Guide to Good Chess: First Steps to Fine Points

This book is really good for someone wishing to take their chess to the next level after they've learned some basic strategies and tactics.It can be read fairly quickly and will give you some general strategies that you can apply in many chess games. If you need a good introductory chess book, then this is the one to buy.

There are many "all in one books" that are designed to be a person's first chess book, or only chess book. The Complete Idiot's Guide does a good job, but Purdy's "Guide to Good Chess" is by far the best out there. He is an excellent writer, that can take complex chess concepts, and make them understandable. All essentials skills are covered, and he does a great job in pointing you in the right direction to further your skills if you are looking to get serious about chess.For a casual player who is looking to improve their game, or for someone who thinks they might want to study chess, this is clearly the book you should pick up.PS I am very stingy with the 5 stars, but this book truely deserves them.

Purdy is unmatched as a chess writer and teacher...get anything with his name on it! This is a foundational book that every player should own!

Purdy does an excellent job of laying the foundation for more advanced concepts. If you know how to play, but are perplexed by concepts that you're always reading, you'll find a lot of it answered here. If you read through this and the Seirawan Microsoft Press books, your chess will take a nice leap forward.

Purdy is among the best chess writers I have come across. He writes in a "down to earth" easy to read and follow format. His annotations are well detailed and easy to follow. This book covers basic theory and examples of openings, middle games, and end games.