The Chess Kid's Book of Tactics [Paperback]

David MacEnulty (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Chess

In chess, tactics are the tricks and techniques players use to get a quick advantage over their opponents. David MacEnulty, a former director of program development in New York City's award-winning Chess-in-the-Schools program, teaches students how to develop a tactical mindset. In The Chess Kid's Book of Tactics, he instructs 6-10-year-old players in how to recognize the basic chess patterns and how to apply those patterns to understand-and win-the game.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

In chess, tactics are the tricks and techniques players use to get a quick advantage over their opponents. David MacEnulty, a coach in New York City's award-winning Chess-in-the-Schools program, teaches students how to develop a tactical mindset. In The Chess Kid's Book of Tactics, he instructs 6-10-year-old players in how to recognize the basic chess patterns and how to apply those patterns to understand-and win-the game.

About the Author

David MacEnulty is the chess teacher at The Dalton School and the former director of program development at Chess-in-the-Schools in New York. His teams have won three National Champion titles and came in second four times. David and his chess teams have been featured nationally on CBS, CNN, in Chess Life magazine, and in many local television and print news stories.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Random House Puzzles & Games (July 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812935098
• ISBN-13: 978-0812935097
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,196,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not pleased with the quality or quantity of the material in it, September 8, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Chess Kid's Book of Tactics (Paperback)

This is a very, very basic book on tactics. It is just ok for someone that has just learned how the pieces have moved.
I found that there was not enough examples of problems to make this book worth while. There explanations are not very good and not as clear as my other two chess books on tactics and traps in the opening (they all had a lot more material too). I felt that the diagrams were much bigger than they needed to be and that a lot of space was wasted on the pages. I have looked at the McKay Chess Library for Kids and they don't seem to have anything beyond super beginner stuff that is the same style.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars BUMMER!, March 20, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Chess Kid's Book of Tactics (Paperback)

I got this book for my Birthday and must say it does not even begin to compare to my Serawan Tactics book. It does not have enough examples and it doesn't do much to tell you what is going on with what it does have. I like books that tell you move by move what is going on, where mistakes are made on both sides. Often a series of moves are given and you don't know where the other person went wrong because it doesn't tell you.
My two star ranking is generous - probably 1.5 if they allowed it.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Something Else - Very Sparce, April 21, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Chess Kid's Book of Tactics (Paperback)

This book is lame in my opinion because,
Number One - I found some mistakes in it that no writter or publisher should miss,
Number two - There isn't enough actual stuff in it. It will take someone in my grade who has learned to play no time to go through it and be bored stiff if he has been playing chess in the club at there school.
Number three - Overgrown sizes of diagrams just take up space. This book look like the company that published it got the material and had to make it BIG to make it into a book instead of a booklet.
Number four - Judge this book by its cover and you will not want it! I gave it away to a friend so I can beat him. Maybe not so nice, but this book actually teaches you some incorrect stuff!!! My other book by the David MaKay Library by another writer was very good, just not this one. So don't judge a book by its publisher, but by its author is my advice.