Complete Chess Course [Hardcover]

Fred Reinfeld (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 1959

Combining eight volumes into one, the mostacomprehensive book on chess ever published. Fromaopening gambit to endgame, this home-study chess courseais the classic in theafield.

Illustrated throughout

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Combining eight volumes into one, the most comprehensive book on chess ever published. From opening gambit to endgame, this home-study chess course is the classic in the field.

Illustrated throughout

From the Inside Flap

Combining eight volumes into one, the mostacomprehensive book on chess ever published. Fromaopening gambit to endgame, this home-study chess courseais the classic in theafield.

Illustrated throughout

Product Details

• Hardcover: 704 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (October 5, 1959)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385004648
• ISBN-13: 978-0385004640
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 2 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #882,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Match Your Books to Your Style of Play, July 18, 2002

By 

"chessforfun" (Eaton, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Chess Course (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book if, like me, you are seeking a single book to study AND you only aspire to be a casual chessplayer. If, on the other hand, you are looking to become a competitive tournament player, this book probably isn't for you.

I'll take the word of some other reviewers that the analysis and openings are out of date. However, in my casual circle of play, it doesn't matter. Most of us can't tell a Giuoco Piano from a Steinway Piano, and most of us don't care. We play for fun, not competition. (I'm not slamming competitive players, merely recognizing that different people play for different reasons.)

This book helped me to become a better casual player. I can now make sense out of my games, and have a better ability to plan my game. It's made chess a lot more fun, even when I lose (a not-uncommon outcome.) The analysis isn't deep, but it's understandable and to the point. It's also relevant to the level of chess at which I play.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great, great, great!, September 15, 2001

By 

louis smith "louis" (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Chess Course (Hardcover)

An outstanding book for beginners as well as advanced chess players. The book takes the player from beginner to the advanced stages of chess with outstanding advice on openings,middlegame and endings, all illustrated by master games. There are chapters on how to play the white and black pieces and a host of clear diagrams and easily understood explanations. All of this in a big book of over 600 pages. This book is a classic, without question. Although Reinfeld is criticized for making his books simple I dont find this to be a fault, but a virtue. This book is an excellent example of clear and easy to understand writing. Practice not knowledge makes the master. A GREAT book!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for beginners, September 23, 2005

By 

D. R. Lunsford "drl" (St. Louis, MO, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Chess Course (Hardcover)

I stumbled across this book as a child when I ambled down the wrong aisle at the library - thus began a lifelong attachment to chess! I was astounded that so much could be written about a mere game. Reinfeld does several things which are guaranteed to get the beginner involved right off the mark:

1) No hero worship - The names of the masters who play the example games and positions are almost entirely omitted. Thus the beginning student is presented, not with unapproachable paragons of skill, rather, cold hard chess as it happens at the board.

2) Games chosen from the "golden" age - The games in the book are mostly from the 19th century, and highlight the basic themes beginners should understand in stark clarity. Many of the games are by Steinitz. You won't see the fantastically deep strategies of Alekhine, which are incomprehensible to a beginner. The book concludes with the great Pillsbury-Tarrasch game from Hastings 1895.

3) Explicit instructions on basic checkmates - Surprising how hard to find this simple material can be.

4) General tone of great enthusiasm for the game - Yes, the double exclamation points and so on are a little "homerish" now and then, but infectious for the beginning player.

5) Just enough about openings to allow the beginner to master the main lines - It would be foolish to overwhelm the beginning player with page after page of detailed opening theory. I'm convinced that only advanced players should study the openings it great detail.

6) A "break it down" approach - There may be 8 or 10 "bad moves" instead of 9 - nevertheless Reinfeld gives the beginner a "hook" to focus on and I entirely approve of this approach. In my case it made an instant and drastic improvement of my game. This part of the book might well have been titled "The Discoveries of Paul Morphy".

I could go on but I'll just say, this is a wonderful book for beginners and I wholeheartedly endorse it!

-drl