How to Win at Checkers [Paperback]

Fred Reinfeld (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Wilshire Book Company (December 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879800682
• ISBN-13: 978-0879800680
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #993,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coverage of topics, let down by typesetting, April 17, 2000

By 

Jeremy Erwen - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Win at Checkers (Paperback)

I found this book to be a very good introduction to checkers. It covers, in depth, sacrifices (pitches) to set up two-for-one exchanges, and the "five positions" that most commonly occur in the endgame. The analysis of openings is thorough, and a major plus for me was the section on forcing draws from "losing" positions. Only two things stopped me from ranking this book at 5 stars - the pictures of the boards are just too big, and are sometimes two pages back from where the written analysis takes place. Also some sample historic games would have been nice. The author has used an appendix to describe different versions of checkers around the world and this is, frankly, useless. That space could have been better used by a couple of analysed historic games. Other than these minor peeves, it is an excellent book. I would not hesitate to recommend it to a checkers enthusiast from beginner to intermediate level.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with Information, May 25, 2002

By 

Mr. Fred (Honolulu, Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: How to Win at Checkers (Paperback)

Reinfeld has truly excelled in this book about checkers. This is the most complete book on checkers you will ever find, in or out of print.

The book covers tactics such as traps and shots and then goes on to cover just about every important opening to at least some degree, often with main-lines and numerous variations. Finally, the section on endings is quite complete; nowhere else can I find the four kings vs. three situation covered.

Whenever I have a question I turn first to this book and almost always find an answer.

Be aware that information is packed tightly into every page and you will need to study each situation carefully, playing through the variations on a second board. For instance, opening variations are often contained in a few lines of commentary; you will lose out if you don't pay attention to these variations. It is clearly not a book for dabblers, but one which requires substantial effort, which will be well rewarded.

This book does not get a lot of attention from the experts, perhaps because Reinfeld's is known primarily as a chess writer. In fact this book is a must-have for serious beginners and intermediates. If you combine this with The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Checker Puzzles you have enough study material for months, and your game will improve rapidly.

(Don't be put off by the cover photo, which is full of errors and serves to trivialize and stereotype the game of checkers. The contents are what matters.)

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Learn Strategy!, December 30, 1999

By 

Jim Sitomer (New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Win at Checkers (Paperback)

Reinfield's book is a must for the serious checker player. He covers various situations, openings and endgames, and provides the reader situation problems to solve on his/her own. My game was improved by reading this book.