The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition
by Patrick Wolff

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition
List Price: $18.95
Our Price: $7.51
You Save: $11.44 (60%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.99 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Patrick Wolff
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-05-03
ISBN: 1592573169
Number of pages: 448
Publisher: Alpha
Product features:

Book Reviews of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition

Book Review: good place to start
Summary: 5 Stars

The last line of the first chapter states, "Anyone can easily learn how to play chess, and this book teaches you how."
The Idiot's Guide to Chess is designed to take anyone from zero to competitive in easy steps.
On reaching 40, I realized that I could no longer compete in physically exerting sports and started looking for other interests, especially something I could share with my young son. Chess took my fascination. And so started my search for a book that can go beyond explaining the rules to demystifying the first and most important elements of tactics and strategy.
If someone was looking for a book that could take any ordinary Joe off the street and prepare them for competition, this would be the book I recommend. Or at least, it would be a good place to start. For probably no one book could take you there. Chess is so profound that to properly understand it, you need the input and advice of several people and much thought and practice.
The strengths of this book are:
* It's thoroughness. With over 400 pages, it will eventually hit on every question a beginner through to an up and coming or intermediate player would ever ask. It also contains interesting anecdotes, history, and asides.
* Well organized. 21 chapters covering the range of subjects such as rules, history, tactical motives, weak squares, computers, etc. It is a good reference book. You can skip certain sections if desired, such as the rules if you already know them, and look into your areas of interest.
* User friendly. Plenty of diagrams; plenty of chess puzzles to test you and stretch your understanding; a language that is patient and easy to follow without talking down to you.
In other words, it is everything that the legendary Capablanca's `Fundamentals' is not. So if you are already chess minded, Capa's book is more compact and might get you there quicker. But it is dry and hard work to plough through. The Idiot's guide is the book I'd recommend for mere mortals.
Some weaknesses of the book:
* More effort could have been put into putting diagrams and their explanations to which they refer on the same page.
* There are no complete games to work through.
* Some chapters might leave you wanting more (this might not be such a bad thing). I found the chapter on openings useful but not satisfying. This may be why I see that the Idiot's Guide series has come up with a book specifically for chess openings.

Summary of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition

Don't make a move without it.

Written by a U.S. Chess Champion, International Chess Grandmaster, and longtime instructor, this book includes information for both novice and expert, including over 400 illustrated chessboards and photos; over 20 pages of detailed answer key notes; a completely new chapter on new evidence about chess and its impact on brain power; a guide to the art of chess collectibles; and more.

. Foreword by Larry Evans, former International Grandmaster and author of 20 highly acclaimed chess books and a popular monthly advice column in Chess Life

. Strong sales for previous editions

. For the beginner or the champ, and for young and old

. Author has a high profile in the chess community

Chess Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in CJ's Chess Library
Chess Tactics for Students ImageChess Tactics for Students
by John A. Bain
Learning Plus, Incorporated; Published: 1994-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.16
Price in other shops: $14.95
Comprehensive Chess Course: Learn Chess in 12 Lessons ImageComprehensive Chess Course: Learn Chess in 12 Lessons
by Roman Pelts, Lev Alburt
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 1996-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops: $16.95
Chess Software User's Guide: Making the Most of Your Software ImageChess Software User's Guide: Making the Most of Your Software
Everyman Chess; Published: 2003-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.49
Price in other shops: $19.95
Comprehensive Chess Course Volume II: From Beginner to Tournament Player in 12 Lessons (Comprehensive Chess Course) ImageComprehensive Chess Course Volume II: From Beginner to Tournament Player in 12 Lessons (Comprehensive Chess Course)
by Roman Pelts, Lev Alburt
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 1996-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.00
Price in other shops: $28.95
Chess Openings for Black, Explained: A Complete Repertoire (Revised and Updated) ImageChess Openings for Black, Explained: A Complete Repertoire (Revised and Updated)
by Lev Alburt, Roman Dzindzichashvili, Eugene Perelshteyn
Chess Information & Research Institute; Published: 2009-01-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.65
Price in other shops: $29.95
Chess Openings for White, Explained: Winning with 1. E4 (Alburt's Opening Guide, Book 1) ImageChess Openings for White, Explained: Winning with 1. E4 (Alburt's Opening Guide, Book 1)
by Lev Alburt, Roman Dzindzichashvili, Eugene Perelshteyn
Chess Information and Research Center; Published: 2006-08-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.98
Price in other shops: $29.95
The Improving Chess Thinker ImageThe Improving Chess Thinker
by Dan Heisman
Mongoose Press; Published: 2009-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.57
Price in other shops: $19.95
Everyone's 2nd Chessbook* ImageEveryone's 2nd Chessbook*
by Dan Heisman
Thinkers' Press, Inc.; Published: 2005-05-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.00
The Reassess Your Chess Workbook ImageThe Reassess Your Chess Workbook
by Jeremy Silman, International Master Silman Jeremy
Siles Press; Published: 2001-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.35
Price in other shops: $19.95
Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner To Master ImageSilman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner To Master
by Jeremy Silman
Siles Press; Published: 2007-01-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.65
Price in other shops: $24.95
Similar Books and other products
Learn Chess: A Complete Course ImageLearn Chess: A Complete Course
by O'd Alexander C. H., T. J. Beach
MacMillan Publishing Company; Published: 1994-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.95
Price in other shops: $14.95
The Amateur's Mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions into Chess Mastery ImageThe Amateur's Mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions into Chess Mastery
by Jeremy Silman
Siles Press; Published: 1999-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.89
Price in other shops: $19.95
How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit chess) ImageHow to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit chess)
by Murray Chandler
Gambit Publications; Published: 1998-08-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.21
Price in other shops: $16.95
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess ImageBobby Fischer Teaches Chess
by Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, Don Mosenfelder
Bantam; Published: 1982-07-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.45
Price in other shops: $7.99
Professional Tournament Chess Board, No. 5 ImageProfessional Tournament Chess Board, No. 5
Sunrise Handicrafts; Sunrise Handicrafts; Toy
Best price: $34.99
Chess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way ImageChess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way
by Susan Polgar, Paul Truong
Random House Puzzles & Games; Published: 2006-04-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.70
Price in other shops: $17.95
Learn Chess ImageLearn Chess
by John Nunn
Gambit Publications; Published: 2000-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.28
Price in other shops: $9.95
Chess For Dummies ImageChess For Dummies
by James Eade
For Dummies; Published: 2005-09-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.53
Price in other shops: $21.99
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess Openings ImageThe Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess Openings
by William Aramil
Alpha; Published: 2008-10-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.16
Price in other shops: $12.95
Practical Chess Exercises: 600 Lessons from Tactics to Strategy ImagePractical Chess Exercises: 600 Lessons from Tactics to Strategy
by Ray Cheng
Wheatmark; Published: 2007-05-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.08
Price in other shops: $17.95
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories