Synopses & Reviews
Your quick and easy guide to the rules, strategies, and etiquette of chessKings, queens, knights — does chess seem like a royal pain to grasp? This friendly guide helps you make the right moves. From using the correct terms to engaging in the art of attack, you'll get step-by-step explanations that demystify the game. Offering easily understood explanations of the game and its components, Chess For Dummies is your one-stop resource for improving your chess skills.
Chess 101 — get an introduction to the basic elements of chess and familiarize yourself with the board
Greet the pieces — meet the rook, bishop, queen, king, knight, and pawn (and get to know their powers)
Kick it up a notch — discover the ins and outs of chess notation and different types of tactics and combinations
Gain chess know-how — find out how to make sacrifices, pick up on pawn formations, and use patterns for checkmating
Put your chess foot forward — grasp the principles of play and the nuances of each phase of the game: the opening, middlegame, and endgame
Open the book and find:
Rules of the game
Plain-English explanations of chess terminology
How to pick a board and set
Information on the desired destination — checkmate
When it's wise to take a hit to secure a greater advantage
The various chess competitions you can participate in
The ten greatest games and players of all time
Learn
The elements of the game and the pieces' powers
Tactics, combinations, and tips for recognizing different patterns
The principles of play that you can use in the opening, middlegame, and endgame
Synopsis
For all levels of chess players,
Chess For Dummies, 3rd Edition, brings readers an updated guide to the wide world of chess. Offering easily-understood explanations of the game and its components, this book is a must have for those developing an interest or looking for an extra edge in chess.
Chess For Dummies, 3rd Edition:
- Offers easily-understood explanations of the game and its components
- Provides introductory chapters and then introduces readers to different perspectives on chess from strategy and etiquette, to winning defensive and offensive secrets
- Contains approximately 25% new material, including updated chapters on computer chess games, playing chess online, new tournament rules and much more
About the Author
James Eade competed on his high school and college chess teams and became a United States Chess Federation (USCF) chess master in 1981. In 1984 he became a USCF correspondence chess master as well. International organizations awarded him the master title in 1990 (for correspondence) and in 1993 (for regular tournament play), but his chess playing career has gradually given way to chess writing, organizing, and teaching. He is the author of the first two editions of Chess For Dummies.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1Part I: Laying the Groundwork for Champion Chess 7
Chapter 1: Tackling Chess Basics 9
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Pieces and Their Powers 23
Chapter 3: Exploring the Elements of Chess 39
Chapter 4: Going after the King: Check, Stalemate, and Checkmate 63
Chapter 5: Making a Few Special Moves 79
Chapter 6: Got Notation? Reading and Writing about Chess 85
Part II: Gaining Chess Know-How 97
Chapter 7: Trying Out Tactics and Combinations in Hand-to-Hand Combat 99
Chapter 8: Sacrifi ces: Understanding When It’s Better to Give than to Receive 125
Chapter 9: Building Pattern Recognition 135
Chapter 10: Recognizing Advanced Pawn Formations 153
Chapter 11: Mastering Mating Patterns 167
Part III: Game Time: Putting Your Chess Foot Forward 183
Chapter 12: Selecting Your Strategy: The Principles of Play 185
Chapter 13: Coming on Strong in the Opening 201
Chapter 14: Making Headway during the Middlegame 217
Chapter 15: Exiting with Style in the Endgame 227
Part IV: Getting into Advanced Action 249
Chapter 16: Playing in Competition 251
Chapter 17: Hitting the Net with Computer Chess 263
Part V: The Part of Tens 271
Chapter 18: The Ten Most Famous Chess Games of All Time 273
Chapter 19: The Ten Best Players of All Time (and a Few Others) 301
Part VI: Appendixes 323
Appendix A: A Glossary of Chess 325
Appendix B: Chess Resources 347
Index 351