Chess For Dummies

Your quick and easy guide to the rules, strategies, and etiquette of chess Kings, queens, knights — does chess seem like a royal pain to grasp? This friendly guide helps you make the right moves. From using the correct terms to engaging in the art of attack, you′ll get step–by–step explanations that demystify the game. Offering easily understood explanations of the game and its components, Chess For Dummies is your one–stop resource for improving your chess skills. Chess 101 — get an introduction to the basic elements of chess and familiarize yourself with the board Greet the pieces — meet the rook, bishop, queen, king, knight, and pawn (and get to know their powers) Kick it up a notch — discover the ins and outs of chess notation and different types of tactics and combinations Gain chess know–how — find out how to make sacrifices, pick up on pawn formations, and use patterns for checkmating Put your chess foot forward — grasp the principles of play and the nuances of each phase of the game: the opening, middlegame, and endgame Open the book and find: Rules of the game Plain–English explanations of chess terminology How to pick a board and set Information on the desired destination — checkmate When it′s wise to take a hit to secure a greater advantage The various chess competitions you can participate in The ten greatest games and players of all time Learn The elements of the game and the pieces′ powers Tactics, combinations, and tips for recognizing different patterns The principles of play that you can use in the opening, middlegame, and endgame

Introduction 1 Part I: Laying the Groundwork for Champion Chess 7 Chapter 1: Tackling Chess Basics 9 Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Pieces and Their Powers 23 Chapter 3: Exploring the Elements of Chess 39 Chapter 4: Going after the King: Check, Stalemate, and Checkmate 63 Chapter 5: Making a Few Special Moves 79 Chapter 6: Got Notation? Reading and Writing about Chess 85 Part II: Gaining Chess Know–How 97 Chapter 7: Trying Out Tactics and Combinations in Hand–to–Hand Combat 99 Chapter 8: Sacrifi ces: Understanding When It’s Better to Give than to Receive 125 Chapter 9: Building Pattern Recognition 135 Chapter 10: Recognizing Advanced Pawn Formations 153 Chapter 11: Mastering Mating Patterns 167 Part III: Game Time: Putting Your Chess Foot Forward 183 Chapter 12: Selecting Your Strategy: The Principles of Play 185 Chapter 13: Coming on Strong in the Opening 201 Chapter 14: Making Headway during the Middlegame 217 Chapter 15: Exiting with Style in the Endgame 227 Part IV: Getting into Advanced Action 249 Chapter 16: Playing in Competition 251 Chapter 17: Hitting the Net with Computer Chess 263 Part V: The Part of Tens 271 Chapter 18: The Ten Most Famous Chess Games of All Time 273 Chapter 19: The Ten Best Players of All Time (and a Few Others) 301 Part VI: Appendixes 323 Appendix A: A Glossary of Chess 325 Appendix B: Chess Resources 347 Index 351

James Eade became a United States Chess Federation chess master in 1981. International organizations awarded him the master title in 1990 (for correspondence) and in 1993 (for regular tournament play). Today, he writes about and teaches chess.