Chess For Dummies
by James Eade
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Book Summary Information
Author: James EadeEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-09-02
ISBN: 0764584049
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: For Dummies
Book Reviews of Chess For Dummies
Book Review: Excellent intro to chess
Summary: 5 Stars
I read through this book after having read the numerous negative reviews on this page. I'm a c.1400 player looking for something on chess that would help my nieces and nephews. I thought the book was excellent: clear, easy to understand, well-written, and interesting.
NEGATIVES: only real negative was two chess diagrams that contained errors. Some reviewers had difficulties with the organization, but I thought it was a quite well-organized intro.
POSITIVES: #1. The many diagrams make it possible for even beginners to understand about 90% of the book without pulling out a chess set. One should use a chess set, of course, but I think few readers will, and they will scarcely ever need to: virtually every sequence of moves is illustrated by a diagram for each move. The diagrams are often enhanced with Xs showing threatened checks or captures that beginners might not easily see. This extensive use of diagrams helps make even very difficult points easy for beginners.
#2. The book is very comprehensive, and yet concise. The author is skilled at covering a lot of ground in a very short space, and yet making it all look natural and easy: for example, it's not every beginner's book that covers the Lucena position in rook endings, and makes it look easy. Fred Reinfeld was one of the best at writing chess books for beginners, but Eades (at least in this book) is every bit as good; and in many ways better.
#3. The book has a vivid, yet conversational writing style that keeps the reader interested in the text. Introductions can be a dreadfully dreary thing to either write or read, but this book does a very good job at holding the reader's attention.
I give it five stars in part to counterbalance some negative reviews elsewhere here that I regard as excessive. But I think the content is well worth five stars: the only thing I would dock a star for is the poor proofreading on two diagrams (embarrassing in a second edition!). The editors should show higher standards of professionalism for their third edition, but this is not enough to reduce it to a four star book.
Summary of Chess For Dummies
Proven tactical tips to strengthen your gameYour quick and easy guide to the rules, strategies, and etiquette of chess
Kings, 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. You'll also find updated information on tournaments and top players, as well as computer chess games and playing chess online!
Discover how to:
- Set up your chessboard
- Understand the pieces and their powers
- Recognize the game's patterns
- Decipher chess notation
- Employ tactics to gain an advantage
- Find tournaments and clubs
It was inevitable, thank goodness, that the Dummies series would give us an introductory chess book. The light touch is perfect to offset the sober aura of mystery that surrounds the game in many people's minds. And the extras that reach beyond the well-written move explanations, strategies, and pattern-recognition make the book a real winner. It won't take much playing for readers to appreciate the section on chess etiquette, for example, or the one on uncommon moves, subtitled, "The Ones That Start the Fights." Informative tips and amusing bits of trivia add to the fun.
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