Mindful Chess (Paperback)

This Mindful Chess: The Spiritual Journey of a Professional Chess Player is an English-language paperback by Paul van der Sterren that brings professional chess and long-term meditation practice into the same thoughtful, personal account.

What this book is about

Van der Sterren looks back on more than twenty years as a professional player, including the high point of reaching the Candidates matches for the world championship. He then sets that experience alongside his later commitment to vipassana meditation and Buddhist reading, creating a book that is less about opening theory or game collections and more about the mental side of chess.

The result is a reflective read about concentration, suffering, ambition and the question of whether mindfulness can genuinely help a chess player. It follows two parallel journeys — through competitive chess and through meditation — while asking broader questions about chess, meditation, identity and the self.

Because it is written from direct experience, the book feels personal rather than detached. Van der Sterren writes as someone who has known both victory and defeat, and who has spent thousands of hours in meditation practice as well as at the board.

Who it is for

This is a good choice for players who want to think more deeply about the psychological side of chess, as well as readers interested in mindfulness, meditation and the psychology of competition. It also makes a thoughtful gift for a chess player who prefers reflective books to training manuals.

Key details

• Product type: paperback chess book
• Author: Paul van der Sterren
• Language: English
• Binding: paperback
• Page count: 128
• Subject: the psychological side of chess and mindfulness
• Format: personal, reflective non-training book