Want to play chess like a champ? Dummies can help.
From Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" to podcasts, virtual and mobile gaming, and beyond, chess is back in a big way. But, with all those kings, queens, and knights, chess can be a royal pain to grasp. Chess For Dummies is here to help beginners wrap their minds around the rules of the game, make sense of those puzzling pieces, and sharpen their chess strategy such that even Paul Morphy would be impressed. You'll learn the laws of chess, its lingo, and engage in the art of the attack with the easy-to-follow, step-by-step explanations found in the latest edition of Chess For Dummies.
Whether you're playing chess online, in a tournament, or across the dining room table with a family member or friend, this hands-on guide is sure to capture your interest (and your opponent's queen), getting you up to speed on the game and its components and giving you the know-how you need to put the principles of play into action from the opening to the endgame.
Grasp the rules of play and the nuances of each phase of the game
Familiarize yourself with the pieces and the board
Pick the perfect chess set and chessboard for you
Get to know each of the pieces and their powers
If you feel like you're in a stalemate before you even begin a game, Chess For Dummies is your guide to forcing moves, raking bishops, and skewering your opponents like a true champion.
Introduction 1
Part 1: Laying the Groundwork for Champion Chess 5
Chapter 1: Tackling Chess Basics 7
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Pieces and Their Powers 21
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 2: Gaining Chess Know-How 97
Chapter 7: Trying Out Tactics and Combinations in Hand-to-Hand Combat 99
Chapter 8: Sacrifices: Understanding When It's Better to Give than to Receive 125
Chapter 9: Building Pattern Recognition 137
Chapter 10: Recognizing Advanced Pawn Formations 157
Chapter 11: Mastering Mating Patterns 171
Part 3: Game Time: Putting Your Chess Foot Forward 189
Chapter 12: Selecting Your Strategy: The Principles of Play 191
Chapter 13: Coming on Strong in the Opening 209
Chapter 14: Making Headway during the Middlegame 227
Chapter 15: Exiting with Style in the Endgame 239
Part 4: Getting into Advanced Action 263
Chapter 16: Playing in Competition 265
Chapter 17: Hitting the Net with Computer Chess 279
Part 5: The Part of Tens 289
Chapter 18: The Ten Most Famous Chess Games of All Time 291
Chapter 19: The Ten Best Players of All Time (and a Few Others) 321
Chapter 20: Ten (or So) Cool Facts about Kids and Chess 345
Part 6: Appendixes 349
Appendix A: A Glossary of Chess 351
Appendix B: Chess Resources 371
Index 375
