Equipment
Books
Review Rating Legend
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USCF 0 |
* * * * * Chess: 5334 Games etc. — Polgar, Laszlo — This book is THE best buy! It contains a rules review, a huge trove of mates in one, two and three moves, simple endgames, some of the Polgar sisters' best combinations, and 600 'miniatures' (short games) illustrating thematic sacrifices on the six kingside squares ... f3/6, g3/6, h3/6, f2/7, g2/7 & h2/7 ... in turn, 100 of each! One might assume, from the ferocious attacking style of his famous daughters (whom he trained with similar materials), that these games will have a significant impact on the serious student's outlook and play! |
USCF 0 adult help |
* * * Chess: Startegy & Tactics - Burgess, Graham (aka The Mammoth Book of Chess) — This inexpensive volume is brief and comprehensive, a well-written review of most important aspects of the game. The contents include sections on "Mastering Chess" (how to mate, tactics and combinations, endgames, openings — these are summarized individually by type, with illustrative games — and 'attack and defense'), "The World of Chess" (beginning with an interesting series of interviews with GMs, telling how they started out in chess, this part deals with the various forms competitive chess takes, including computer, women's, veterans' and junior arenas), and "Essential Chess Information" (dealing with a glossary of chess terms, the basic rules, and notation, with interesting articles on demographics and a World Championship history). |
USCF 0 adult help |
* * * * The Complete Book of Chess Strategy — Silman, Jeremy — Silman succeeds in providing a clear summary of almost every technical aspect of the game. There are sections on the three major divisions of the game, treating the material in short articles with easy-to-understand examples. In the section on Openings, he discusses basic strategy and some general concepts, and then launches into page-long explanations of most named openings and defences. The Middlegame section deals with a cornucopia of concepts — attacking the enemy king (including common themes), pawn formations, combinations, choosing plans and moves, various types of imbalances and advantages, and much more! The Endgame section is more 'theme-based discussions' than most books' treatments, which gives the student a broad view of how to treat the subject ... very helpful! The author also includes a short section on "Practical Matters" (draw offers, time trouble, psychology ...). |
