This is a simple guide to positional chess, aimed at club and social players.

The most fundamental difference between professional players and casual players is in positional understanding. Readers who are frustrated that with a single slip they can condemn themselves to hours of defence will find this book invaluable. Author Tony Kosten does not simply say “don’t arrange your pawns like this”, or “in this type of position, try to exchange your bishop”. Instead he explains the logic behind the ideas which are second nature to a top-class player, but have rarely before been properly explained. Now these concepts can be grasped by everyone.

• The Opening
• Pawns
• The Pieces
• Strategy and Tactics
• Attack and Defence
• The Endgame
• General

This classic instructional text, reissued for the first time by Gambit, devotes a full page and three diagrams to each tip. It is an ideal book to be read without a chess set.

Grandmaster Tony Kosten comes from England, and lives in France. He is a regular and successful competitor in international tournaments, and is so respected in his adopted country that he has been appointed trainer for the French national team.

“Kosten offers a wealth of practical information … his examples are well chosen and clearly explained” – IM John Donaldson

“a mixture of memorable advice … On each page there is a ‘tip’, along with the explanations and usually three diagrams for illustration. … the advice may seem trivial to advanced players, but the author is good at explaining the logic behind the advice in a short space of time, which makes some things appear in a different – and no longer so seemingly trivial – light. … recommended to [less experienced club players] who are interested in improving their playing strength” – Dr. W. Schweizer, Rochade Europa

“Tony Kosten tells club and casual players who play ‘just for fun’ that he doesn’t believe them: ‘Winning is fun and losing is not!’ … The reader is taken on a journey through the various areas of the game of chess in 101 lessons. In each lesson, Kosten gives a rule, which he then supports with 1-3 practical examples. … a highly recommended book for people who can get something out of a well-made crash course.” – Bernd Hierholz, Schachreport