Thinking Sideways

Chess is the art of the possible – after all, there are more possible chess games than atoms in the universe.

Chess players are experts in considering their options, allowing them to seize an opportunity, idea or move that no one else saw. Two-time US chess champion Jennifer Shahade calls this ‘thinking sideways’. And in today’s hyper competitive world, thinking sideways can help you win at life.

In Thinking Sideways, Shahade shows you don’t have to be a great chess player to think more like a chess player. From building mind palaces to crafting decision trees, she reveals the most useful strategies from the ancient game that we can use in our daily lives. Drawing on examples from business, sports and psychology, as well as her own experiences touring the world as a chess and poker player, Shahade transforms our understanding of what success looks like, and how to achieve it for ourselves.

This book is not about playing chess better, or even playing chess at all – it’s about how thinking sideways can propel you to success and happiness.

Author Biography

Jennifer Shahade is a three-time National Chess Champion, poker pro, speaker and author. Jennifer was the first female to win the US Junior Open, and won two US Women’s Championship titles. She is a two-time Global Poker Award Winner and has won poker tournaments all over the world. Her previous books include Chess Queens, Play Like a Champion and Play Like a Girl! Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Financial Times. She lives in Philadelphia with her family.