
“The chess Disciple” – my personal journey to the Grandmaster title
Appretice to Maestro: the way of the Grandmaster
The Grandmaster Compendium: From Beginner to Winner
Climbing the chess ladder: from student to Grandmaster
“(Thomas’s Crusade:) From Knight to Grand Master”
Between brackets is optional.
Mr. Bigglesworth’s Magic Underpants
The Grandmaster Journey
shortened to The GM Journey – has a nice ring to it!
“My Grandmaster Enlightenment”
“My Introduction to Grandmaster Principles”
A dream comes true.
A grandmaster’s story
That’s a very generic description of the book, it’d help to know how this book is different from all the other books about improvement and training and the author’s experience.
Until then, German book on improvement by QC — I vote “Pump Auf Ihr Rating” 🙂
How about just “The Making of a Grandmaster”?
How about “From Neophyte to GM” or “Neophyte to Grandmaster”,”Trainee to Brainee: A GM’s Guide”, “Grandmaster: Unmasked”, “That’s Mr.GM to you!”, “GM’s Journey: Hacked”, “Chess GM’s Secret Agenda”.
“Climbing the Grandmaster Mountain”
GrAndmaster apprentice
From grand thoughts to grandmaster
Be a Grandmaster for Dummies!
Overcoming Adversity on the Chessboard
The Shorthand for Success
Patzer to Grandmaster
How Thomas became Luther King!
(the story of Thomas’s journey to the GM title)
“(On) the road to the GM title” ?
I had a dream: become a Grandmaster!
from Thomas Luther, the new King
Through 64 squares to the grandmaster title
Three suggestions:
1) “Becoming GM” (alternatively: “Becoming Grandmaster”)
2) “Arrive at GM”
3) “The Path to GM” (alternatively: “The Path to Grandmaster”)
Grandmaster Preparation- The basics
Luther’s Theses To Becoming a Grandmaster
The improving student: the road to a GM title
Apprentice to GM: the inspiring way of chess improvement
Path to Grandmaster
Chess Training to Grandmaster
1. untold grandmaster story : how Thomas Luther reached GM title
2. road to chess improvement with Thomas Luther
3. evolve your chess with Thomas Luther
4. From Class C player to GM
5. Training with GM Thomas Luther
You could keep it simple with:
“Becoming a Grandmaster”
Or, depending on the emphasis of the book, one of
“Becoming a Grandmaster: A Personal Guide”
“Becoming a Grandmaster: A Practical Guide ”
“Becoming a Grandmaster: A Study Guide”
“Becoming a Grandmaster: A Modern Guide”
Depending on the style of the text, “Approach” may fit better than “Guide” at the end of the title.
From Pawn to Chess King!?
@Jacob Aagaard
That’s it! You get a free book!
My way to the title
Some sugestions:
– Training methods to became a grandmaster
– The secrets to became a grandmaster
– Professional chess players training, a guide to became a grandmaster.
– All you need to know to be a professional chess player
– Chess at the top: became a grandmaster
– Top chess training: became a grandmaster
– Personal training guide to became a grandmaster
– Training Bible to became a grandmaster, or The Bible to became a grandmaster
– Chess training Bible for to became a professional chess player.
Or
I did it my way
“Grandmaster Inspirations”
Methods of Improving: how to play on GM level
“Journey to GM”
“The Grandmaster Roadmap”
“On Becoming a King”
1.My journey to Grandmaster
2.A boy becoming Grandmaster
3.The highway to Grandmaster
4.Stairway to Grandmaster
A Pawn’s Journey
On the road to the Grandmaster title
1. Determined to become a Grandmaster
2. Start your quest to become a Grandmaster
3. All-in on becoming a Grandmaster
4. A Grandmaster’s love affair with chess
Buy This Chess Book Or We Will Shoot This Dog
‘Luther’s Catechism’ Steps to the Grandmaster title.
A Grandmaster´s Guide to Success – How I Mastered the Game of Chess
GM Luther or: how did I stop worrying and love chess
Thomas The Rank Engine
From Student to Sensei (In 64 squares)
Of all the suggestions, this is the most memorable
A few ideas:
Targeting the Title
The Pursuit of Perfection in Chess
Goal: Grandmaster
Striving for the Summit
The Chequered Path
It’s not much of a publishing schedule, but I guess we should count our blessings.
Move like a Grandmaster!
The Climb.
And for the book’s cover you can use a picture of a pawn heading for promotion to a queen; or something similar.
Learning to be a Grandmaster
From rags to riches maybe with a subtitle?
“Arising to the Grandmaster Peak”.
Achieving chess success – how to become a Grandmaster
How amateur became GM – Grandmaster’s story
Think, practice and analyse – Grandmaster’s secrets
My way to the Grandmaster title – Thomas Luther’s chess story
How to climb to the top of the ladder – Grandmaster story
Creating a Grandmaster step by step: my story
My journey to Grandmaster title – how I succeed
There are a lot of interesting titles, but it is really hard to think out the title without looking at inside the book 😉 :). Anyway I hope one of the titles may be some kind of inspiration!
Ich bin ein Grandmaster
‘Climb to the Horizon’, ‘Climb to your Horizon’ or ‘a Run to the Horizon’
My chess journey: becoming a GM
a) From Amateur to GM – my journey
b) Chess improvement guide – from amateur to GM
Grandmaster Odyssey
Grandmaster Odyssey: On the Road to the Title
Grandmaster Odyssey: My Search for Chess Excellence
Grandmaster Odyssey: My Quest for Chess Mastery
Grandmaster Odyssey: A Travelogue
Grandmaster Odyssey: An Itinerary
Grandmaster Odyssey: A Pawn’s Search for the Eighth Rank
A Pawn’s Search for the Eighth Rank: A Grandmaster’s Journey
A Pawn’s Search for the Eighth Rank: From Patzer to Grandmaster
From Patzer to Grandmaster: A Pawn’s Quest for Promotion
Underpromotion: Steps on the Road to GM
Work Hard – Play Hard
Grandmaster Thomas Luther reveals his Tool Box to reach the Top
Luther’s Chess Reformation
The Grandmaster Zeitgeist
“If you could only know how much I love you.”
or…”How Thomas Luther never became World Champion.”
or even better…”How Thomas the Tank Engine plays chess.”
‘From Student to Master’
From Pawn to King: Becoming a Grandmaster
Luther’s Chess Laboratory (or Chess Lab)
‘Hard work beats talent’
From disaster to grandmaster
From fucky to chucky
From chopper to topper
I had a dream:)
Good one 🙂
Have You Got What it Takes? A Grandmaster’s Story
‘From Loser to GM Luther’
The Grandmaster Quest
Hi
A good title should hint something about the book besides it being an improvement book. E.g. is the focus on a specific system, on attitude towards training, on sequence of learning sertain themes, on structure, etc. A few more Words about the content of the book and how it will contribute to chess litterature would enable better suggestions.
Larsen_fan
From corny to cheesy
My suggestion:
Becoming a Grandmaster – An intimate and concise step by step blueprint on attaining the most coveted title in chess
by GM Thomas Luther
Regards,
Toppy 🙂
Caissa’s Path: My Journey to Grandmaster
Becoming a chess grandmaster
‘Waste your life achieving a devalued title’
Grandmaster training secret
Grandmaster training tips
Journey of Grandmaster and Student
Apparently, all best sellers must have the word “code” in the title. Therefore:
The Grandmaster Code
– Overcome your disabled chess education
– Selfeducation- Reach your chess goals
– Imrove to GM
Thinking inside the box:D
“Aiming for the stars”
Reform Your Chess with GM Luther (a rephrasing of my earlier suggestion)
Footsteps of a grandmaster.
That’s it!
Luther’s Works: How Thomas Luther Became a Chess Grandmaster
Destanation: Chess Grandmaster
– A complete roadmap of which must win battles that most be fought and won.
The story and chesslife of Grandmaster Thomas Luther.
“Moments from a Grandmaster’s Life”
How Thomaster chess to GM title or the way Thomaster chess to GM tiltle
Pretty much the only criticism I can think of for QC was the title of Axel Smith’s book. That and the design of the cover left it, in my view, open to the perception that it was selling snake oil when, in fact, it was an excellent, thought-provoking book. QC is far from the worst offender in this case – I thought the title and cover of Hawkins’ fine endgame book was little short of ridiculous.
So I would urge against a repeat of that kind of mistake. Of course I am probably guilty of underestimating commercial realities. I’m guessing both books would have sold less copies if they had more sober titles.
Seems to be hard upcoming work for QC to choose from so many suggestions. 🙂
A bit of fame and a free book in sight and everyone gets active 🙂 🙂
@Canoe: consider how much all chess book titles sound the same (just like all the suggestions in this thread). Pump Up Your Rating was a nice break from that. It’s a great title.
As he was from East Germany how about:
Pull down the wall – breaking through barriers on the road to grandmaster
@Canoe
On the contrary. The title of that book was maybe our best title. The same with the cover. It made people look at it for a moment and once we had their attention, that was it. A good book marketed poorly is unfair to readers, author and the publisher alike.
From Thomas to GM Thomas
GPS: Grandmaster Preparation Strategy or
GPS: Grandmaster Preparation System or
GPS: Grandmaster Preparation Story
…or I suppose
GPS: Grandmaster Positioning Strategy
Okay here are a few: Chess Zero to Hero
The Road to Chess Mastery
Chess: Patzer to Master
Advanced Chess Strategy: The Path to Grandmaster
Hi all,
I like very much this one.
How to train your brain in chess: an educative jouney of a GM.
Ben.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the GM Title
For Dummies: how to become a GM
Grandmaster in 48 houres
@Remco G @Jacob Aagaard Playing devil’s advocate, I can think of plenty of all-time classics with workmanlike, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin titles. If the purpose of titles is to grab attention, should Shereshevsky’s book been called “Crush your opponents in the endgame”? Would it have been taken as seriously if it was? There is a fine line between good marketing and sensationalism.
Again, Smith’s book is not the best example of what I’m thinking of, because it’s a fine book, and it probably stays the right side of that fine line.
But if it had been from a different publisher, I think I would have dismissed it out of hand, or at least until reviews convinced me it was a book of substance. My first impression was to feel the same kind of skepticism I feel when I see books called “What it takes to become a chess master”.
And even good books can be undermined if that line is crossed. Again, Hawkins springs to mind. He put together a labour of love on endgame positions and his publishers reached for the most sensational, inappropriate title they could imagine. I think Amateur to IM had enough substance to do well without the used-car salesman title. Maybe I am being naive with that last statement.
I presume the Book is being marketed to those aspiring to the GM Title, as well as the less ambitious reader just looking for an honest account of what it took to get there, complete with anecdotes and atmosphere . The title should reflect that.
By the way, I would have suggested the title Confessions of a Grandmaster, unfortunately that book already exists and the cover was intriguing. The book itself was also a wonderful read, very enlightening and highly recommended.
Regards,
Toppy
Regards,
Toppy
I just noticed there doesn’t seem to be a way to edit posts on this Blog. That’s a shame.
Growing pain, rating gain.
The Grandmaster Path: A Champion’s Guide to Chess
Journey to Successful Chess Achievement
@Canoe
Music is about the distance between the notes, not the notes themselves. Thus, if all our titles were like that one, it would not have worked in the same way. Btw. we all think Amateur to IM is a great title.
Training for future Grandmasters
@Jacob Aagaard I think it’s wonderfully simple and catchy. But I also think it’s false advertising. It makes me feel condescended to by Mongoose Press. I felt it ended up drawing discussion away from the book’s quality as forums and reviews focused on the misleading sales pitch. MP would argue that there is no such thing as bad publicity but I wonder whether perceptions of it are damaged in the long run.
I take the point about your titles. Pump up your Rating is a different type of title for a different type of book I suppose.
“The Great Leap Forward”.
Maybe with “chess” somewhere in between.
@Jesse Pinkman
Nice name 🙂
“From pawns and peasants to king’s and grandmasters”
GM title ?
Yes, you can !
Grandmaster Education / The Grandmaster’s suit ( or Arsenal )/ Reaching the GM level / Beyond 2600 /
When I was a little pretty baby 😉
GM Essentials : the road to improvement / 3 norms and GM Title / Don’t trust J.Aagard , Wake Up at Noon and Get the GM Title : my secrets
what it takes to become grandmaster ¿?
sorry already proposed 🙁
Grandmaster title, in search of..
A lifetime brain training, Road to GM title
Ben.
– A Grandmaster catechism; or
– The freedom of a grandmaster
(both titles refer to books by that other great Luther)
‘Work Ethics of a Grandmaster’
– I had a dream…(and I acheived it).A tale by GM Luther
Through The Basics to GM / Competitive training for Aspiring Players / Learn
, Train and play like a GM / The GM Quest ( foreword par King Arthur )
Oh,sorry a similiar one was already posted…
If there was a new book on Rubinstein, it would certainly have something with ‘piano’ in the title. Or Bronstein and the russian revolution.
The title should have a word or expression close to the German “Vom Schüler…” in order to reflect that stage on the way.
“Schüler” are generally the children or youth who go to school, but it also can mean special students of a teacher or master.
“A practical guide to chess mastery”
“How to improve your chess: from amateur to grandmaster”
“Chess training: a grandmaster’s course”
I like especially the last one since I think the content is taught in a personal way.
“GM- inspect the thorny path!”
“Chess Grandmaster –
The Other Side of the Door!”
… bookcover white with a head in black and instead of eyes we use keyholes !!!
Dont look further, that is it 🙂
Sorry, I like “Student to Grandmaster”, or “Pupil to Grandmaster”, it tells me exactly what I want to know, makes me want to read it!
“From Patzer to Grandmazter”
“From Toothless to Ruthless”
Grandmaster Training: The Thomas Luther Method
Grandmaster Training: Proven Improvement Techniques
Grandmaster Training: From Start to Finish
Grandmaster Training: The Story, The Journey, The Title
“Grandmaster Training” can even become a new series.
Bill won!