Fundamental Chess Tactics - by Antonio Gude (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Once a player has learned how the pieces move, the next task is to put them to work &ndash that is, to study tactics. For all players, from beginners to champions, tactical skill is the main component of chess ability. And this skill must be constantly practised and improved.

This book provides a systematic course in chess tactics and hundreds of exercises to sharpen and measure your skills. With Antonio Gude's assistance, you will understand how the pieces work, so you can carry out your strategic plans and launch devastating attacks. And even in those games where things go wrong, you will always be ready to pounce when given the chance. The book is packed with entertaining and inspiring examples, brought to life with information and stories about some of the more notable figures in chess history.

This is a companion volume to Gude's much-acclaimed Fundamental Checkmates:

"Books offering tactical positions to solve are universally agreed upon as first-rate training, but before starting out it makes sense to first have a solid grounding in the fundamentals. This book will do that and more." - IM John Donaldson, USA Team Captain

"[Gude] is well-read, knows important games from the past and present, and uses famous endgame compositions to create a useful mating manual for wide readership" - GM Lubosh Kavalek, Huffington Post

From the Back Cover

Once a player has learned how the pieces move, the next task is to put them to work - that is, to study tactics. For all players, from beginners to champions, tactical skill is the main component of chess ability. And this skill must be constantly practised and improved. This book provides a systematic course in chess tactics and hundreds of exercises to sharpen and measure your skills. With Antonio Gude's assistance, you will understand how the pieces work, so you can carry out your strategic plans and launch devastating attacks. And even in those games where things go wrong, you will always be ready to pounce when given the chance. The book is packed with entertaining and inspiring examples, brought to life with information and stories about some of the more notable figures in chess history. This is a companion volume to Gude's much-acclaimed Fundamental Checkmates: "Books offering tactical positions to solve are universally agreed upon as first-rate training, but before starting out it makes sense to first have a solid grounding in the fundamentals. This book will do that and more." - IM John Donaldson, USA Team Captain "[Gude] is well-read, knows important games from the past and present, and uses famous endgame compositions to create a useful mating manual for wide readership" - GM Lubosh Kavalek, Huffington Post Antonio Gude is a well-known chess writer and teacher from Spain who has represented his country in international correspondence chess events. His previous book for Gambit, Fundamental Checkmates, was shortlisted for the English Chess Federation Book of the Year Award.

Review Quotes

"Gude's big book is everything the club player needs to have a strong foundation in chess tactics. It is systematic and features well-chosen examples backed up by plenty of explanatory prose. As a follow-up there are plenty of exercises to check what the reader has learned, plus detailed solutions - important for a book of this kind. An added bonus is Gude is an entertaining writer, well versed in chess history, who will increase the reader's chess culture in a pleasurable way" - IM John Donaldson, USA Team Captain

"I feel this is easily the finest instructional manual on tactical chess I have ever read. It is comprehensive, yet carefully explains everything in an easy-to-understand fashion for its intended audience" - Carsten Hansen, American Chess Magazine

About the Author

Antonio Gude is a well-known chess writer and teacher from Spain who has represented his country in international correspondence chess events. His previous book for Gambit, Fundamental Checkmates, was shortlisted for the English Chess Federation Book of the Year Award.