Customer Reviews

Checkmate at Chess City

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I teach chess at a local library and I've found this book to be an excellent resource. The library where I teach currently has four copies and these books are always checked out. I've found chess puzzles to be a good way to convey chess concepts to young players and this book uses chess puzzles in a creative way to teach young players how to move pawns and pieces correctly. The format reminds me of a Richard Scarry or a Where's Waldo book. Children have a lot of fun looking at little details on every page, just like looking for "Gold Bug" or Waldo. This book engages childrens' attention while introducing the basics of pawn and piece movement. It's a fun book for children and it accomplishes its purpose wonderfully.

I cannot say enough about how wonder this book is for the K-3rd grade kids in my Chess Club! They are learning the moves of all pieces.
The book may not be thick, but it is LONG in the hours of FASCINATION that it generates in kids. It is like a story book about a Chess King and Queen that need to be rescued from captivity out of the dungeon of a Castle surrounded by deserts, swamps, and other challenging areas through which the kids must navigate the other chess pieces. The kids do not even realize that they are learning how to move real chess pieces! I am asking all parents of my Chess Club members to get this book for their child. I love to read it myself!

Despite the fact that our 6-year-old already knows how to play chess, he loved this book! Every page is filled with detailed pictures and game boards -- it is entertaining just to look at everything that's "going on"! The theme of the book is actually a puzzle or a maze based on the movements the chess board pieces are permitted to make in the real game. The book helps children understand the game, or, if they already know how to play, helps them practice on their own. Not all of the puzzles are easy, either!

This fascinating and brightly illustrated picture bookexplainsto beginners how the game of chess is played by usingelaborately, colorful chessboard mazes within a castle setting. The object is to learn correct names and moves for each chess piece. Each page addresses a different chess piece, it's moves and then has a maze with booby traps on the page to navigate through. With an almost arcade type feel to it, this book should fascinate youngsters or anyone needing a visual and simple explanation of how to play chess. Highly recommended.

A lot of fun. Especially the opportunity to practice the moves of each player in a cute little board game. I love having the magnetic pieces and board. What I do not like is the quality of the binding. I have purchased two of these for my chess games at different times. Each time the pages came unbinded.

I want to teach my 4 yr old grandson the moves of chess. The squares are so small that it seems impossible to fit a chess piece or some other "trinket" into them. If the child has to trace his moves with his finger (losing his place often I would thinK) it will be difficult and perhaps frustrating (for both of us).

Thanks

This is a demonstration of imagination put at service of an history and chess. I bought this book for my son, translated it (I live in Argentina) and he enjoyed very much it. This is an excelent introduction to chess and literature, both for children. Let your child to get a good literature begining. And to get an interest in the wonderful game of chess.

Several years ago, my son bought this book when he was in first grade. He loved it because he likes mazes. This book taught him how to move the pieces in Chess. He then went on to join his schools Chess Club, and got a lot of enjoyment from that. It is a great teaching tool for young Chess players. It is also great fun for children who like mazes and puzzles.