The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition
Don?t make a move without it. Written by a U.S. Chess Champion, International Chess Grandmaster, and longtime instructor, this book includes information for both novice and expert, including over 400 illustrated chessboards and photos; over 20 pages of detailed answer key notes; a completely new chapter on new evidence about chess and its impact on brain power; a guide to the art of chess collectibles; and more. ? Foreword by Larry Evans, former International Grandmaster and author of 20 highly acclaimed chess books and a popular monthly advice column in Chess Life ? Strong sales for previous editions ? For the beginner or the champ, and for young and old ? Author has a high profile in the chess community
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition Accessories
 Practical Chess Exercises: 600 Lessons from Tactics to Strategy
Chess For Dummies
Chess for Children
How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit chess)
Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner To Master
Learn Chess: A Complete Course
Carrom Magnetic Travel Chess Set
Chess Tactics for Kids
Chessmaster: The Art of Learning
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess, Third Edition Reviews
HIGHLY recommended. This book actually goes through the various tactics like forks, skewers, uncovered attacks, etc., in a manner that is understandable and fun. It's probably the best beginner book you could read; most beginner books just tell you how all the pieces move and leave it at that. This is one of the most well-written books about chess I have come across, and the drills are great. Don't let the title fool you. Brilliant book. Then it moves onto positional considerations. I improved my game by several hundred points by using the techniques I learned in this book, and it made me want to go out and read more books about chess to further develop my skills.
I bought this book couple of weeks ago and I am done with this book. It is very interesting book; it is like a mini encyclopedia. Worth reading it, it will never make you an idiot as some of the reviewer's told here. This book well explains the principle, strategy and tactics of the game. I finished the first 120 pages in less than 2 hr. This book is big, but for someone who knows basics about chess need not to read the first 120 pages.
I learned a lot in this and there were a lot of diagrams for visual learners.
Well layed out. One can ease through the text as the information is presented at a liesurely yet practical pace. . Concisely written that slowly guides players who want to gain a better understanding of how to strategically play (or better yet, at least have a chance vs. Refreshing and not overbearing. more knowledgeable players).
But it also brings the reader up-to-date on issues (computer chess especially, but also more recent chess history) that the earlier books, of course, couldn't deal with. Like those primers, it is a book by a very strong player who gave much thought to what beginners really need to know. Primers on chess are notoriously poor, since many mediocre players (e.g., Pandolfini) consider themselves qualified to write them, and some cynics (e.g., Schiller) churn out primer after primer on the assumption their victims lack the skill to realize how bad they are. Highly recommended. The writer (a stronger player than Schiller or Pandolfini can ever hope to be) does not repeat others, but gives thought to what beginners REALLY need to knowand it shows.
The same care is seen in the choice and presentation of the technical material. For example, Wolff deals with space and weak squares, crucial to those who want to become decent chess players, but which most primers simply ignore. There are, however, exceptions: primers by strong players which respect the reader, such Capablanca's and Purdy's.
THAT is what beginners need to know. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess" is such a book. He deals respectfully with the history of chess, giving important facts without (false) "fun" anecdotes about the "insanity" of champion X.
It is no insult to Capablanca's or Purdy's classic primers to say that, finally, a better book for beginners had arrived. Even his "why play chess at all." section is fresh, without any waffle about the "beauty of the immortal game of chess": chess is a fair game where opponents on all levels are easy to find, and it is never boring.
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