"A top-class grandmaster explains step-by-step how chess games are won"--Cover

The three-times World Chess Solving Champion distils the most useful middlegame concepts and knowledge into 100 lessons that everyone can understand. Following on from his successful Understanding Chess Endgames, John Nunn turns his attention to the middlegame - the phase of the chess battle where most games are decided, yet the one that has received the least systematic treatment from chess writers. With the outstanding clarity for which he is famous, Nunn breaks down complex problems into bite-sized pieces. In the case of attacking play, we are shown how to decide where to attack, and the specific methods that can be used to pursue the enemy king. Positional play is described in terms of the major structural issues, and how the pieces work around and with the pawns. Nunn explains how to assess when certain pieces are better than others, and how we can make use of this understanding at the board. Readers will never be short of a plan, whatever type of position arises. Each lesson features two inspiring examples from modern chess, annotated honestly and with a keen focus on the main instructive points. Both sides' ideas are emphasized, so we get a clear picture of the ways to disrupt typical plans as well as how to form them.

An invaluable guide to how modern chess openings are played. This major new work surveys all chess openings, providing a guide to every critical main line and featuring extensive descriptions of the typical strategies for both sides. These commentaries will be welcomed by all club and tournament players, as they will better help them handle middlegame positions arising from each opening.

From Simon & Schuster, Logical Chess: Move By Move: Every Move Explained is Irving Chernev guide to beginners chess and the basic moves for every player to improve. In this much loved classic, Irving Chernev explains 33 complete games in detail, telling the reader the reason for every single move. Playing through these games and explanations gives a real insight into the power of the pieces and how to post them most effectively.

Chess, the royal game, has fascinated people of all ages and cultures for centuries. 'Learn Chess: From Beginner to Chess Master' is your comprehensive guide to exploring the depths and intricacies of this timeless game. This book takes you step-by-step through the basics, from the first moves to advanced strategies that will challenge even experienced players. With illustrative examples, clear explanations and practical exercises, you will learn to outwit your opponents, refine your technique and set yourself on the path to becoming a chess master.

The Polgar Way to Better Chess! Learn Chess the Right Way is a five-volume chess puzzle book series aimed at the novice, beginner and intermediate level player, using the unique methods of the award-winning coach and former world champion Susan Polgar. It introduces the most important checkmate and material-winning tactics, as well as defensive techniques to the new chess player. Each of the five volumes will consist of over 500 puzzles. In Volume 3, you will be introduced to 500 must-know defensive techniques. Each chapter will start with a few introductory examples and explanation about to what to look for in the puzzles that follow. In chapter 1, the task is to move an attacked piece. In each puzzle, there is only one good solution by moving the attacked piece to a safe square. In chapter 2, one of the kings is in check. The goal is to find the correct response. In chapter 3, a piece is attacked, but has no good square to which to move. So, rather than moving the attacked piece(s), you will need to look for a way to protect it with another piece. In chapter 4, we focus on defensive ideas against a direct checkmate threat. In chapter 5, one side “defends” by counter-attacking. In chapters 6 and 7, you will be introduced to the game-saving techniques of drawing by stalemate or perpetual check. In chapter 8, the task is to catch a pawn that is about to promote. In chapter 9, a certain piece is about to get “trapped.” The task is to prepare for the attack and avoid material loss. Finally, in chapter 10, you can practice solving a variety of defensive ideas, with the goal to avoid or minimize material losses or being checkmated. With over 40 years of experience as a world-class player and coach, international grandmaster Susan Polgar has developed the most effective way to help young players and beginners – Learn Chess the Right Way. Let her show you the way to understanding the most common and critical patterns and let her show you the way to becoming a better player.

"What is knowledge? What is understanding? Why should we care about them? And how much, if anything, can we know and understand? These are among the most fundamental questions in the theory of knowledge. This book develops a new way of answering all of them in a systematic manner. The key idea is to approach these questions by thinking about inquiry. It argues that knowledge and understanding are the central aims of inquiry and that this insight serves to shed light on the nature, value, and extent of our knowledge and understanding"--Publisher's description.

Invaluable instructions for chess players at all levels includes elementary ideas for immediate practical use; how to attack, featuring tactics of Fischer, Keres, Alekhine, and other masters; challenging chess problems; and 60 complete games by Blackburne, Marshall, Spielmann, Tartakower, and other immortals.

Chess, a game of deep thought and strategy, has been captivating minds for centuries. Whether you're looking to develop a new skill, challenge yourself intellectually, or simply enjoy a game that has stood the test of time, chess offers something for everyone. In the digital age, access to chess resources has expanded dramatically, making it easier than ever for beginners to learn the basics and gradually enhance their skills. This eBook is designed to help you navigate the intricate world of chess from the ground up. Starting with the fundamentals, we will explore each piece, every rule, and the strategies that will allow you to compete with more experienced players. By following the principles laid out in this guide, you will gain a deep understanding of chess that will set you on a path of lifelong learning. Chess is not just a game of moving pieces—it's a battle of wits, a test of patience, and a pursuit of creativity. Whether you are completely new to chess or have dabbled in it before but feel overwhelmed by its complexities, this eBook is for you. Every topic is broken down into simple, digestible lessons that progressively build your knowledge and skillset. We'll look at common strategies, how to open a game, navigate the middle game, and finally, how to close a game with style. You'll also learn the importance of good sportsmanship, thinking ahead, and recognizing patterns that recur in many games. As you embark on this chess journey, remember that progress takes time. Chess is a game of mastery, not a sprint. It requires practice, study, and most importantly, patience. However, the rewards are well worth the effort. The skills you gain through chess will transcend the board. You'll develop your ability to think logically, solve problems under pressure, and plan ahead—skills that are invaluable in everyday life. With this guide, you will not only learn how to play chess but also develop a passion for the game that will stay with you for years to come. Let's dive in, take one step at a time, and start your journey to becoming a confident chess player.

This book makes four bold claims: 1) life is an ultimate datum, open to philosophical analysis and irreducible to physical reality; hence all materialist-reductionist explanations - most current theories - of life are false. 2) All life presupposes soul (entelechy) without which a being would at best fake life. 3) The concept of life is analogous and the most direct access to life in its irreducibility is gained through consciousness; 4) All life possesses an objective and intrinsic value that needs to be respected, human life possesses beyond this an inviolable dignity. Life and personal life are pure perfections, it being absolutely better to possess (personal) life than not to possess it. Chapter 1: the metaphysical essence and the many meanings of 'life, ' as well as its 'transcendental' character. Chapter 2: the irreducibility of biological life, its amazing empirical and philosophically intelligible essential features, and the ways of knowing them. Chapter 3: the immediate evidence and indubitable givenness of mental, conscious life as well as questions of (brain-) death and immortality. Chapter 4: the inviolable objective dignity of personal life and its self-transcendence; a new theory of the fourfold source of human dignity and rights. Chapter 5 (in dialogue-form): methods and results of philosophy versus those of empirical life-sciences