Chess For Dummies [Paperback]

James Eade (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2005

Proven tactical tips to strengthen your game

Your 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

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Proven tactical tips to strengthen your game

Your 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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (September 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764584049
• ISBN-13: 978-0764584046
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #544,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

292 of 298 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Comprehensive, April 6, 2005

By 

Chris James "Experienced Chess Player & Schoo... - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chess for Dummies (Paperback)

This book looks like a nice thick book when you first see it. It has a lot of pages. What is so disapointing is that it does a terrible job of providing a logical progression of well thought out lessons to help the beginner build a solid knowledge of chess. It is confusing as it skips around, often covering things totally unrelated to what a beginner needs to know. I agree with the other reviewers that the "Idiot's Guide to Chess" is superior (and "Chess For Juniors" for kids is just great).

165 of 166 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Difficult Book, June 7, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Chess For Dummies (Paperback)

The way this book is set up it does not teach in a good order. It has a lot of things that make no sense when you are given information suddenly that has noting to do with what was covered in the last segment and it is not instructional. Look at getting "Learn Chess" by Alexander as a much better book.

71 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for the FIRST TIME Player: But Not the Best, May 18, 2002

By 

IM J. Callahan (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chess for Dummies (Paperback)

James Eade is a very solid chess player and a great teacher. I have played him three times in the US Open, and I have kibitzed with him a few times. Eade has a great knowledge of the game of chess, and that was why I was suprised that his beginners book on chess was far less than great.

This book, although acceptable for beginners, is inferior to the Complete Idiot's series on the game. Eade only touches extremely basic principles, and neglects important subjects such as tactics.

Do not buy this book if you have the option of buying Wolff's book- and definentely do not waste your money buying both of them.