Simple Checkmates: More Than 400 Exercises for Novices of All Ages!

Learn how to convert checks into checkmates with this engaging and entertaining guide for novice chess players of all ages, complete with more than 430 diagrams for one- and two-move checkmates.

“I have always endorsed the philosophy that the player should become proficient in the rudiments of chess before venturing into more complex situations. I am delighted to find that Simple Checkmates supports this view.”—Sunil Weeramantry, executive director of the National Scholastic Chess foundation, from the foreword

Here is the classic guide to winning chess for beginners. Recommended by chess coaches around the world, it presents a wide range of specific chess positions and asks the reader to find the next move or series of moves that lead to checkmate—with two diagrams per page and the answers spelled out underneath.

The beauty of Simple Checkmates is that it turns learning into a game. It’s fun, it’s fascinating, it's fundamental—an invaluable tool for anyone who wants not only to play chess, but to win at chess. With more than 430 diagrams in all, this book is certain to take you—or your children—to a whole new level of play.

A. J. Gillam taught chess to primary school children (age 7–9) and was trainer to the Nottingham Primary Schools team in the 1960s and 1970s. His “Discovering Chess” series is based upon the successful methods he developed: the pupil is given many puzzles to solve, with no long essays to read. The books are highly suitable for young children yet are presented in such a way as to be appropriate for novices of all ages. He has been involved in chess publishing for many years. His company, The Chess Player, has published many books on specialist aspects of chess, including opening monographs and historical texts. He has edited more than 300 chess books, including the flagship periodical, The Chess Player, which provided coverage of international chess from 1971 to 1980.