How to Win in the Chess Openings

If you are a beginner at chess, you need to read this book. After reading it, and using a reasonable amount of diligence on your part, you should have a workable knowledge of the very important principles of opening chess. Without "talking down" to the beginner, Horowitz uses an easy to understand language and very appropriate examples to explain his lessons. He makes learning the openings of chess what it should be- fun and helpful.

Simply put, this is a classic. It is great for beginners, but if you feel you are an advanced chess player, then it will be a good review! I had this book recommended to me by a couple of players with a rating close to master when I played in high school. If it was good enough for them, then it is certianly good enough for me. Now that I have long since graduated from college it is still one of my favorite chess books. The notation is old, but that will prevent only the weakest from learning the time tested concepts shared by a great grand master who understands the game!

This book is as old as I am; we both apeared in 1951, but it has stood the test of time substantially better. It's still a very good first book for the player who knows how the pieces move and who understands the objective of the game, but who is still struggling to get his or her game organized. The reader who is willing to put the time into it will come away with a good understanding of a few very basic openings, an understanding that then makes it easier to begin to work on basic tactics. I bought it back in the seventies, and it quickly gave me the edge I needed to beat the little band of cut-purses and ne'er-do-wells with whom I periodically got liquored up and played chess. Then I put the chess set up and didn't play for a lot of years. A few weeks ago, when my young sons expressed an interest in learning to play the game, I pulled the dusty, weighted Stauntons down out of the closet, but I couldn't find the old copy of Horowitz. I was glad to see that it was still in print, and now I'm working my way through it a second time. Don't be put off by the fact that it uses descriptive rather than algebraic notation; It's still well written with copious diagrams and easy to grasp.

This book shows how to think about chess, and not just in the openings. Very valuable for tactics and strategy in general, especially appropriate for beginners, but useful also for more experienced players. It is entertaining as well.

Over 3 decades ago the first edition of this book was made available to me as a Jr. High School student. During that time our school only had one (1) air conditioned classroom available during lunch periods for the "chess club". My motivation for walking into the class room to enjoy my lunch was not to play chess, but to enjoy the comfort of air conditioning. But I was "required" to sit down and play my first game. With six other students looking on, I lost my first game to a "fool's mate" in the classic Queen & Bishop 3 move play. Embarassed and angry I stormed out of the room. Later that evening I went to a book store and asked for any book to help me "win" at chess. I purchased and began a month long study of "How to Win in the Chess Openings" . . . and returned 30 days later to beat the daylights out of all my opponents. Later, I found my math scores had risen from D's and F's to A's . . . and also, in later years, my ability to see 25 move forced check mates . . . and 25 move forced financial and business solutions which have led to over a million dollars a year. The cost of this reissued book is well worth the price tag . . . provided you take the precious commodity of "time" to enjoy the journey. (P.S. I also suggest acquiring a House of Staunton chess set in the heavy weighted 4 1/2" size, with the board squares measured at 2 1/2", as the world class players use.)