Once you’ve learned the basic moves, where can you go next? What’s the best way to improve your chess? Try this book!

In this much-loved classic, legendary chess writer Irving Chernev explains 33 complete games in forensic detail, going into the players’ minds to explain the thought processes behind each and every move. Playing through these games and explanations will give you a real and invaluable insight into the power of the pieces and how to use them most effectively.

Passed down through the decades from generation to generation of players, this enduring bestseller is a secret weapon for improving your game.

As the author says: ‘Each game that you play through will be an exciting adventure in chess in which courage, wit, imagination and ingenuity reap their just reward. It is by appreciating and absorbing what they teach so pleasurably that we can best learn to play Logical Chess, Move by Move.’

From the bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down the House comes this cinematic true story about the biggest scandal in modern chess.

In September 2022, the chess world watched in disbelief as Magnus Carlsen, widely considered the greatest player in history, faced an unthinkable defeat against the nineteen-year-old American upstart, Hans Niemann. Within days, Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating – a bombshell allegation that rocked the chess world. As the scandal spiralled, Chess.com – the dominant force in online chess – launched a high-stakes investigation igniting a global media firestorm.

But Checkmate is about more than a cheating scandal. It’s the story of a teenager willing to risk everything to rise to the top; a reclusive genius suddenly fighting to protect his legacy; and a centuries-old game transforming into a billion-dollar industry fuelled by streaming, sponsorships, and Silicon Valley power players.

With exclusive access to the central figures, Ben Mezrich takes readers deep inside the weird, wild, and cutthroat world of competitive chess – where genius collides with ambition, and the wrong move could be your last.

'Fast-paced and compelling, Mezrich brings the black and white squares of the chess world into full technicolour. Even the non-chess players among us can't fail to be hooked by this remarkable story' – Katie Prescott, author of The Curious Case of Mike Lynch

This board book introduces little ones to the basics of chess: the names of the pieces, how they move, and what it takes to win. With bold, high-contrast illustrations designed to support a baby’s developing vision and growing mind, this charming little book is both brainy and beautiful. Whether you're raising the next grandmaster or just want something smart for storytime, Chess for Babies is a perfect first move.

In this fascinating look at games through the ages, Tim Clare explores how, through play, we become fully ourselves.

From Roman anti-cheating devices to organised crime card syndicates, from Pokémon’s world domination to the combative domestic bonding ritual of Monopoly, The Game Changers explains why games are more popular now than ever, and how playing them helps us learn to be better losers, make smarter decisions and become more human.

Think like a grandmaster with this ultimate test of chess skill, drawn from the pages of The Times. Byron Jacobs challenges you to find the critical move that turned the tide or sealed the win. Pit your wits against the likes of Kasparov, Carlsen and other elite players. Can you spot the breakthrough they found?

Whether you’re sharpening your tactics or looking for a daily brain workout, this collection of puzzles will train your eye, stretch your mind, and deepen your understanding of the game.

· Aimed at chess players looking to improve their game strategy

· Positions drawn from tournament games between top players

· Commentary on each scenario

‘Clare is a fabulous tour guide through the history of table games’ Tom Brewster, presenter of Shut Up & Sit Down

Why is playing games a universal human instinct?
Why did the same games evolve across wildly different civilisations?
And how can those games make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilled?

The history of board games is really the history of human civilisation. Through it we see how our species has learned to live with one another, make deals, take on different roles and manage the ups and downs of luck.

In this entertaining and thought-provoking look at games through the ages, Tim Clare explores the legal highs of a good dice roll, the thrills of a predatory race game and the tactile pleasures of the games that age with us through our lives to discover how, through play, we become fully ourselves.

Drawing on Roman anti-cheating devices, organised crime card syndicates and the combative domestic bonding ritual of Monopoly, The Game Changers explains why games are more popular now than ever, and how playing them helps us learn to be better losers, make smarter decisions and become more human.

You don’t have to play chess to appreciate Chess Players: from Charlie Chaplin to Wu-Tang Clan, but as Martin Amis asks in his illuminating essay: What are they playing at?’

These evocative photographs transcend the chessboard, spanning 130 years – from a steamship crossing the Atlantic in 1888, to the zero-gravity of space – showcasing the diverse range of individuals who have embraced the game across continents and eras.

Marcel Duchamp’s iconic quote, ‘All chess players are artists,’ resonates through these pages. David Hockney likened the games strategic thinking to that of making art ‘Drawing is rather like playing chess: your mind races ahead of the moves that you eventually make.’

‘Chess is war over the board’, said Bobby Fischer (grand master and world chess champion) – but here John Lennon and Yoko Ono checkmate this notion, with their all-white, chess ‘peace’ set.

Hollywood stars played chess on and off the screen – Humphrey Bogart deploys a Sicilian Defence against Lauren Bacall, while Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen plot their next gambit in the iconic chess seduction scene from ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ (1968).

With an introduction by Dylan Loeb McClain, former chess columnist for The New York Times, the photographs in Chess Players help explain the enduring attraction of this cerebral game, from pawn to king, amateur to grandmaster.

Chess is a game of strategy, planning and problem-solving. It is deceptively simple, and learning the rules means a lifetime of intellectual challenge for adults and children, in person or online. It has lasted centuries and shows no sign of fading any time soon. Quite the opposite in fact, as during the COVID-19 pandemic, chess became even more popular, particularly online. Chess players and puzzle-solvers have a lot in common, and now that is united in this unique new puzzle publication.
 
All the puzzles relate to chess and the culture surrounding it, from classic chess puzzles to quizzes about famous players and matches. Puzzles include:

• Classic chess conundrums: looking top-down at a board layout, the best move must be deduced.
• Wordsearch: find the chess-champion names in the grid*
• Crosswords: chess-themed questions and answers*
• Placement puzzles: certain pieces only may be placed next to other in these visual conundrums.
• Chess-doku: An original take on Sudoku: chess piece symbols.
• Logic grids: Clues are given and puzzlers must fill in a grid and work out the missing answers using logic.
• Visual puzzles: A square with a variety of chess pieces in it. One is duplicated, can you spot it? Other visual puzzles include Odd one out, Logic sequences and Spot the Difference.
• Chess-code and other word puzzles: Chess pieces are substituted for letters; to solve the puzzle you must work out which is which. Other word puzzles include anagrams, missing letters and word jumbles.
• Chess quizzes: great players, famous moves and epic matches all feature.

If your looking to sharpen up your chess knowledge, or your children are interested in joining the school chess club, this book teaches the principles of chess strategy with easy to follow explanations and illustrations.

Inside of the pages of this chess book for beginners, you’ll find:

– Chessboard graphics that show how to apply the principles to real-life games
– Breaks down the value, importance and role of each piece
– The history section provides background on the game and its origins

Do you know your bishops from your knights? Or when castling is the best move? How
about the best way to counter the Queen’s Gambit? The rules of chess may seem a little daunting for beginner players. The chessboard graphics illustrate different scenarios so you can visualise different moves and their potential outcomes, and learn the best move to make in any given situation to get to endgame and checkmate.

From the history of chess and the aim of the game to essential moves and taking your skills
even further in clubs, tournaments, and championships, Chess for Beginners covers it all. Written by International Master and renowned chess tutor Michael Basman and updated with two all-new sections.