The Art of Chess

Of the thousands of books on Chess, and learning Chess, The Art of Chess is the best. I first read the book back in the 1960's, and kept going back to it. It is a first step to learning the aspects of the game. Definitely recommended.

The book is really a complete reference of all aspect of the game that can be better suited for beginners and casual players, since being a classic published many years ago, all aspects of the game have suffered considerable developments afterwards. The author covers all practical aspects of the game: Openings, Middle-game and Endings. The book is organized in three parts, each one covering one of the above mentioned. The first part of the book deals with end-game, the second part treats the middle-game and combinations, and the last part is devoted to openings. After carefully studying the book one can learn the basics to plan a game, attack, sacrifice, defend, exchange, and govern and develop a general strategy during the actual play. The book explains and makes easy for the reader more than 90 different openings. Combinations are analyzed and presented in a clear and practical way, making it easier to discover patterns and see moves ahead more clearly. Endings are also thoroughly covered, dedicating four chapters to the treatment of: Pawn endings, minor pieces endings, rooks endings, and queens endings. All in all a good book, a little outdated but still a good reference for beginners to gain insides to Chess practical aspects.

James Mason (1849 - 1905) was a master chess player. This book, 'The Art of Chess' was originally written in 1895, near the end of his career. Mason was born in Ireland, but immigrated to the United States in 1861. He learned chess while working in America, and eventually settled in England in the late 1870s. He played in major tournaments in the United States and Europe, never quite reaching the level of champion, but always seen as a major competitor. There is a chess opening named in his honour (the Mason Variation); there is also another move (the Mason Gambit) named for him, but ironically he lost the only game he played using it. This book is a classic of chess. The book is divided into four primary sections, an introduction and three parts. In the introduction, Mason discusses general method of chess. He addresses many major and minor points. 'A thorough understanding of the board is of the first importance, as without it no progress in chess worth the labour is possible. It is in this matter that the young player most commonly errs at the very outset. Mistaking more or less familiar acquaintance for accurate knowledge, he assigns the board a secondary place in chess economy.' This last statement could be taken as a general maxim for many chess players - they mistake acquaintance or familiarity with accurate knowledge. This was certainly the case in my situation. There are sections on openings (not so valuable as grandmaster strategies, but rather interesting to see the breadth of possibilities), as well as endgame examples, showing the power and variations possible with each particular piece. This is a 'classic', which means that many of the strategies and tactics have been superseded by later kinds of developments in chess play. However, as a starting point, this is a good text to follow. The charts and notation are simple to follow (particularly for the novice), and the insights into how chess is played is a good basis - more advanced ways of playing can then come later for the dedicated student of chess.