Common Sense in Chess

The author of this book, Emmanuel Lasker is one of the immortal figures of chess and held the World Championship in the early 20th century for 27 years. This is a great little chess primer for the beginning student of chess. Learn and enjoy!

In this book Lasker offers the novice many valuable hints which will improve his game rapidly. The book deals with each part of the game with the aid of general principles. If you are an experienced or already an strong player you won't benefit from this book. Chances are that you will find the book too basic or obvious, but if you are a newcomer to the world of chess you have something to win from reading and studying this book. The book is wrote in an clear and conversational way, such as the one of a lecturer. Any novice will find expositions of the basic problems common to every game of chess.

Here in this book are the essentials of mastering chess play. Lasker divides his book in the principles of opening play, attack, defense and endgame play with illustrated games to show how strategic principles are to be used. This book is not large but it is very complete. The principles are easy to understand and apply. There power is developed through higher and higher levels of practice. It is believed that there have only been five geniuses in chess, Emanuel Lasker, Capablanca, Morphy, Bobby Fisher and Alexander Alkehine. One can do no better than studying the brilliant games of these masters and their writings but I particulary recommend the works of Emanuel Lasker. His manuevering and techniques are very subtle but very powerful. Common Sense in chess is one of his better books and is an excellent course for those who know how to play the game. It is not a beginners course, but if you know the elements of the game, a thourough study and playing through the games can lead to chess mastery.

Based on lectures given by Lasker in 1895 before the Hastings tournament these will give any reader the fundamentals of what chess is: s struggle between two carbon-based units, i.e. people NOT computers! Being poorly sighted I find the large print and even larger diagrams quite helpful, others may be put off. But please don't miss this book. It is a treasure to be dipped into again and again. Descriptive Notation.