Product Description

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, readers will be ready for your first chess battle.

*Covers all the crucial rules, aims and aspects of the game
*Full color illustrations throughout
*Innovative design
*Written by a legend of the chess world

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74143 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 98 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781857443585
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover
Learn to play the great game of chess with none other than Garry Kasparov, the World number one and 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.

*An ideal chess guide for beginners
*Covers all the crucial rules, aims and aspects of the game
*Written by a legend of the chess world

Garry Kasparov is the World number one and generally regarded as the greatest chess player of all time. He made history by becoming the youngest player ever to win the World Championship and his tournament record is second to none, featuring numerous wins in the world's major events, often by substantial margins. As well as his outstanding successes, Kasparov has constantly promoted the game; he has done more than anyone to popularise chess in modern times.

About the Author
Garry Kasparov is generally regarded as the greatest chess player ever. He was the thirteenth World Champion, holding the title between 1985 and 2000. His tournament record is second to none, featuring numerous wins in the world's major events, often by substantial margins. Over the last few years he has taken first prize in ten consecutive major international events.

Customer Reviews

Finally found the starter book
I have been researching for months to find a good 'starter' book to begin a chess club. I have searched online and made many stops at book stores and even asked many questions. Some of the books out there are excellent, but the cost was a little more than I wanted to spend as I am starting the club for homeschoolers and wanted to do it more as a ministry than a money-making enterprise.
To me, a great technician doesn't always translate to a great teacher. No doubt Kasparov was the former, but after reading this book he is definitely the latter as well. I believe it is an excellent book for beginners and even intermediates will find clear and colorful information here. It is also fun to read (a great quality especially for young people). The contents are:
1) the basics
2) the pieces and their moves
3) notation
4) winning and drawing
5) more about the pieces
6) tactical play
7) checkmate
8) opening play
9) endgame play
10) solutions to puzzles
11) glossary

For my needs it clearly achieves a 5 star rating. It is an inexpensive way to start a club or even to teach children. Not only that, but I will be teaching my wife tonight using this very book.
Thanks Gary!

An excellent way to learn the basics of chess
In my first week of the fourth grade, the teacher announced that everyone in the class was going to learn how to play chess. She believed that it was the best game to be incorporated into an educational scheme and she was right. We all learned and certain times each week were set aside for games of chess. It was a very popular time, as playing any game was preferable to doing other things like spelling and writing practice.
I am in complete agreement with this philosophy, firmly believing that everyone should learn to play chess. This book is an excellent way to start, which is what you would expect, given that Kasparov is considered the best chess player ever. He starts with a description of the pieces, how they can move and their power rankings. From this, he sets up the game and explains the basic goal of the game as well as the algebraic notation used to represent the movement of the pieces. Kasparov uses a series of situations to illustrate problems, such as how to force a (stale)mate from a specific orientation. Solutions to these problems are given at the end and many of them are nontrivial. You are really required to think hard before finding the answer to some of them.
Basic strategies such as classical openings, defenses, the pin, a skewer and back rank mating options are covered. The illustrations are very high quality and it could have been used as the textbook for my fourth grade class, where I first learned how to play. Adult beginners will also find it an excellent way to learn.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

excelent starter
I found this book great and easy for learning the moves, and also the idea behind the game. Strategy is a little beyond this book but, good learning tool, "you gotta crawl before you walk!"