This initial installment in the fresh Road to Chess Mastery series offers a systematic method for newcomers to learn and engage in chess. It demystifies the basic principles of the sport and uses illustrations and schematics to demonstrate gameplay. Bill Robertie discusses everything from arranging the board to strategic thinking.

Intended for beginners and learners, this comprehensive guide to chess utilizes over 100 authentic chess diagrams to illustrate the gameplay. Participants understand the fundamental concepts of the opening, mid, and endgame strategies; development and pawn formation; checkmate; and more.

You grasp the fundamental concepts of starting, middle and endgame tactics, development and pawn positioning, various methods to achieve checkmate against rivals, and the crucial openings and defenses.

Additionally, you will acquire knowledge on how to become a member of a chess club, operate a chess clock, obtain a rating, participate in tournaments, and use notation to both document your games and replay others. Two fully annotated games are provided to demonstrate the application of strategic thinking in a real game. Over 100,000 copies have been sold!

Bill Robertie, the author of 15 books on chess and backgammon, is regarded as the world’s top backgammon player and the only individual to have won the Monte Carlo World Championship twice. He formerly served as the editor and co-publisher of Inside Backgammon, the leading magazine for backgammon enthusiasts. Additionally, he is a chess master, the victor of the U.S. Speed Chess Championship, and a renowned author of some of the most impactful introductory chess books ever published.