The book that turned me from being completely hopeless to being bordering on the mediorce was Chris Ward's "Starting out: Chess tactics and checkmates". Walks you through the basics of pins, forks and suchlike, with plenty of diagrams and no patronising. Recomended!
Man, "bordering on the mediocre" is a very strong endorsement indeed, but I was just looking to get to "incompletely hopeless", lest I set my goals too high again.
Not a book but look up Wikipedia: chessmate pattern
and make sure to use chess mentor learn the essentiel mating patterns.
Again not a book but I hope it can help you.
Bobby Fischer teaches chess.
Chess in a nut shell.
Gonna have to disagree with you. This is little more than a "basic mates" exercise book, and teaches absolutely nothing about long term strategy, which is what a chess beginner needs most, IMO.
Gonna have to disagree with you. Long-term strategy is "what a chess beginner needs"? What is wrong with the long term strategy of checkmate?
Strategy refers to positional chess, mates are tactics. Both are important but Bobby Fischer teaches chess, as far as I know, is not a conclusive work of chess tactics or strategy - it certainly does not live up to Fischer's reputation.
Fischer didn't even write it.
Sure he wrote it, though he did have co-authors, hence the title Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess...otherwise we have a class-action lawsuit and his disputed estate is ours.
A beginner cannot begin to learn long term strategy. He is busy hanging too many pieces. Bobby Teaches Chess is a very basis tactics book. Learn to walk before you run.
Sure he wrote it, though he did have co-authors, hence the title Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess...otherwise we have a class-action lawsuit and his disputed estate is ours.
I would think he did not write it at all, of course, they would have paid him for naming rights.
Sure he wrote it, though he did have co-authors, hence the title Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess...otherwise we have a class-action lawsuit and his disputed estate is ours.
I would think he did not write it at all, of course, they would have paid him for naming rights.
No, he didn't write it. Larry Evans said he proofread some of it or something. I was just thinking out loud about the estate. Good book and programmed instruction is the way to go...Edward Lasker's Complete Chess Tutor is kind of like that (I think written in 1970 when Lasker was in his 80's!). Surprised that method of instruction didn't catch on in chess.
Agree - and with today's technology (e.g. iPad - hint, hint!) programmed instruction should be a piece of cake to produce (even though it takes a bit more effort to author).
Bobby Fischer teaches chess.
Chess in a nut shell.
Gonna have to disagree with you. This is little more than a "basic mates" exercise book, and teaches absolutely nothing about long term strategy, which is what a chess beginner needs most, IMO.
Gonna have to disagree with you. Long-term strategy is "what a chess beginner needs"? What is wrong with the long term strategy of checkmate?
Strategy refers to positional chess, mates are tactics. Both are important but Bobby Fischer teaches chess, as far as I know, is not a conclusive work of chess tactics or strategy - it certainly does not live up to Fischer's reputation.
Yes, but don't you need a store of tactical/mating patterns (and basic endgames?) to understand the kinds of positions you need to aim for or avoid in your positions?
If you are 1000-1500 all you need is to play play and play :) then 1500-1800 tactics tactics tactics after that you need to get well rounded tactics middlegame and specially endgames. 2100/2200+ you better start on the openingbooks :)