Learning & Improvement - Complete Beginners

BACK TO BASICS: FUNDAMENTALS

Ref: r9042

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Branislav Francuski
This is principally a beginners puzzle book on checkmates and chess tactics. The author begins by explaining the way the pieces move, checkmate, basic tactical ideas and simple principles of chess such as gaining material. There then follow over 800 diagrammed puzzles on one move checkmates and basic tactics, with solutions provided at the end. As the author states in his preface: "In this book, I try to emphasize and clarify the chess fundamentals that young players need to know, as a strong grasp of the basics will eventually lead to the strategic thinking that is necessary for advanced play."
Pub. 2008, softback, 191 pages.

BASIC CHESS

Ref: p0804

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David Levens
This book is aimed at complete beginner's and begins by explaining the chess pieces, how they move and capture, their strengths and weaknesses, how to set up the board, special moves such as castling and en passant, how to record a game and how to use a chess clock. Chapter 2, "Chess Tactics", looks at check, checkmate patterns and tactical ideas such as pins, forks and skewers. "Openings" explains the importance of bringing your pieces into play rapidly and controlling the centre of the board before showing how these principles are applied in a series of games featuring a variety of well known chess openings. "The Middlegame" shows, through example games, how good opening play can lead to successful attacks later in the game. "The Endgame" section explains what your aims should be in an endgame, endgame ideas such as the opposition, stalemate, the fortress, zugzwang and how to checkmate with different combinations of pieces. The penultimate section "Test Your Chess IQ" features 67 puzzle positions to test what you have learned from earlier in the book. Solutions at the end if needed. The author concludes by offering advice on how to get ahead in chess through chess clubs, tournaments, the internet and coaching. The author is an England Junior selector who coaches at Foremarke Hall School and Nottingham Boys Junior High School, the most successful chess playing school in the country over the last 5-6 years.
Pub. 2005, softback, 192 pages.

CHECKMATE: MY FIRST CHESS BOOK

Ref: p4358

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Garry Kasparov
Learn to play the great game of chess from this colourful introduction with none other than Garry Kasparov, the most famous figure in chess history, as your teacher. Discover all the various pieces - the king, the queen, the knights, the bishops and the pawns. Find out how the pieces move, the values of the chessmen, how to attack and how to defend, how to capture, how to employ special moves such as castling, how to write the moves down and, crucially, how to give check and deliver checkmate. Learn the numerous tricks and traps that you can set your unwary opponents and, just as importantly, how to avoid falling into them yourself. Make a journey through this book and, with the help of the world's best player, you will be ready for your first chess battle, be it against your mum or dad, your friends, your computer, on the Internet or in a competition.
Pub. 2004, softback, 95 pages.

CHESS FOR CHILDREN

Ref: g0006

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Murray Chandler & Helen Milligan
This large format book is an ideal introduction to chess for younger players being illustrated throughout with cartoons and large diagrams. The lessons are reinforced by the inventive tales that the central character George is told by his pet alligator and teacher Kirsty. All the rules of chess including the moves of the pieces, check and checkmate, basic tactics and different opening moves are covered with practice positions and tests included in each chapter and no prior knowledge is required to learn from this book. Murray Chandler is a Grandmaster and Dr Helen Milligan is a former British Ladies Champion.
Pub. 2004, hardback, 111 pages.

CHESS PLAYER'S BIBLE

Ref: b8925

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James Eade
A full colour introduction to the game of chess for readers of all ages with diagrams and clearly laid out graphical advice htroughout. The spiral bound, hard cover format ensures that this book will lie flat leaving you free to study with chess board and pieces. Learn the moves of the pieces, basic opening ideas, tactical ploys, middlegame and endgame strategies, pawn formations, how to checkmate and much more from this one volume reference. James Eade is a USCF Chess Master and author of the best-selling Chess for Dummies.
Pub. 2004, hardback, 256 pages.

COMPREHENSIVE CHESS COURSE VOL. 1

Ref: c2300

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Roman Pelts & Lev Alburt
Part one of the Comprehensive Chess Course is aimed at those teaching chess in schools & clubs or to themselves. There are 12 lessons here which show how the pieces move & capture, chess notation, castling, en passant, check & checkmate, the relative value of the pieces and how to open a game. There are review questions and homework tasks for each chapter and the final chapter contains a series of 20 tests on all the material covered in the book. Lev Alburt is a Russian Grandmaster and 3 times U.S. Champion. Roman Pelts is a famous Ukrainian chess teacher who taught Lev Alburt and presents his teaching course in this series.
"GM Lev Alburt, a highly successful chess coach, here offers for the first time the once-secret Russian method of chess training." - Garry Kasparov, former World Chess Champion.
Pub. 1996, softback, 135 pages.

CONCISE CHESS

Ref: p4327

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John Emms
This pocket sized book is aimed at complete beginners and introduces the reader to all the basics of the game including Getting to Know the Pieces, Check & Checkmate, Castling, Pawn Promotion and En Passant, Notation, How the Game Ends, Attacking and Defending Pieces, Tactics, Opening Play and Thinking Ahead. It's a clearly laid-out book with plenty of diagrams, easy explanations and exercises for the reader to solve. By the end of it any reader should be ready to take on an opponent over the board. John Emms is a British Grandmaster. br> Pub. 2003, softback, 288 pages.

LEARN CHESS

Ref: g8330

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John Nunn
A step by step guide to learning chess by world famous author GM John Nunn. By the end of the book a complete beginner will be ready to take on opponents over the board or internet. Topics include the rules of chess, notation, winning material, attacking play, the opening, the middlegame, the endgame and chess psychology.
pub. May 2000, softback, algebraic, 192 pages.

LEARN CHESS - A COMPLETE COURSE

Ref: p4115

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CHO'D Alexander & TJ Beach
Learn Chess: A Complete Course provides everything you need to know to get started in chess. The first part is devoted to first principles, explaining the rules and basic strategies, whilst the second develops a thorough understanding of the various winning methods, and includes a systematic study of openings, an introduction to attacking techniques, and a guide to fundamental endgame themes.
Pub. 1994, softback, 268 pages.

LEARN CHESS IN 40 HOURS!

Ref: L0403

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Rudolf Teschner
This book which has sold over one hundred thousand copies in it's German edition teaches you to play chess in 40 one hour lessons. Starting from the basics such as the moves of the pieces, check, checkmate, castling etc. the author progresses to opening principles, specific openings, tactical ideas, strategy and endgame play, devoting several lessons to each area of teaching. The book features plenty of text explanation and diagrams throughout an is an ideal introduction either for a reader trying to learn the game or a teacher preparing a course for pupils. Rudolf Teschner is a popular chess author who was editor of the Deutsche Schachzeitung for 38 years.
Pub. 2004, softback, 160 pages.

MENSA GUIDE TO CHESS

Ref: s1241

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Burt Hochberg
Mensa's very own beginners' guide to chess has information on how the pieces move and capture, rules and definitions and advice on tactical ideas, opening, middlegame and endgame play. There are 23 diagrammed exercises to test your progress. This is a clearly laid out book which aims to teach the reader chess in 30 days whether they are a Mensa member or not! Burt Hochberg has written several books on chess and other games and was editor in chief of Chess Life magazine for 13 years.
Pub. 2003 S A 128pp

NEED TO KNOW? CHESS

Ref: c0595

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Tony Gillam
This clearly presented, colouful guide will take you from being a complete beginner to being able to play a game of chess. It features explanations of all the rules and key ideas of the game in a clear and easy to follow format with large diagrams and photographs. You learn how each piece moves, how to check and checkmate, how to win pieces and much more. The book also includes chapters on the origins and history of the game, tactics to help you outwit your opponent, game play and strategy and great players. It ends with a glossary of terms. Author Tony Gillam is a well known chess researcher who has also written several books for young beginners. Anyone, young or old, can learn to play chess using this book.
Pub. 2006, softback, 191 pages.

PLAY WINNING CHESS

Ref: p4331

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Yasser Seirawan
This is undoubtedly one of the best beginner's books ever written owing to it's clear uncluttered style and the obvious enthusiasm of the author. After an introductory chapter explaining the moves of the pieces and how to write them down Grandmaster Seirawan introduces the four principles of force, time, space and pawn structure which alone make sense of the myriad possible moves, openings and strategies available to the novice. He shows why material advantage is important and how to gain such an advantage with simple tactical ideas; why rapid development of your forces matters; why controlling more space than your opponent is a path to victory and why pawn formation matters in chess. He also includes a section of annotated games to illustrate these ideas and a glossary of chess terms; useful for beginners. Each chapter has a series of tests at it's end and solutions are provided so the reader can check his or her understanding of that chapter. Palestinian born Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan is a four time US Champion and respected chess coach.
Pub. 2003, softback, 232 pages.

SECRETS OF THE RUSSIAN CHESS MASTERS: VOL. 1 - FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME

Ref: c2452

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Lev Alburt & Larry Parr
Based on Russian style training courses, this book teaches not just how the pieces move but where and why. Chapter one is Play Chess in One Hour and is followed up by How to Write the Moves, How to Open a Game, Middlegame Tactics and Endgame Strategy. There are test positions throughout to check assimilation of the basic ideas. This book will take you from complete beginner to being able to play constructively and try to win.
pub. 1997, softback, 284 pages.

STARTING CHESS

Ref: u4830

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Harriet Castor
Learn chess from scratch with this pictorial guide for children aged 5 upwards (Key stage 1)
Simple diagrams make examples easy to follow
Test-yourself puzzles with answers at the back
Clear cross-referencing of chess rules as players progress through the book
Pub. 2002, softback, 32 pages.

STARTING OUT IN CHESS

Ref: p4226

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Byron Jacobs
A user friendly beginners book showing the moves, how to checkmate, how to win material, basic tactics, how to open a game and basic strategy. Plenty of diagrams and reasonably large print make for ease of access.
pub. 1999, softback, 128 pages.

USBORNE COMPLETE BOOK OF CHESS

Ref: u4821

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Elizabeth Dalby
A complete guide on how to play chess, requiring no previous knowledge of the game. Includes features on the history, techniques and tactics of chess plus advice on how to lay deadly traps, plan cunning moves, launch effective attacks and defend your pieces to ensure a winning result. Written in conjunction with Grand Master Jonathan Rowson. With Internet links and over 80 chess puzzles on the Usborne Quicklinks Website. Aimed at children aged 8 years upwards. (Key stage 2/3)
Pub. 2007, softback, 96 pages.

USBORNE LITTLE BOOK OF CHESS

Ref: u7122

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Elizabeth Dalby
Please note: This is the pocket sized version of the Usborne Complete Book of Chess. The content is identical.
This colourful book is aimed at young people taking up chess for the first time and is illustrated with step-by-step diagrams and photographs. It explains all the important chess rules and terms such as how the pieces move, basic opening and endgame play, tactics and planning. There are over 80 puzzles to test the reader's progress and the book is packed with dos, don'ts and explanations of key ideas. Written in collaboration with Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson. Aimed at children aged 8 years upwards. (Key stage 2/3)
Pub. 2005, hardback, 96 pages.