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In this book, I. A. Horowitz, Chess Editor of the "New York Times" and former U.S. Open Champion, applies some of the ideas and convictions acquired from thirty-five years of playing, teaching and analyzing the royal game. He emphasizes the tactical aspects of the game: how to recognize the big chance and hit hard when it occurs. He also stresses the ideas and methods in opening play, rather than the routine memorizing of variations that takes the joy out of chess for so many beginners.
When you have completed this book, you will be able to play chess with pleasure and some ability.
List of contents
ContentsPreface
1. Basic Rules
The King
The Rook
The Bishop
The Queen
The Knight
The Pawn
2. Long Live The King!
Check
Special kinds of Checks
Checkmate
Comparative Values
When Checkmate is Impossible
Pawn Promotion
3. Two More Important Rules
Castling
Capturing En Passant
4. How To Record Games
Why Record Games?
Chess Notation
5. Drawn Games
Insufficient Mating Material
Draw by Agreement
The 50-move Rule
Threefold Repetition
Perpetual Check
Stalemate
6. The Chessmen In Action
The Queen
The Rook
The Bishop
The Knight
The Pawn
7. How To Spot Combinations and Sacrifices
Simple Attacks
Combinations with Sacrifices
8. Traps In The Opening
The Vulnerable King at K1
Attack Against KR7
Trapping Bishops
Breaking out of a Pin
Unexpected Replies
9. Pointers On Opening Play
Begin with 1 P-K4
Avoid Moving the Same Piece or Pawn Twice
Develop Knights Before Bishops
Avoid Early Queen Development
Castle Early!
Control the Center
Avoid Excessive Pawn Advances
Black's Opening Policy
Model Opening Play
"Irregular" Defenses
Review
10. Fundamental Endgame Positions
King and Pawn Endings
Rook and Pawn Endings
Other Types of Endings
11. Illustrative Games
12. Chess Etiquette
"Touch-Move"
The Gentle Art of Annoying
About the author
Israel Albert Horowitz was an American International Master of chess. In 1989 he was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame.
