Short description:

Learn the moves, rules and top strategies which will take you from chess beginner to master.

Long description:

Improve Your Chess will help you to improve your technique and master your game. This lively new edition is written by William Hartston, an experienced chess player and daily columnist for the Independent.

It is structured in 75 easy-to-follow lessons, clearly demarcated by level, so that you are challenged throughout. You will get to grips with complex strategy and the meta-principles which rule the relationship between pieces and their co-operation throughout play. All new concepts are demonstrated by illustrated worked examples, and you will get a chance to see these principles borne out in grandmaster play.



NOT GOT MUCH TIME?
One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.

AUTHOR INSIGHTS
Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience.

TEST YOURSELF
Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.

EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of chess

FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER
Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.

TRY THIS
Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

Table of Contents:

• : introduction
• : basic
• • 1: 1 thinking
  • 2: 2 calculation
  • 3: 3 the centre
  • 4: 4 exchanging pieces
  • 5: 5 good bishops and bad bishops
  • 6: 6 bishops and knights
  • 7: 7 pawn to rook three
  • 8: 8 bishop to knight's five
  • 9: 9 castling (1)
  • 10: 10 knights before bishops
  • 11: 11 developing your pieces
  • 12: 12 the fianchetto(1): bishops
  • 13: 13 planning
  • 14: 14 gentlemen, the queen!
  • 15: 15 pawn takes pawn
  • 16: 16 pushing pawns
  • 17: 17 when you find a good move ...
  • 18: 18 isolated pawns
  • 19: 19 backward pawns
  • 20: 20 doubled pawns
  • 21: 21 weak squares
  • 22: 22 rook on the seventh
  • 23: 23 sacrifices
  • 24: 24 hierarchies of thought
  • 25: 25 i go here, he goes there ...
• : advanced
• • 26: 26 the good 'bad bishop'
  • 27: 27 opposite coloured bishops
  • 28: 28 the fianchetto (2): the pawn move
  • 29: 29 the wrong rook
  • 30: 30 the centre of gravity
  • 31: 31 critical movements
  • 32: 32 improving your position
  • 33: 33 defending
  • 34: 34 playing in blinkers
  • 35: 35 one move at a time
  • 36: 36 ... with a small advantage to white
  • 37: 37 timing
  • 38: 38 patience
  • 39: 39 castling (2)
  • 40: 40 how to study openings
  • 41: 41 endgame strategy
  • 42: 42 gambits
  • 43: 43 positional sacrifices
  • 44: 44 time to relax
  • 45: 45 playing for a win
  • 45: 45 playing for a win
  • 46: 46 pawn moves
  • 47: 47 learning from losses
  • 48: 48 the art of distraction
  • 49: 49 if in doubt, change sides
  • 50: 50 winning and losing
• : mastery
• • 51: 51 the grand plan
  • 52: 52 subgoals
  • 53: 53 judgement or calculation?
  • 54: 54 flexibilty
  • 55: 55 minority attack
  • 56: 56 dialetical materialism
  • 57: 57 material and time
  • 58: 58 planning for the endgame
  • 59: 59 bishops and knights (2)
  • 60: 60 positional dynamics
  • 61: 61 preserving the balance
  • 62: 62 crime and punishment
  • 63: 63 writing and editing
  • 64: 64 throwing salt
  • 65: 65 creativity
  • 66: 66 chaos
  • 67: 67 the bad 'good' bishop
  • 68: 68 luck
  • 69: 69 practicality (1)
  • 70: 70 practicality (2)
  • 71: 71 hedgehogs playing tennis
  • 72: 72 the grammar of chess
  • 73: 73 analysing and playing
  • 74: 74 the meta-rules of strategy
  • 75: 75 offering a draw