How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit chess) (Hardcover)

by Murray Chandler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This is not just a book for kids - for 'Dad' read any opponent who beats you regularly! This book teaches the 50 Deadly Checkmates - basic attacking patterns that occur repeatedly in games between players of all standards.

Each mating motif is carefully and simply explained, and several illustrative examples are given. A final test enables the reader to grade his pattern recognition abilities, and the last chapter explains what to do if your Dad is Garry Kasparov.

Fun, instructive - and guaranteed to improve your game.

From the Publisher
Gambit Publications specialises in chess and has an unrivalled reputation for originality and editorial excellence. The company is owned and staffed entirely by leading chess masters and grandmasters.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: Gambit Publications (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901983056
• ISBN-13: 978-1901983050
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (126 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,112 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

319 of 325 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars They don't aways work but some good stuff anyway, September 13, 2006

A Kid's Review

I got this book. My dad didn't fall for all but one of these checkmates. But then I was happy. I tried them all, but he would get me down too much to use any of them so I think just the beginners book for juniors worked better anyway. I did get him in the backrank one because he was upset by my little sister tossing stuff when she didn't get her way and he was not paying attention. I got a beginners book for juniors and and a traps book and both worked better. I now beat my dad more than half the time.

113 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Learned some good checkmates, November 9, 2005

A Kid's Review

After reading my Chess For Juniors and Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess books I got this one. I loved Chess For Juniors a lot but found Bobby Fischer to cover checkmates but not as good at this book. Bobby Fischer was too easy and some of this book was hard but I stilled learned from it.
If you are thinking of getting Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess then don't and get How To Beat Your Dad At Chess instead because it is better.
You can learn the back rank and legels checkmates and a lot more to help you win.

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fifty Deadly Checkmates..., July 31, 2004

By	G. Soos "emanigol" (Dublin, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are only two weaknesses one could find in this book. The first is the cover: a work like this should not have the cover of a fifth grade drawing project. The second is the title: it should have been "Fifty Deadly Checkmates You Could Beat Your Dad With". Based on the principle of pattern recognition the author introduces you to fifty checkmate patterns and emphasizes the elements necessary to attain them. From "Anastasia's Mate" to "The Fischer Trap" it does an excellent job depicting the deadly patterns that would lead to mates. But there are no discussions of openings or middle game antics, not to mention the tedious end game struggles. Certainly, pattern recognition plays an important role in chess, but so does elemental principles of positional and tactical plays, of which this book shows only few examples. Taken together, these checkmates reinforce principles such as the value of the defensive f-pawn and the beauty of seemingly senseless decoy sacrifices. But students of elemental principles of sound chess may find this book somewhat disappointing.