In Checkmate! readers are invited to learn chess with Garry Kasparov, the World number one and the most famous figure in chess history, as their teacher. In this book chess players can discover all the various pieces and how they move, how to attack and how to defend, how to capture, and, crucially, how to give check and deliver checkmate.
Russian (formerly Soviet) chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist, whom many consider the greatest chess player of all time.
I’ve grounded myself in a number chess books. This one may look simple but it’s not. After a basics chat, Kasparov throws you into the pool. It’s a style akin to guitar or piano lessons that immediately get you playing pieces. Kasparov teaches chess by making you play chess immediately - openings, defenses, endgames, checkmate tactics. You are presented with puzzle after puzzle of chess pieces in various scenarios. You have to solve them and win the move. You learn a lot in a short time and you aren’t learning theory as much as you’re in a practicum. You come away with the immediate ability to play decent chess. You know how to make things happen. Recommended for those who want to start playing better chess quickly.
I’m not the first to pull out a chess board, but still I’d like to improve my understanding of some key concepts within chess. And that’s just what this book delivers.
Main takeaways: • Chess notation. Yeah, being able to read a chess column sounds both scarily geeky and intriguing. • Tactical play. Fork, pin, skewer. • Checkmate. Ah, well, that’s the point of the game, so knowing the do-s and don’t-s with a board full of minor and major pieces sounds like a good idea. • Opening play. This stuff apparently gets complicated pretty much right from the start. It’s always good to know a some of the more common openings and their variations, as well as a few appropriate responses. • Endgame play. How to finish a game when most of the pieces are gone, and you’re stuck with a Queen/rook/pawn...? And a few defense options if you’re the one in trouble.
All of these subjects are described on an introductory level - with puzzles, solutions and good graphics - which might awaken your inner chess dude. Or not. Anyway, I’m glad I read it, and I’m pretty sure I’ll pick it up again from time to time to revisit some of the topics.
Spiegazioni semplici, chiare ed esaustive che man mano pongono l’attenzione ed esaltano l’aspetto più intrigante del gioco, e lo fanno in modo schematico. Forse pochi gli esercizi ma dopotutto si tratta di un manuale esplicativo; ad opera del migliore aggiungerei.