Checkmate!: My First Chess Book (Everyman Chess)

The first impression is that this book is suited for children just learning chess. However, when you actually get into the specifics, you discover many solid, foundational ideas of the game. A thin, one-volume work could hardly be expected to be all-inclusive, but this book by (or ghostwritten for) Kasparov covers the basics and much more. There are sections on openings, tactics and combinations, and endgames, along with several drills for each. Since my childhood is long behind me, I found the format and style somewhat offputting, as it seems to be geared towards children. However, once you get past that bias, you'll find the contents actually quite useful.

This book is excellent for beginners. It's very easy to follow with beautiful illustrations.

I am so glad I bought this book to relearn how to play chess after more than 50 years. It's very easy to understand for visual learners. It has great graphics, is well-organized.... I could go on and on because I enjoy using it so much, but I really just want to let others know that you really can't go wrong buying this book to learn chess. It makes learning it easy and fun! I am going to pass it down to our grandchildren after my husband and I master what it has to offer us first. :) Being a sturdy, hard cover version, it will last a long time and can well handle the usual wear and tear the youngsters will give it. I'd also like to mention that it comes with a dust cover, which I never like to keep but usually do because the actual hard covers of most books are so blah. But not this one!! I was so happy to see the same beautiful graphics on the book's actual cover, and I promptly recycled the paper dust cover.

I bought a number of chess books. This book is by far the easiest to follow and stick with. Art work and graphics very clear, understandable and helpful. Perfect for all ages. I bought a number of these as gifts for my friends and family.

I am relearning chess while I instruct a friend on how to play the game.

Very well explained. Good puzzles. A good guide for beginners.

Great intro material and some more - by the great Kasparov. Loved by the 5 (now 6) year old and the older adults in the house alike. Keeps it simple, accessible, clear while including good basics of strategy. Great purchase.

Author hits it out of the ballpark with this one! Very nice colored pages with illustrations, but not just photos, very clear diagrams and information about the rules of the game. It goes into some hints about strategy which I was pleasantly surprised as well. Great for kids just starting out, this book does not leave my sons side, even when he is playing me, he is going back the book to read when it is my turn. This is by far the number one chess book for kids!

For a chess beginner this is a really good book, covers all the basics and gets you into openings, tactics and strategy too. And it is very well illustrated.

I was a school chess champion aged 10, I'm now 68, and wanted to renew my interest. I'd forgotten what a joy chess can be and it was very exciting working through this book. Every page was great. Have begun playing again. Suitable for all ages!

Hardback, square-shaped and big bold colours make it look like a kids book, but don't be fooled! It's written by one of the greatest chess players of all time. It explains all the basics really well, including how to read chess notation, and even contains around 60 little chess exercises to get your head around. Suitable for young and old alike though I imagine the very young would struggle without help from an adult. No joke; I doubt there's a better chess book for beginners in print. I want to do the exercises again!

My 9 year old actually enjoys playing chess now as he is learning techniques from the book. The content is very easy to understand.

Good, clear introduction to the game. Covers all the pieces, moves, rules, terminology, notation etc. and then goes on to basic tactical moves (pin, fork, skewer etc) using examples to clarify.Bought to introduce an 8-year-old to the game, but its style is not childish so it would be suitable for adult beginners too.