Using a Socratic teacher-student approach in the characters of GM Noah Tall, and Pat Sayre, the topic of this aspect of chess centers around the subjects of materialism, give and take, myths, difficulties, picking and choosing, rules, decisions, de-booking, and many more—dealt with from a veteran chess grandmaster's perspective. An illustrative way is used so that everyone can grasp the concepts quickly; to improve in a shorter amount of time. Charts, graphics, and modern games in algebraic notation will add to your enjoyment and a faster learning of the preliminary phase of chess. This is volume to of our Grandmaster series by Andrew Soltis. Check out volume 1, Grandmaster Endgames.