Gelfand Cover Considerations

Should we go for Cover A

CoverBor Cover B?

Gelfand-Positional280

70 thoughts on “Gelfand Cover Considerations”

  1. I strongly prefer A — the photo depicts the “character” of Gelfand as a kind of wily professor using telepathy to control floating chess pieces. The eye shot is borderline creepy especially to non-chessplayers. I certainly would not be caught with “B” in a public place. It is not even clear who the subject is, what he is looking at, why his alert eyes and raised eyebrows convey a feeling of concern or alarm, and what he does that is significant enough to merit a book.

  2. My first post here – really looking forward to the Gelfand book!
    Cover A should i.m.o. be reserved for Vol. 2 “Dynamic Piece Coordination” or something similar;-)
    Thanks for so many fantastic chess books, QC!

  3. Cover B.

    In cover A, it looks like he is a bit baffled as to what to do, and is scratching his head in bewilderment.

    In cover B, it looks like his eyes have zeroed in on the correct plan.

  4. I prefer cover B – although I would flip the image so that he looks from left to right. Try it out, it makes a difference. This may very well be the reason why most people seem to prefer cover A. I like cover A a lot and would prefer it for a chess novel but I wouldn´t use it for a serious workbook.

  5. @Vince
    Nitting patterns are the paths taken by nits among heads of unwashed school children. Recorded by little sensors on all of the headlice, put in place at great time but only minimal cost by lowly paid Glaswegian street children, the routes then mapped, the patterns are beautifully fractal.

  6. Shurlock Ventriloquist

    The cover of QC books is not their strongest characteristic.

    Perhaps its time to hire a really good and creative graphic artist.

  7. @Shurlock Ventriloquist
    I dare to disagree – as far as chess books go, QC’s cover designs i.m.o. stand out vs. the competition. I’m not saying it can’t be improved further, but just compare the cover design of a typical QC book with the design of e.g. Chess Stars or Everyman books… need I say more? I rather have QC spend their money on really good authors than on really good grpahic artists by the way 🙂

  8. @Jacob Aagaard

    The product speaking for itself is always beneficial on the long run.
    I respect this strategy immensely. And the world would be a better place if most companies would adopt this attitude.

    But regarding the Gelfand book, it’s just a matter of asking Boris for a look at his photo albums and choosing a good picture.

  9. Alternative B for sure. Excellent picture.

    Agree on the Harry Potter comment above for “A”.

    A bit funny that the picture of alternative A is called “CoverB” though…

  10. @J.
    Letting the product speak for itself is not as much a strategy, as a necessity.

    I will bite my tongue and not be impolite about the second part. Obviously we have talked to Boris and Maya about the covers.

  11. A

    Making decisions takes place in the mind and the eyes are only a small part of the process.
    In Cover A we see the whole expression of Gelfand and the figures are a symbol for what takes place in his mind.

  12. I prefer Cover A- the picture with him and the floating pieces. The cover photo interests me because I would assume that he has a “connection” (perhaps a magical one) with the pieces and he is going to divulge his secrets!

  13. No flying pieces and I would choose A.
    B is nice because you recognize a typical Gelfand look and he obviously is thinking deeply without using the chessboard.

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