Learn Chess: A Complete Course [Paperback]

O'd Alexander C. H. (Author), T. J. Beach (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Everyman Chess; 3rd edition (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185744115X
• ISBN-13: 978-1857441154
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Chess

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

339 of 340 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A first rate book to learn all the basics!, September 15, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Learn Chess: A Complete Course (Paperback)

"Learn Chess" is a great place to start if you are either someone who doesn't know the difference between a Horse and a Knight or what the "en passant rule" is. It is also good if you know a little about chess but what formal instruction. This is not a small kiddie book! It is written as if it was like a book to be used in a high school chess class (about the right level).

"Learn Chess" is very clear and goes way beyond the starting rules by covering strategy that will take you to an intermedate player! You get a lot of material that is well organized. If you are looking for a book for an elementary school kid you might consider a lower reading level and more simple presentatiion with "chess, a complete guide for the beginner" that is written for the young reader. Once you finish "Learn Chess" you will be ready for books on tactics, traps, openings, endgames and complete game collections!

67 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Efficient and tremendously clear, September 24, 2003

By 

Shayana Kadidal (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learn Chess: A Complete Course (Paperback)

A classic: the best A-to-Z course in chess I've ever seen; ideal for teaching smart kids to play. It's very, very efficient, which means that it can cover everything from the basics to more complicated material in just 170 pages. The elegance of the presentation makes its points easy to hold in your head when you're playing.

The real glory of this book is the middle sections: the chapters on double attack, forks, pins and skewers, and the like are great. It's easy to explain the basics of chess and some of the advanced student subjects like openings; but the middle game subjects can be hard to explain logically (rather than through endless examples). This book does a great job of that.

The same text used to come in two very attractively bound slim volumes.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All the basics in one book, February 28, 2003

By 

T. George "tlg2" (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learn Chess: A Complete Course (Paperback)

This is a very good book on the basics of chess. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to learn to play chess, or who already knows but would like to improve.

This book was originally published in 2 volumes. Now they have been combined into one. Volume explains the rules, and the most basic info about the opening, ending, and how one wins a chess game.

Volume 2 covers the most useful ways to win material (pins, skewers, forks). There follows a chapter on mating attacks. Then there is more info about openings and endings. The last couple of chapters give some general advice and points the reader to other sources of chess information.

Each chapter has exercises. Some of them are simple, others challenging. Don't be discouraged if you can't work them all. My advice is to do every exercise. Write down your answers before looking at the solution. If possible, work the exercises without using a set and board in order to develop the ability to look ahead. I enjoyed working the exercises. They illustrate the lessons, and some of them challenge you to think a little deeper.

The Alburt and Pelts books are also very good. Learn Chess could be used before, after, or along with the A&P books to get a couple of views of the same information.