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This is the third of Seirawan's four-volume series, which takes the reader from chess greenhorn to a player advanced enough to understand grandmaster play. Here, Seirawan shows how to set long-range goals for a game and systematically gain a superior position. His deft explanations give anyone with basic chess knowledge (covered in his previous books) the insights to leap levels in play. As usual, he tackles the subject with an infectious enthusiasm, communicating the sporting thrill as each piece of a meticulous plan comes together. Throughout the book, engrossing chess puzzles help teach strategic points.
Book Description
A complete overview of proven chess principles that teaches readers how to deploy their pieces using the right moves at the right time to build small advantages into effective, long-range strategies.
Customer Reviews:
Another great introductory book by Seirawan.......2007-06-25
This is the 3rd book in Yasser Seirawan's "Winning Chess" series. In this book Yasser discusses chess strategy and coming up with a plan. He discusses topics such as proper piece placement, and pawn structure. Once again Yasser does a good job providing clear explanations of the topics to the reader.
I would have to think that his series is about the best introductory chess series in the English language.
Great Continuation.......2007-03-24
I purchased this the same time as Seirawan's "Tactics" book. I enjoy the author's writing style and he knows his stuff. He uses a good sense of humor to keep the reading lively and his background on the annotated masters games is informative, interesting, and engaging.
The only reason I give "Tactics" 5 stars over this one's 4 is that Tactics is just easier to read and work through. Due to the topics of this book the examples are long, some even full games, so while the explanation of the principals of the chapters is simple and straightforward it takes some serious set-aside study time to work through the examples with your own chessboard. (Tactics on the other hand with its short term calculations can be done in your head). The format of having test questions at the end doesn't gel with the subject matter as well as Tactics, but is consistent with the format of the other books of the series.
The examples take longer to work through than to get the point of the chapter--with several chapters I could correctly answer the end of chapter tests without working through the examples. You can quickly review the points of the chapters just by looking for the italicized print, and that is often enough information to answer the end of chapter questions correctly. I'm sure working through all the examples would increase the value and understanding of this book but I am someone who does not have hours a day to devote to studying chess.
Again it is an excellent book and I recommend it, I do believe it has improved my play. Just plan on scheduling serious study time when you want to read through some of it, it's not something you can read casually on your nightstand.
Mid-Level Strategy book focusing on a varitey of concepts this author feels is important to learn.......2006-12-17
This is book at a mid-level skilled player who wants to add on their their basic knowledge of chess. Ideas are taken from actual play and are made into broken down examples. This is instead of using complete games (another excellent way to improve - here one of the mid-level comment on every moves book like "Logical Chess" or "Unbeatable Chess" would fit in well) the author focuses on a variety of concepts that he fees are important. This is certainly a good, but not a great book.
Thank You Mr. Seirawan!!.......2006-09-26
I started taking chess seriously about one year ago and I bought this book only a few days ago. This book is very engaging and has demystified many aspects of positional chess for me because of Mr. Seirawan's very lucid and down to earth approach to the various concepts presented. It is also very encouraging to see that even an IGM of Mr. Seirawan's ability can err during play. I am about to purchase "Winning Chess Tactics" and I know that my money will be well spent!!
A positonal primer............2006-08-04
This third work by Seirawan in his Winning CHess series is a truely great positional chess primer! I strongly advise that before diving into this work that the reader has an in depth understanding of tactics which was covered in Seirawan's Winning CHess Tactics, which is book #2 of this series.
The information in this work is a basic primer of the art of positional play for intermediate players looking to improve their play. One should make every effort to understand these basic concepts as it will provide you with a solid foundation as far as postional play and enable the reader at a later date to understand and digest more advanced works such as Nimzowitch's 'My System,' various pawn structure books, and the games collections of GM's such as Capablanca, Petrosian, Karpov, etc. This intro book into positional play by Seirawan is the best by far....
Book Description
Combinations are the central element in chess; they make the game so magical and captivating. The beautiful point of sacrificing a queen, the strongest piece, in order to checkmate with a lowly pawn brings a smile of joy to all chess lovers. Virtually all chess games possess a combination, either one hidden in the shadows of analysis carefully avoided or one that provides a decisive blow.
Winning Chess Combinations is a unique work that doesn't merely repeat the wonderfully rich and vast numbers of combinations, asking readers to solve a particular diagrammed position; it is a work that is far more realistic. A combination involves a sacrifice upsetting the balance of forces, but will it work or tragically boomerang? The reader is invited to solve this critical question by identifying the advantages that a specific position holds which might make the combination successful.
Winning Chess Combinations is the seventh in Yasser Seirawan's highly acclaimed Winning Chess series - PROBABLY THE BEST-SELLING SERIES OF CHESS BOOKS EVER PUBLISHED.
Customer Reviews:
Best Chess Series ever written!.......2007-03-11
Wow; many chess players have voted this series by Yasser Seirawan as the best single series on Chess! You could spend many productive hours studying this entire series of books. The final book in the series is out this year. Seirawan's writing is designed for us "laymen" and this easy to understand book will improve your game.
Unexpected disappointment.......2007-01-11
After a series of informative, stimulating, and gratifying works on everything from openings to endgames, tactics to strategy, Seirawan blunders with this move. The text details a number of interesting games and examines the rationale and philosophy of play with each but the book provides a disappointing treatise on the topic of combinations, the ordained reason for the book's existence. The title and preface would lead the reader to expect an in-depth review of combinational ideas, examples of unique and inventive combinations, and the challenging puzzles and tests that have consistently garnished the author's prior works. This one, sadly, seems to be a hodgepodge of material thrown together as an afterthought in the endgame of what has otherwise been a brilliant match.
Part of a good series.......2006-07-08
The "Winning Chess Series" by Seirawan is one of the best series of books on chess. The "Winning Chess Combinations" book is more advanced than "Winning Chess Tactics" and "Winning Chess Traps for Juniors" so you should read these first and I personally liked them better. When you have advanced then getting this book is a good idea.
Yaz's new book is golden!.......2006-06-29
In his seventh, and final, book in his Winning Chess series GM Yasser Seirawan delivers one of his best in this very good series. In many ways this book is a follow up to his book on tactics, but taking it to a higher level. The focus is on pattern recognition and attacking ideas with many examples from recent GM games. I believe it works well as a bridge between his (or another basic) tactics book and a more advanced book like Vukovic's Art of Attack. I used his Tactics and Strategy books as the foundation for my chess study and am very pleased to add his new book to that list.
Yasser does it again!.......2006-02-20
Yasser Seirawan dazzles his Winning Chess readers for the seventh time by bringing us his latest and greatest work, Winning Chess Combinations. If you do not already own this book, rush out to the neareast bookstore, purchase it, and read it as you grasp all of the information necessary for mastering Combinations in this fantastic work.
Book Description
Start every game with confidence!
The two greatest challenges for beginning chess players are not only to survive the openings phase, but also to choose appropriate attack and defence formations in the process. Winning Chess Openings shows players how to do both. In Yasser Seirawan's entertaining, easy-to-follow style, they are shown formations that can be used with other White or Black pieces.
Winning Chess Openings explains how to:
*Build a safe house for a king
*Estimate losses of ten moves or fewer
*Utilise the elements: time, force, space, and pawn structure
*Plan strategy based on time-tested opening principles of play
*Employ a defence for Black against any White opening
*Apply an opening for White used by World Champions
Winning Chess Openings will help readers develop a solid understanding of opening principles that can be applied to every game they play--without having to memorize a dizzying array of tedious and lengthy opening lines.
Customer Reviews:
Tries to fill too many approaches to what other opening books cover.......2006-12-26
It is not so clear exactly what this book is trying to do. It tries to set itself up as an "Modern Chess Openings" or "Nunn's Chess Openings" when listing variations but fails by being far to sparse to be of any use. It tries to provide some ideas of what is happening in the opening like "Understanding the chess Openings", "Winning Chess Traps for Juniors" or "Ideas Behind the Openings" but yet it is far to sparse with the ideas. The mix and match, trying to do cover all of these in one book is off base. Not enough ideas for the beginner or intermediate level player, Not enough lines/variations to be of any use to an intermediate or advanced player. I think three stars is rather generous, as perhaps the just beyond beginner or just under intermediate range of player might find some small benefit to this book. Some of the "Winning Chess" series books are very well done. This is one of the few books in the series that is at the bottom end.
A perfectly dysfunctional mix of "too much" and "too little".......2006-11-26
What's the point of an opening book? There are two possibilities: 1)Build a reperotoire; or 2)Teach you how to play a specific opening. Seirawan's book tries to fill both categories, but spreads itself too thin and ends up being frutstrating.
The structure of WCO is just like MCO, NCO, and all the other "CO"s: it systematically presents opening after opening, giving various explanations and lines. Seirawan's book is geared to much lower rating levels than more complicated books like Modern Chess Openings, but it doesn't cover enough CONCRETE ground to be of any practical use to any rating.
The best example I can find is in the section on Alekhine's Defence. Yasser (or "Yaz" as he's known here in Seattle) gives only a single line for the opening: 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.ed cd 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Nc3 g6 8.c5! and white apparently has a sizeable advantage. This isn't well supported by theory, and there are many other lines black can opt for (5...ed, 6...g6, 6...N6d7 etc.) that have better results. It's almost as if the author is unwilling to engage in a discussion of the more critical lines.
It may be argued that there is a lot of textual explanation for the openings. Yes, there is, but it doesn't mean anything if you don't know what moves to play. There is little concrete basis for how to play in the openings, so you will inevitably find yourself struggling as soon as you get to the 6th move in an opening Yaz discusses.
I'll spare it the harsh "sub 3-star" rating because Seirawan's style is very engaging and fun to read. Even given the "chessic" inadequacies of the book, it's still very fun to read, and Yasser is self-depricating and funny when he writes (his style is similar to David Norwood's).
In 272 pages, Seirawan manages only a vague definition of each opening. The book doesn't, as many reviews claim, give you a reperotoire for white or black, because there simply aren't enough variations to look at. If you want to pick out an opening for white or black, thumb through WCO. Otherwise, pick up something more specific. You could get the same value from a much smaller, cheaper text.
Not Recommended.......2006-11-10
If you seriously know nothing about the opening then this book will probably help you some. However, if you already have gathered all the basic concepts (which seem to be mentioned in pretty much every chess book ever made) then this book is a waste of money. Even for the complete beginner, I reccomend the recent books Openings for White/Black Explained by Lev Alburt, Roman D., etc., which can serve as both an introduction and a full course.
I thought this book would give me a repertoir, so I would know some actual openings. However, the coverage of any one opening is so minimal you definitely dont know enough to actually play it in anysort of competetive way. To repeat: this book will not teach you to play openings competetively, it is only an introduction. Seirawan briefly covers classical openings and then covers in slightly more depth his "opening solution" which is the Kings Indian Defense versus d4, the Pirc versus e4, and the Kings Indian Attack as White. First off, I found I do not enjoy playing any of those openings at all. What is the advantage of being able to play the same 5+ moves at the start of every game? Then what after that? Well these openings are not devoid of theory and once you reach the end of the first 5 moves you have just as much work to do as with any other opening; you have just delayed the inevidable conflict for the center--which means a slower, longer, duller game. Secondly, if you do like these openings you will still have to buy more books that actually cover them!
I would reccommend, even if you are a beginner, to buy the Openings Explained for White / Black by Lev Alburt, Roman D. Besides full coverage of the openings in the repertoir book, it also briefly covers some other traditional openings (just like winning chess openings). If you want an introduction you have one in the first chapter; if you want to really LEARN an opening then you have that too. Or if you already have an idea what openings your want to play then DEFINITELY don't get this book, instead get some thorough books on that/those openings.
The Best Openings Book.......2006-08-22
I never really got good at chess until I started focusing first on a simple e4 e5 with the relative strength of second moves and then relative strength of third moves and looked at it as a tree with branches in every direction. It makes sense not to go on to d4 d5 until you have explored e4 e5 out at least 10 moves out in each popular direction.
Yasser Seirawan uses a very logical arrangement of the classic games to take you down the branches of each possible move so that memorization is easy. Most importantly, he tells you WHY a certain move was made. He keeps returning you to the "main line" after he shows you the branches off to the side.
I wish I had this book about 10 years ago when I was playing in competition. I have bought a lot of chess books but I think this was money well spent. I think I will buy others in the series.
Opening Book for a Beginner.......2006-08-05
The author has selected openings where brief analysis is provided, some of the concepts that are important in the specific opening and then provided variations. Memorizing lines is not what a beginner should be doing. It is better to "understand" the ideas behind the openings - yes this book doesn't say "memorize openings" per say, but it that is what the actions of this book seem to call for.
Personally I feel that a beginner should be looking for "non" mechanical openings that contain a variety of both tactical and to a lesser degree positional concepts for learning purposes. The type of tactics that you will encounter at a beginning level in the openings you are using is important. I like the idea of getter a general survey type of opening book that has a good concentration of the ideas (like "Understanding the Chess Openings") along with a book that covers opening tactics (like one of a variety of Chess Trap books) is the way for a beginner to find the right openings and to gain an understanding of what they entail. You need a good variety of openings to be shown for you to get a fair grasp of what you might like - and this book falls short in this area.
Book Description
As cutting edge opening theory and one of Black's most exciting defenses, the Najdorf variation is a favorite of counter-attacking players worldwide. An ideal battle manual with complete illustrative games that highlight both sides.
Intermediate
Customer Reviews:
Elegantly simple, doesn't miss a beat.......2006-11-25
David Norwood summed up openings books with this quote: "There are almost certainly more books written on chess than other sport or hobby, and yet so few can be read with anything approaching pleasure. Many opening books are little more than print-offs of ChessBase variations, with the analysis courtesy of Fritz. Any monkey could write them and I suspect that a lot of the time, they do."
Chances are, if you're reading this review you're looking to pick out a book on the Najdorf and are sifting through the scores of books that come up when you type "Najdorf" in the search bar. This book is your best bet, regardless of skill level. It is singular in its ability to describe the Najdorf.
The above Norwood quote is especially true for an opening like the Najdorf, where many think that you're lost if you're not up to date on the very latest theory. True for grandmaster play, but almost universally false for anything below IM-level games. Danny King, however, doesn't get lost in tactics or the countless variations which arise. He simply focuses on the strategy and motifs that are often present in Najdorf games.
For example, the first chapter on 6.Be2 has lived on in my mind ever since I was a puny 1000. King shows a couple crushes by white and asks the reader "where did black go wrong?" Well, white sunk a knight into the d5-square, stopped ...b5, and steadied the e4-pawn. He then shows systematically how to avoid getting stuck with a bad bishop against a strong knight, how to counterattack the weak pawn on e4, and how to get ...b5 in through pressure on the c- and b-files. It's all very simple, and through six instructive games (with their annotations) a reader can learn more than from an entire book cataloguing the 6.Be2 sidelines.
Chapters on the Fischer variation, the Bg5 lines, and the aggressive f4 variation follow similar threads. He always spends at least two pages of text explaining what white wants to do, then breaks down what black has to do to stop this. The instructive games that follow are fantastic, well-annotated, and error-free.
The only issue that could be a problem would be the books date; don't worry, up-to-date theory is not a concern for this opening (gasp!). If you know how to set up your pieces and a few easily-learned structures you're in great shape. Don't believe that you have to know the 14th move deviations in the English attack; it's not true for untitled players.
There are likely skeptics who think that this is an elementary book because it appeals to many levels; not true. The BIG problem with books like the Najdorf books by Federowicz/deFirmian, Sammalvuo, and Nunn is that the reams of variations muddy your understanding. The variations make the book complete, but repeating so many subtle changes wholly obfuscates how to play the opening. After reading "The English Attack" by Tapani Sammalvuo I felt like I'd learned a couple attacking motifs and not a whole lot more. I'd run over all the variations but still wasn't sure what I'd gotten out of the book.
Even for someone who has played the Najdorf for years, coming back to this book always gives me a fresh perspective on the opening and refreshes the little idiosyncracies that this opening encompasses. It would benefit players of all levels, unlike any other Najdorf book I've ever read (plenty). The rest of the reviews of this book are testaments to the high quality and great explanations this book has.
finally something that explains the najdorf simply........2005-06-07
Ive always played the najdorf eversince i was in secondary school 20 yrs ago! cos everyone else was using it! i knew not what the main ideas for black or white were, except play 6....e5 against 6.Be2 or 6.f4 or choose the main line 7...Be7 against 6.Bg5. Of course there were also the Poison pawns and Polugaevskys. But what the hell all these lines were about I hadnt the faintest idea. My only source of reference were those 'worked examples' as found in games by good ol' Fischer - he played them like this, so i do like wise. Of course Fischer knew what he was doing when he formed those ideas and strategies, as these were his expressions or application if you like, of the basic priciples of the opening, whereas my ideas were based on the Fischer ideas hence were prone to errors/blunders when the situation on the board did not allow for such ideas. result - many losses.
Now with this book I finally learn something. Now at least i know what i should be playing for and form my ideas based on the basics. To hell with all those Najdorf books which give nothing else but copious amounts of latest variations and sub variations found by modern day analysts & chess theoreticians with the help of their Fritzs and Juniors. So what if the analysis or variations of this book are dated?? Ideas and variations and counter variations change but basics dont change.It has explained the idea of that 'mysterious' (to me) 5...a6, what to do against or how to play the 6.Bc4 line and what i should strive for when im playing 6....e5 against 6.Be2 or 6.f4. etc
The section on 6.Bg5 leaves me a little mixed. I'm pretty pleased with the main line coverage of this section as this is the system which i play exclusively nowadays, but somewhat saddened that the author chose not to include the polugaevsky on grounds that its too risky. Pardon my sentimentality here as i started out with that variation only to give it up as my mind does not have the abilty to calculate all sorts of numerous variations continuosly on the board. As a short digression, in many game examples from other references the black king does end up marooned in the centre after dashing white sacrifices by white on e6, d5, f5, f6 or b5. (So who says that the king's gambit (my favorite) is too loosening??). Black's compensation for this vulnerability are his wide open lines which produce very sharp counter attacking chances and counter sacrifices. Basically black skates on very thin ice thro out the game. The poisoned pawn variation is also too complex & too heavily analysed that the author did not bother to explore it further after a brief introduction. In any case it isnt a favourite of mine as i dislike the queen being somewhat out of play on a6.
All in all a good book despite its datedness. its written in a way that is easy to understand. The 'worked examples' illustrates the authors points well. naturally he uses Fischer's games as Fiscer can be considered somewhat as an 'authority' on the opening. Its just a pity that this book was 1st published 5 yrs after i retired from competitive chess to concentrate on my studies. Only now am I really getting aquainted with the najdorf after close to 20 yrs retirement!! Hope it comes in handy whilst playing in the internet chess clubs!
Excellent book.......2002-07-27
This is probably the best book on the Najdorf. While the theory isn't current, the author explains all the positions very well and gives you a feel for certain strategies. All the games were carefully chosen and illustrate recurring themes that can be helpful to Sicilian players. If you want "hot theory," there are are other books you can get, but they don't explain the positions like this book does. Daniel King makes the Najdorf seem easy to play and the games are fun to play through. Highly recommended.
How to Understand the Najdorf.......2000-06-06
A little background. I have played the Najdorf for years, loved analyzing it, but never felt I really understood it. My tornament score with this opening was around 50%, not good for the time devoted to it. I purchased this book, and proceeded to win the US Amatuer Championship twice, with the Najdorf winning key games. Too often books give reams of analysis or moves, ending with unclear evaluations after 25 moves. This book has tons of verbal comments. The chapter on 6.Be2 is the most important, as the author explains all the ideas and plans and the purpose behind black's 6...e5. In short, you must have this book if you play the najdorf! By the way, a sideline he recommends vs 6 Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qa5 has scored very well for me. He also covers the main lines with 8...Qc7
Well written & easy to follow........1999-07-07
This must be one of the more enjoyable Nadjorf Opening works to read & understand. No labyrinth of variations to get lost in .....
Anyone who reads through this particular work on Nadjorf will have a better appreciation of the opening.
Daniel King has been able to translate his knowledge on this subject to a readable & easily digestible form.
A refreshing Chess book from the English chess continent. Personally this ranks alongside my favourite Simple Chess, written by Michael Stean -an English chessplayer who wrote books that were easy to follow & guaranteed to improve one's understanding of the game.
Book Description
In Winning Chess Traps for Juniors, nationally-renowned chess coach Robert M. Snyder takes his Chess for Juniors book a step further by covering sixty-four additional opening traps. . Traps are arranged by opening to help students improve their knowl- edge of the most important openings. . Traps contain important tactical themes designed to improve pattern recognition. . Students are challenged at various points to find the best move. . Written for the beginner to intermediate player-this book is clear and easy to read, though not just for juniors!
Customer Reviews:
Improve both your knowledge of tactics and ideas behind the openings simultaneously! .......2006-11-08
In General about Trap Books: Books on chess traps should be an excellent way to learn tactics and openings at the same time. This is because you see all of the moves leading up to the actual tactic being employed (unlike books that give a diagram and the tactic starts from there). You can learn important ideas in specific openings also knowing how to avoid traps as well as well as executing them.
"Winning Chess Traps for Juniors": Has 64 short games with often numerous traps within a single game (unlike numerous other trap books that will create separate traps and use up space for nothing). They are arranged by type of opening (openings can be looked up quickly in the table of contents). The analysis is very accurate (I have computer checked the analysis and wow! Perfect in every respect, unlike some of the other traps and tactic books I have seen that contain faulty analysis). There are a nice variety of openings containing your most common type of traps and tactics. There is an analysis of moves leading up to the trap (unlike numerous trap books I have seen that have most if not all of the analysis when the trap is reached) and where the player went wrong along with the improvement is pointed out. This book fits in well as part of a series by the author with material being consistant (however, you don't need the author's other books to get full use of this book as this does just find as a stand-alone book).
Who this book is for: Written is easy to understand language, it is at about a fourth or fifth grade reading level. If you are an adult, don't let the easy language snub this book - it is perfect for adults! Once you know the very basics of chess (know how the pieces move, and have just been introduced to the ideas behind the openings) this book becomes very useful. However, it contains analysis that an advanced beginner or intermediate player will very extremely useful.
A sick mind wrote this book!.......2006-10-15
Author Robert Snyder plead guilt to charges of molesting one of his former students! (I also like how he ripped of the title of Chernev's classic book!)
One of the best ways to learn tactics and even a 3rd grader can use it!.......2006-09-21
I just got this book (in the new LARGE PRINT edition that is exactly the same book, except it is super-sized and is like a big workbook) and have not been able to put it down! Instead of just being given a position and trying to find the solution like lots of tactics books, in this book you get to see everything that happened before the tactics happen. This book also tells the ideas behind the moves and you are learning about the openings that have the tactics. You are asked to "find the best move" and there are plenty of diagrams to make it easy to follow along. You can use a sheet of paper to cover up the next moves so you do not accidentally see the answer. This is a fun book and I think it is one of the best ways to learn tactics and improve your understanding of the ideas behind the openings.
Effective way to IMPROVE TACTICS and IMPROVE OPENING KNOWLEDGE: My favorite book on Opening Traps and Tactics.......2006-09-01
I have finally found a book on opening traps that gives an explanation of the ideas behind the moves from the very beginning of the game (covering ideas behind the openings) to the end of the tactical trap. No cheap tricks! Good, solid analysis is given for both common and less common openings (very well rounded when it comes to having a variety of different openings).
You will learn the important tactics found in the opening such as, Legal's Mate, analysis of Philidor's Legecy, Noah's Arc Trap, Classic Bishop Sacrifice, Poisoned Pawn, Double Rook Sacrifice, with all of the usual forks, pins, skewers, and much, much more. Seeing the moves leading up to the tactics makes this a more effective way to learn traps and tactics than a book that has just diagrams with problems to work on. Within the sixty four short games there are actually hundreds of traps covered. The reasons why a weak move is weak and what should have been played in its place is explained. You have detailed analysis!
This is a book for any age. It is good for a beginner who has perhaps read an introductory book and now wants to learn tactics and openings. I also would recommend it for intermediate players or for chess teachers to use as material with students. Throughout the book the reader is asked to find the best move at critical points (makes it a fun challenge).
The traps are organized by type of opening with a good table of contents allowing you to quickly find different tactics you might be looking for or to focus on a specific opening. Where a lot of detail is covered in one of the author's other books the reader is told which other book and where it can be found. Most traps average 2-3 pages. This is a solid book with lots of material that is made clear and easy to understand. There are nearly 400 diagrams making so that an intermediate player can usually follow without a board.
I give this book my highest recommendation!
FANTASTIC MINI-LESSONS for a classroom use by CHESS TEACHERS or STUDENTS on their own........2006-08-06
As a chess teacher (and tournament player) who has been teaching grades 3 through 8 in local schools "Winning Chess Traps for Juniors" has been a lot awaited book.
When given a short period of about 20 to 25 minutes for instruction a chess teacher needs to maximize the use of time with the most efficient way to teach a variety of important ideas to the students. With this book I can cover the most important tactics along with teaching opening concepts at the same time - kill two birds with one stone! The students like being shown how a tactic is reached before it is executed! So, here we go with these 64 mini-lessons (each often containing many tactics and traps on the side - clearly pointed out) that the students enjoy.
This book has a nice lay-out making it easy to read. The language is clear (I certainly feel than an upper level elementary school student could easily understand the reading level). The games being are in order of openings with the main theme shown in the title (also covered in the table of contents). Therefore, a teacher (or student) can select games based on type of opening or type of trap/tactic and find them quickly. The 196 pages contain a lot of extremely useful information. There is a nice variety of openings (1. e4, 1.d4 and others) without an over emphasis on any one type.
The level of this book is ideal for children or adults who are just past having grasped the basic rules and maybe know some very basic strategy, right on up to the average tournament player. Because of the material being covered and the way it is presented this book is for beginning players rated from 500 up to intermediate players rated 1600.
I have seen most of the other books on chess traps. None of them provide the detail and quality of analysis found in this book (and most others are not up to date). I also have found going through a short game containing a tactic to be a far superior way of providing instruction as opposed to using a book that only has the tactic, but not how it was set up.
I am looking at this book from a "chess teacher's" point of view and highly recommend it for anyone running a chess class or for students of all ages who want to simultaneously improve their knowledge of tactics and openings.
Book Description
The accelarated development of the White queen's bishop after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 was for many years considered a bizarre chess opening, practiced only by a few "eccentric" chess players scattered around the globe, including the Brazilian Octavio Trompowsky, after whom the variation was named. Then in the 1990s, after a chance discovery, the young English grandmaster, Julian Hodgson, started to play it on the UK and international chess circuit with dramatic success, scoring many short wins with dashing attacking play. By force of example, the opening then saw a rapid increase in popularity; in fact, it is now regarded as "mainline" theory. Players interested in mastering this move will find here a thorough survey of the development and latest trends in this exciting opening, together with illustrative games. A must for any Competitive player.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book, Bad Opening.......2004-10-11
This is an excellent book, but it ignores the fact that the trompowsky isn't fun for white after 2...d5 or the various other lines in which white plays bishop takes knight and black takes back with the g pawn. The dark squares and bishop pair will usually give black a position in which he is anything but worse. Then there's also the problem with what to play against moves like 1...d5, 1...f5, 1...e6, and 1...c6. In the latter two you could transpose to e4 openings, but then why are you playing d4? And in the first two, what do you play? Either the main lines, which you're trying to avoid by playing the trompowsky, or some system like the London or Stonewall in which your opponent can just copy your moves and draw. I don't even recommend this opening as a secondary weapon, because you must have knowledge of benoni, open sicilian, and french advance structures to play the Tromp, and that's a lot of work for a surprise opening that isn't even that good.
Best? opening book.......2004-05-02
This is the bible of the opening made popular by Julian Hodgson and other young British GMs. In his hands, it fits with his slashing, attacking style.
The book's 240 pages are chockful of original analysis and reveal the author's passion for this opening. There's a lot of clear explanations for lower-rated players as well as enough innovative lines that even GMs will need this book to tackle the Tromp. In fact, Jeremy Silman has called this work "magnificent" and described it as simply the best opening text he's ever seen.
A question for me remains why the opening is so under-represented in MCO 14. It's covered in about three pages.
By the way, look at Wells' other opening books too: The Complete Semi-Slave and The Complete Richter-Rauzer. According to Mr. Silman, they set the standard for those openings as well.
This is how opening books should be written.......2004-04-27
Aside from being a strong opening in itself, the Trompowsky lets White avoid Black's pet Indian defenses and can be frustrating. In this book, Wells covers all of the main lines of the Trompowsky with just enough detail. Against the two critical lines, 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 c5!? and 3. ..d5 there, he offers a "Solid" move and an "Attacking" move, with one chapter devoted to each. Here are the chapters of the book, for the curious:
[1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5]
1) 2. ...Ne4 Introduction and Minor Lines
2) 2. ...Ne4 3. Bf4 c5 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 6. d5 (Attacking)
3) 2. ...Ne4 3. Bf4 c5 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 6. Nd2 (Solid)
4) 2. ...Ne4 3. Bf4 d5 - Introduction and Attacking Repertoire with 4. f3
5) 2. ...Ne4 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3!? (Solid)
6) 2. ...c5 - Introduction and the Solid Repertoire with 3. Bxf6
7) 2. ...c5 - The Attacking Repertoire with 3. d5!?
8) 2. ...e6 3. e4!?
9) 2. ...d5 - Introduction and 3. Bxf6
10) 2. ...g6 and other Minor 2nd Moves
11) Index of Main Variations
12) Index of Games
The book follows master-level Trompowsky games and Wells annotates them in a very instructive fashion. I learned to play the Trompowsky with confidence after just one reading of this book.
There is one pseudo-Trompowsky line that this book does NOT cover: 1. d4 d5 2. Bg5!? If you really want to play this line, you'll have to look elsewhere to learn it.
Amazon.com
This is the second in Seirawan's four volumes, taking the reader from the very basics of chess through appreciation of advanced play. He does a remarkable job of discussing tactics that usually appear only in books for advanced players and communicating them to anyone with a grasp of playing fundamentals. The first part of the book deals with basic tactics and how they can be used individually and in combination. In the second part, Seirawan introduces some of the great chess tacticians and their games, further illustrating tactics as they work out in real-life play.
Book Description
Learn sure-fire tactics and combinations from one of the world's top chess players.
The essential guide to the use of tactics, the watchdogs of strategy that take advantage of short-term opportunities to trap or ambush an opponent and change the course of a game in a single move. International Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan shows chess players how to put the tactics of the world's chess legends to work for them. Choose from the double attack, the pin, the skewer, deflection, the décor, x-rays, windmills, and many more time-tested tactics.
Customer Reviews:
I'm a better player now ........2007-07-05
I used to lose almost every game I played. I never took Chess serious until I played a thirteen year old and was thoroughly beaten. I knew I needed help and fast. This book broke tactics down to a level I never got from other chess books. It was not hard to follow and I learned a lot in just the first few chapters.
A good introduction to the basics of chess tactics.......2007-06-25
It has been said that chess is 99% tactics. So studying tactics is a requirement for getting better at chess.
This is the 2nd book in Yasser Seirawan's "Winning Chess" series. It discusses all of the fundamental tactical tools which should form the foundation of a solid chess player's skill. In addition Seirawan introduces readers to some of the great attacking players in chess history and their games.
Overall, I think the book did a superb job explaining the different tactics and provided ample examples and exercises to drive the points home. The only problem I noticed was either a diagram was wrong (#77) or the analysis appears to be incorrect.
I would highly recommend this book as a first book on tactics.
A must read for all serious chess players.......2007-06-25
Nobody who calls themselves a serious chess player should be without this book. With every turn of the page, my game improved. HIGHLY recommended for beginners and masters alike. Very friendly, easy to read, easy to follow book that makes you go "Ohhhh...wow!" more than once.
EXCELLENT.......2007-03-12
I have been a casual student of chess for many years, and purchased this book during a more serious phase of my playing. While I was familiar with many things in book, It does an excellent job of teaching the different tactics with different examples and a very challenging problem solving section at the end; my rating has improved as has my confidence in my playing ability.
I would recommend it regardless of your level of expertise; also good for kids, as long as they are familar with basic chess rules, terms, and principles to begin with. Great for the casual player that would like to increase their skill level
One of the best books on tactics for advanced beginners through intermediate levels. A real gem!.......2007-01-27
This book is an appropriate tactics book for every class of player. It begins with more simple motifs and proceeds to the more complex in a logicall progression. There are detailed explanations for each type of tactic with good examples and descriptive high quality analysis.
This book is organized by tactical motif and is probably the only tactics book that most beginners and intermediates will ever need. If you are very serious about the game, you may want to add a book on traps in the opening and drill different positions with a computer program or problems book. However, this book in itself along with game experience will take you to the next level of play. It is ideal for advanced beginners!
If you advanced, then CHESS TACTICS FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS by Yuri Averbakh is a nice continuation at a higher level. I also like the ART OF CHESS COMBINATION by Eugene Znosko-Borovsky. While not related to tactics at all a useful book I stumbled upon that will help with "how to practice" is called RAPID CHESS IMPROVEMENT by Michael de la Maza. This is basically a methods book about how to take all of this information on various topics and internalize it in the most rapid possible way. This last book is geared primarily to competitive players.
Average customer rating:
|
Winning Chess Tactics & Strategies
Ted Nottingham ,
Al Lawrence , and
Bob Wade
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 080699956X |
Book Description
Kids love to win--and any kid who has begun (or wants to begin) learning and loving this timeless game will cherish this clever follow-up to Winning Chess Piece by Piece. These brilliant tactics and techniques will hone and develop young players' skills and give their brains a real workout...while they're having a great time. They'll learn all the chess master's tricks of the trade: how to calculate moves far in advance, with the help of examples from winning games; strategies used by world champions--including Gary Kasparov's "discovered check" and "skewer"; improving the pieces to get in the best position to strike; and end-game techniques. Along the way, quizzes help players chart their progress--plus you get a "certificate" for successfully completing the "course"! 128 pages, 285 b/w illus., 8 x 10.
Customer Reviews:
Easy and Complete Coverage on the Dragon.......2003-03-13
This book has just the right mix of theory and analysis as well as tactical themes. Unlike some books (such as The Complete Dragon and Ultimate Dragon by Gufeld and Stetsko) this book focuses primarily on white systems against the Dragon and offers one or two systems against each of White's systems. It also covers early deviations once the basic Dragon position has been reached (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6). It includes some brilliant wins by Black (which is what the reader should strive to emulate) as well as some examples of Black players underestimating the potential strength of White's kingside attack.
There is even a section on anti-Sicilians which help the reader to find lines in which play is similar to that of the Dragon so that the reader does not have to sift through pages of an opening reference to find an antidote.
All in all, a great buy for players looking to add the Dragon to their repertoire.
The best book ever on the Dragon.......2002-05-29
Chris Ward is an expert on the Dragon. This is the second edition of the book and he has other publications on the subject, at least one video and a website where paying customers get his latest analysis. Above all he has the incredible ability to present the Dragon in all its beauty. Chris style is original, funny and makes learning the Dragon a pleasure.
This book presents complete sample games on each variation and there is an index at the end with the opening tree. One caveat: the book does not deal with the anti-Sicilians. For that you need to look elsewhere. Chris only presents a few pages on this subject and as soon as the word gets out that you are a strong Dragon player, guess what? Your opponents start playing the closed Sicilian or an anti-Sicilian. I hope on the third edition he takes a deeper look on this issue.
If you only buy one book on the Dragon, get this one.
Book Description
Learn to Win at Chess from World Champion Susan Polgar
Susan Polgar, 4-time World Chess Champion, became a living legend by following the methods taught by her father, Laszlo Polgar, the famous Hungarian chess coach. In A World Champion's Guide to Chess, Susan reveals these masterful tactics and techniques to players of all ages. With coauthor Paul Truong, an 11-time National Champion, she begins with the basics of understanding how the pieces move and leads the reader through checkmate and defense, pawn promotion, and opening and endgame patterns. Accompanying the lessons are personal glimpses into Susan's famous career, including her story of becoming the first female Grandmaster, the highest title in chess.
Customer Reviews:
Don't let your chess partners read this..........2007-07-07
As is expected of a Polgar, this book is very well written and easy to understand. The instructions for each section are clear enough for a novice to understand, and yet the exercises are challenging for even intermediate players. I have personally noticed an improvement in my game.
While it can be read quickly, I recommend contemplating each exercise and understanding what the lesson was before moving on to the next section...you will reach the end all too soon anyway.
But then you can go on to "Chess Tactics for Champions".
Excellent All-Around Introduction to the Game of Chess.......2007-01-11
I bought this book for my 6 and 8 yr. old children who had just started playing chess and had a basic understanding of the way the chess pieces moved . The book breaks down various facets of the game in small and easily understood lessons. My kids really love this book, and it has greatly helped improve their playing. I have also learned many things from this book. I had always been a casual chess player who could think through different situations as they unfolded in the game, but after reading this book, I now have a more structured and intentional approach to playing and can visualize patterns much better. I think this book is great for anyone who would like to improve their playing above the basic level.
Outstanding for clarity and comprehensive scope.......2006-12-29
Using this book for the past couple of months by reading the instructional material several times and doing all the exercises has caused me to conclude that this is one of the most clear and comprehensive books I have seen. My playing has improved steadily. The book is well edited and the writing style is straightforward. It teaches one how to play chess forcefully; but you have to be serious about spending time on the exercises. It really does deliver step by step instruction and I recommended it highly.
Fantastic method of learning.......2006-11-03
Ms. Polgar offers the most unique method of teaching. This book offers some of the most important tactical motifs. The examples are clear and precised. This book helps me a great deal.
Good if you know some basics - Not a starters book.......2006-10-07
The problem is clear, the good points are clear! If you are just learning how to play (maybe don't know how the pieces move, or do, but don't understand much else) then you will find this book move along too quickly. Have an understanding of the basics, want an additional primer, then you will want some tips on how to play winning chess. Catchy title, but this book is a big general with some useful information for a just past the beginning stage player. If you are an absolute beginner this isn't the book (consder "Learn Chess", by Alexander and Beach for an adult beginner, "Chess: a complete guide for the Beginner" for an under age 16 beginner). What the title doesn't make clear is it's intended audience - a well advanced beginner!
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