© 2015 Jonathan Whitcomb
Chess Book for a Beginner
For the Early Beginner
Beat That Kid in Chess could be the best book for the
raw beginner. It systematically walks the reader through
one type of checkmate and then another, balancing the
checkmate patterns with other kinds of tactics.
From the Amazon page for this chess book:
“This book has been carefully crafted for the raw
beginner who wants to win a chess game as soon as
possible. It's for the beginner who knows the rules but
not much else. Children, teenagers, and adults can
benefit from these lessons and the two chapters of
exercises: simple and advanced exercises . . .”
From the official site for this chess book:
“The best lessons for the raw beginner to quickly learn
to win chess games (reading level: teenagers and adults)”
Quoting from the book Beat That Kid in Chess:
Introduction:
“This book can take you into a level that should help
you defeat many beginners, at least sometimes. In other
words, you will no longer be a raw beginner and will
instead be able to defeat raw beginners, at least more
often than you lose. And it may be easier than you think.”
Chapter One:
“This is the first of several altered positions, some of
which change what is possible for white to do. In
Diagram-2, the black queen on the f8 square prevents
white from giving checkmate. Don’t ask me the origin
of the phrase “giving checkmate,” for I don’t know.
The person doing the “giving” takes away the prize of
a victory.”
Chapter Two:
“In Diagram-10, which side has a material advantage?
The white bishop is about as valuable as the black
knight, but white has an extra pawn. This position
illustrates a general principle: When you are ahead in
material, try to make even exchanges of non-pawns.”
Chapter Three:
“Have you ever been checkmated soon after the game
got started? This chapter will show you how to avoid
getting knocked out early. It can also show you how to
keep alive later in a game.”
Table of Contents
