Understanding Chess Move by Move [Paperback]

John Nunn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 2001

John Nunn is one of the most highly regarded chess writers in the world. He has carefully selected thirty modern games to help the reader understand the most important aspects of chess and to illustrate modern chess principles in action. Virtually every move is explained using words that everyone can understand. Jargon is avoided as far as possible. Almost all the examples are taken from the 1990s and show how key ideas are handled by the grandmasters of today. The emphasis is on general principles that readers will be able to use in their own games, and detailed analysis is only given where it is necessary. Each game contains many lessons, but to guide the reader through the most important ideas in each phase of the game, the thirty games are grouped thematically into those highlighting opening, middlegame and endgame themes.

Editorial Reviews

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.

About the Author

John Nunn is a grandmaster from England. He has won four individual gold medals and three team silver medals at Chess Olympiads. In the Chess World Cup of 1988/9, he finished sixth overall, ahead of several former World Champions. He is arguably the most highly acclaimed chess writer in the world, with two of his books receiving the prestigious British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award.

Product Details

• Paperback: 239 pages
• Publisher: Gambit Publications; 1 edition (February 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901983412
• ISBN-13: 978-1901983418
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Chess

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

364 of 379 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars High Quality Games and Analysis, October 2, 2004

By 

Jim Masoner (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding Chess Move by Move (Paperback)

Nunn did a great job of providing great analysis and a great selection of games in UNDERSTANDING CHESS MOVE BY MOVE. He goes into great detail where it is called for. I would definately recommend this book for Advanced Players along with UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS for the advanced beginner or Intermediate player. Both of these books seem to compliment each other well (though unless you are advanced get the Unbeatable book first and Nunn's book as a follow up).

97 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Analysis for Skilled Chess Players, September 15, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Understanding Chess Move by Move (Paperback)

John Nunn takes games that are instructive and gives very (very!) detailed analysis on them. This book is well suited for an experienced chess player who had already gone through the other "every move analyzed for lessons" books for beginning and intermediate players. Popular approach? You bet! it works very well for helping you understand what is happening in each game.

John Nunn is very accurate in his detailed analysis. He does expect the reader to have basic knowledge so doesn't spend time going over the simple general rules, but focuses on what a good player needs to know to get getter. Sometimes, he does go off on a tangent with some of the variations and maybe could have spent a little more time explaining the plan instead of just the variation. This one of the top books of its type for the advanced chess player.

156 of 166 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best read after Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move", April 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Understanding Chess Move by Move (Paperback)

If you've read and loved Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move," you'll have a rough idea of Nunn's book. The main differences, I think, are:

1) Chernev's is much more basic, even though Understanding Chess "avoids jargon" and "emphasizes general principles" Nunn still writes more in-depth textually and doesn't avoid long variations.

2) Nunn is less repetitive - he doesn't try to come up with a dozen different reasons for why 1 e4 or 1 d4 "is the best move on the board," he just refers you to game 1, and moves on.

3) Nunn's games reflect current theory and modern openings which are a bit more sophisticated (or at least not as readily comprehensible) and require more explanation than Chernev's.

I enjoyed Understanding Chess (the writing, variations, thematic ideas, summaries) but I think it is a bit too much for younger players or newcomers so if you haven't read Logical Chess or found it too hard (or **shudder** boring) you might do well to wait awhile before trying Understanding Chess. Understanding Chess is like a college textbook while Logical Chess' is a high school workbook.