THE MOST VALUABLE SKILLS IN CHESS (Maurice Ashley)
160
pages (248 mm by 172 mm).
£11.99/$17.95/€16,15
Assuming no knowledge of chess beyond the rules, Maurice
Ashley guides you on an inspirational journey through the world of chess
tactics. He brings the pieces to life by examining their fundamental
characteristics, and shows how their powers can be put to use to win pieces or
give checkmate - the building-blocks upon which all chess skills are based.
Ashley writes: "the approach is unique because it is
basically me: the way I teach, the way I talk about chess, the way I think.
You'll find my love for martial arts in these pages, as well as my ridiculous
love for sports, story-telling and teaching." But his approach is not just
entertaining: teams under Ashley's guidance have won six national junior
championships. His charismatic teaching methods are the stuff of legend - and
are to be the subject of a movie. This book makes his ideas and material
available to all: teachers and students alike.
He has been called the Tiger Woods of chess. In 1999,
Maurice Ashley became the first African-American to qualify for the elite
Grandmaster title, an achievement that was widely reported in the international
media, including Time magazine, USA Today, New York Times,
Sports Illustrated and The Times (London). Ashley is one of the
highest-profile figures in American chess, and has commentated on the game for
ESPN and Channel Four Television (UK). He sees chess as playing a role in
helping at-risk youth, and has coached a number of junior teams to victory in
national championships, most famously the Raging Rooks of Harlem, whose
achievement is planned to be the subject of a feature film. In 2003 he was
named Grandmaster of the Year by the US Chess Federation.
Download a pdf file with a
sample from the book.
"Ashley says he has a unique approach and in this department
he does not disappoint. He has a number of interesting exercises, like
visualizing 'landmines' or 'finding the crossing points.' Better yet, Ashley is
great at reconceptualizing chess basics. The TRIP method of defense, for
example, is a handy way for beginners to remember how to meet a threat: Take,
Run, Interpose, or Protect. He also extends the standard idea of thinking of
piece values in terms of money by suggesting readers understand the fluid value
of pieces as something more akin to the stock market. A pawn might only be
worth $1 in some positions, but on the seventh rank its value skyrockets. And
that powerful bishop? Reconfigure the central pawns and its stock could tank."
- Josh Specht, www.chessvideos.tv
"Ashley presents a very novel approach to teaching beginners
the basics of the game. It's clear a lot of time and thought have gone into the
material presented and it's great to see a really entertaining book for
beginners in the shops" - IM Stephen Gordon
"Any avid chess player who would absorb knowledge of the
game beyond the rules will appreciate a unique approach that examines the basic
characteristics of each piece and shows how the piece can be used to win pieces
or give checkmate. This comes from 'the Tiger Woods of chess' and offers
players an outstanding survey of moves that lead to victory. Any chess library
will appreciate the approach." - California Bookwatch,
www.midwestbookreview.com
"In Part One... Ashley selects positions from his own games
and lesser-known gems such as Leonid Yudasin versus Joel Benjamin (2003, rapid
game) and Mikhail Tal versus Cathy Forbes (1988). Each position memorably
illustrates one of the seven most valuable skills" - Dr Alexey Root, Chess
Life
"Especially produced for learners, though the average club
player may also benefit, if utilising it as a refresher course" - Bab
Wilders, Nederlands Dagblad
"...this book is not only about explaining the utter basics,
but also about having fun with chess and with analysing chess games. And that's
just why Ashley's book is so nice. He wants his readers to enjoy chess rather
than to be very good at it. And this, of course, is the most valuable skill of
all." - Arne Moll, www.chessvibes.com
"I have seen a lot of book on chess tactics but how Maurice
Ashley brings his chess pieces to life is very special." - John Elburg,
chessbooks.nl
"So many books for beginners start out with good intentions
but very soon leave the beginner behind because they try to cover too much
ground too quickly. Fortunately this book does not fall into this category. The
seven basic skills really are quite basic but they are explained through a
generous helping of diagrams and there are simple test positions to assess
one's progress and understanding. So full marks to the author for sticking to
the basics and avoiding the pitfalls of more famous antecedents." - Alan
Sutton, En Passant
"GM Ashley will be best known to most chess fans as the
excited commentator on various chess DVDs. For some, his style of delivery is
distinctly over-the-top. Others will find it fun and engaging. I know my chess
juniors have always reacted well to his commentaries, spoken in a way that
suggests he's reporting from a worldwide cataclysmic event. Fans of his audio
style will be delighted to hear that the same sort of approach is applied to
his written work too, albeit it in slightly lesser force." - Sean Marsh,
marshtowers.blogspot.com
"American grandmaster Maurice Ashley has a florid,
persuasive style of writing which turns the learning of basic ideas into good
fun." - John Saunders, British Chess
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