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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still the best for the beginner and beyond., May 14, 2001
This review is from: The Right Way to Play Chess (Paperback)
It has been said that one becomes serious about chess when one buys their first book on the subject. I became serious when I bought this book. Pritchard's agenda is to take the absolute beginner to the standard expected of a good club player. That's quite a leap, but it's a goal Pritchard achieves with ease and style. Beginning with an explanation of how the pieces move, we move through basic concepts (forks, pins, en passant etc.), tactics, strategy, how to handle the opening (including a list of the most common openings currently played), middle-game and end-game. All of the subjects are handled in a highly literate style that is accessible to all ages, with the sure-footedness of a seasoned master, and without condescension. The reader feels assured that the lessons being given are of the highest quality, and that the principles absorbed will always be relevant, regardless of fashion. From my own experience, The Right Way To Play Chess completely transformed my game. Prior to reading this book, I knew how the pieces moved, and considered myself a chess player. Yet I was constantly defeated by friends, and grew increasingly frustrated at the apparent ease with which they did this. Having read the book, the defeats came to an abrupt halt (strangely, so did the games - a coincidence, I'm sure). Against most casual players, I now had not only the ability to handle most situations but also, crucially, the knowledge to enable me to *understand* why certain situations should be handled that way. The Right Way To Play Chess remains absolutely outstanding, the benchmark for beginners. I cannot imagine a better book for giving you a rock-solid foundation on which to build your chess career.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good, well-balanced beginning, June 23, 2003
This review is from: The Right Way to Play Chess (Paperback)
I had been playing chess very occassionally and with absolutely no instruction for some time, especially on Yahoo! Chess. Then, I saw Garry Kasparov vs. Deep Junior on ESPN2 (side note: I wish they'd show chess somewhat regularly), and I was immediately taken. I searched for a short while for a beginners chess book and found "The Right Way to Play Chess" by D. Brine Pritchard. If you buy this book, it would be quite helpful to have a chess set or program. There are illustrations, but they usually come after ten or more moves in Pritchard's examples, and are difficult to follow without a visual aid. This is the only major downfall, and is why I did not give the book 5 stars. Also, if you're not a buyer from the U.K., you might be slightly put off by Pritchard's diction (he's British), although I really saw no problem with it. As any beginners book should, "The Right Way to Play Chess" starts off with the rules of the game. Even if you are familiar with the game, there is some information here you might be unfamiliar with, such as the "en passant" rule. If you already know what that is, then it's probably safe to skip the first chapter. After that, everything is useful, even to those who have experience. Rudimentary theory covers positions and moves you will see time and again, such as the pin and the fork. After some helpful examples from play and basic coverage of the powers of the chessmen and strategies you should keep in mind for each, the book is basically divided into the opening, middlegame, and endgame, and is capped off with examples of master play. The structure of the book is well-thought out and organized. Pritchard provides very useful examples in each section. After studying this book (and occassionally using it for reference), I have become a stronger player. I would recommend this book to any beginner who is fairly serious about getting better.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad at all, February 23, 2002
This review is from: The Right Way to Play Chess (Paperback)
Not bad. Maybe 2 typos. I was getting my behind kicked on yahoo chess, but this book and a few puzzles has helped me to finally win some games. And I am only on page 95!! I hope I finish tonight since it is the weekend and I can go back and be more competitive. Good book, but you will need more to supplement this. I suggest puzzle books, and books dedicated to tactics, strategies, combos, sacrifices, and the openings. This books stuffs all of that into one and you can't do that in 224 pages. Overall, I would recommend it to a friend. It is a good starting place.
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