Back to Basics: Tactics (ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess) [Paperback]

Dan Heisman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2007 | Series: ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess

Tactics are usually why most people find chess fun! This book will greatly enhance your enjoyment learning about - and benefiting from - the recurring patterns of tactics. In chess, if you lose all your pieces you can't win! And if you capture each of your opponent's pieces, winning should be easy. Even if you just get ahead by a small amount of material, your chances of winning soar. The way to win your opponent's pieces is through the use of tactics. This book is about all types of beginning tactics. The author covers comprehensively the subject with basic instructional material, examples, and problems of all types - about 500 examples and problems ranging from too easy to very difficult! Back to Basics: Tactics - the first in the ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess Series - should enhance your enjoyment in learning about - and benefiting from - the recurring patterns of tactics. It does not matter who gets the advantage out of the opening if one of the players is likely to lose a piece to a simple tactic in the middlegame. Losing a piece from an advantageous position will almost always result in a lost position. So study tactics, not openings, until you almost never lose pieces to simple tactical motifs. This book is an introduction to the various kinds of basic chess tactics. With instructional material, examples, and problems of all types, the subject of chess tactics is covered comprehensively. There are approximately 500 examples ranging from easy to challenging!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dan Heisman (born 1950) is a United States Chess Federation National Master and author. He is the two-time Open chess champion of Philadelphia (1973 and 1976), and the Philadelphia Invitational Chess Champion (1973). His Penn State team won the U.S. Amateur Team Championship in 1972. Although rated over 2200 by both the United States Chess Federation and FIDE, he is currently inactive as a tournament player. Heisman is a member of the International Computer Games Association and worked at both Deep Blue versus Garry Kasparov matches (1996 and 1997).

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc. (September 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888690348
• ISBN-13: 978-1888690347
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly solid introduction to tactics!, October 4, 2007

By 

Chess Quest (Lawrenceville, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back to Basics: Tactics (ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess) (Paperback)

As a USCF 1428 player, I'm always trying to improve my tactical vision. There are a plethora of tactical books on the market and chess books seem to be rolling out like hotcakes. When I initially picked up this book, I thought it was a little too basic for my current playing level; however, upon further exploration of the book, I soon realized this effort was a gem. Mr. Heisman has chosen examples that are clear and uncomplicated allowing the reader to truly understand the essence of the described tactical motifs. He begins each chapter by choosing almost ridiculously easy problems to solve, though this is what makes the book so very instructive. As I read through each chapter of motifs to be learned, along with a chapter on checkmates and defensive tactics--most all are covered nicely--I truly absorbed Mr. Heisman's 'no nonsense', lucid approach. Throughout the book, the Author peppers in pearls of wisdom for building tactical acumen. This book is an excellent primer of the nuts and bolts on building tactical awareness and garnering knowledge that is both helpful and PRACTICAL! After completing this book in about a month, I truly absorbed the presented ideas and had a satisfaction in finishing this fine book.
I would recommend this book to any budding chess player, all the way up to USCF 1500-1550. Beginners will use this book to build a solid knowledge base of tactics, while lower intermediate players will find this effort to be a fine review of already learned material. I don't know Mr. Heisman personally; however, being a dedicated follower of his articles on Chess Cafe and his weekly radio program on ICC, Dan is an excellent teacher and as every move in life has a purpose, so should the same philosophy be applied to the chess board, according to Mr. Heisman. Recommended!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Intermediate-Level Book, May 30, 2009

By 

John Wintermute - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back to Basics: Tactics (ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess) (Paperback)

I could not imagine money or time better spent to improve my playing strength.

I bought this book on the reputation of the author and to fill the gap between the easy problems in The Chess Tactics Workbook: Expanded 4th Edition by Al Woolum and the harder problems in John Nunn's Learn Chess Tactics.

I am USCF rated 1727 and still struggled with about 10% of the problems in the book. I feel I am seeing more and calculating faster now. I especially liked the 78-problem test chapter and the "Is There a Win" chapter.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Original, Thorough, and Entertaining, April 3, 2009

By 

Howard Goldowsky "ChessWriter" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back to Basics: Tactics (ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess) (Paperback)

Dan Heisman has succeeded in writing a tactics primer for the beginner to intermediate chess student, which is original, thorough, and entertaining. Even advanced players, who need a refresher course, could learn a thing or two from Back to Basics: Tactics (ChessCafe Back to Basics Chess), because Heisman briefly enters the world of tactics theory, with his explanation of counting (Chapter 1). This makes this book much more than just a collection of tactics puzzles.

The most original section of the book is Chapter 1, which focuses on "counting." This is a concept taken for granted even by advanced beginners. But most players, no matter how strong, never fully cover all aspects of this art. Counting refers to "counting" how many offensive pieces attack a square, compared to how many pieces defend that square. This "count" may move up or down, depending on which pieces get captures, moved, threatened, etc. It's not good enough to simply think "two pieces attack my pawn and two pieces defend my pawn, therefor my pawn must be safe." Other factors, like the sequence of captures, may be important too. Heisman starts with simple examples like this, but quickly develops the chapter to cover more complex counting ideas.

Chapter 2 is the longest chapter, and covers the basic tactical motifs like pins, skewers, forks, etc. Each motif is included with a sample set of puzzles to be solved by the student. This part of the book is like a more traditional tactics puzzle book.

Other sections include "72 problems on 64 squares," "Is there a win?," and "Checkmates," (collections of more advanced puzzles). Then Heisman reprints his excellent Novice Nook column titled "Seeds of Tactical Destruction," which outlines how to spot tactical devices in games, under practical game conditions. This section is related to the area of "tactics theory" mentioned above.

The best parts of the book are the little light blue "advice boxes," which highlight practical advice for the improving player. These little boxes are peppered throughout the book like pull-quotes in magazine articles. From these boxes, much of Heisman's practical knowledge is imparted, and much of this advice has nothing even to do with tactics. Much of it has to do with thought process, time management, and other practical matters.

All in all, a fine tactics primer that introduces the beginning chess player to the area of tactics theory, by a fine chess teacher. Study this book first, before moving on to a book of pure puzzles( say, Chess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way).

A less advanced puzzle book (compared to this book) would be Chess Tactics for Students.

A slightly more advanced book on tactics theory would be Chess Tactics For Advanced Players 2008