Chess Opening Traps for Kids - by Graham Burgess (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Chess becomes fun when we learn how to survive the opening and stop falling into our opponents' cheap tactical tricks.

And that's what this book is about! By understanding opening play and how to exploit tactical ideas, we turn the tables on our opponents. Now they will be the ones getting outmanoeuvred, tricked, trapped and pushed off the board!

Chess Opening Traps for Kids is a serious course on how to play the opening, illustrated with memorable and entertaining examples. By focusing on 100 key themes, Graham Burgess explains how to use opening tricks to our advantage. Every opening features hidden dangers for both players, so we need to avoid pitfalls while making full use of tactics to achieve the opening goals of purposeful development and central control.

Most of the 100 sections feature a basic example followed by a more complex one. Some of the traps have claimed grandmaster victims, while others are more likely to arise in junior chess. Either way, the aim is to learn the theme so well that you can use it when similar opportunities arise in your own games. A series of exercises at the end of the book allows you to check that you have grasped the main points. Throughout the book there are tips on how to spot tactics in advance and advice on opening strategy.

From the Back Cover

Chess becomes fun when we learn how to survive the opening and stop falling into our opponents' cheap tactical tricks.

And that's what this book is about! By understanding opening play and how to exploit tactical ideas, we turn the tables on our opponents. Now they will be the ones getting outmanoeuvred, tricked, trapped and pushed off the board!

Chess Opening Traps for Kids is a serious course on how to play the opening, illustrated with memorable and entertaining examples. By focusing on 100 key themes, Graham Burgess explains how to use opening tricks to our advantage. Every opening features hidden dangers for both players, so we need to avoid pitfalls while making full use of tactics to achieve the opening goals of purposeful development and central control.

Most of the 100 sections feature a basic example followed by a more complex one. Some of the traps have claimed grandmaster victims, while others are more likely to arise in junior chess. Either way, the aim is to learn the theme so well that you can use it when similar opportunities arise in your own games. A series of exercises at the end of the book allows you to check that you have grasped the main points. Throughout the book there are tips on how to spot tactics in advance and advice on opening strategy.

Award-winning author Graham Burgess has written 25 chess books, ranging from general guides to works on specific openings. He is a FIDE Master and a former champion of the Danish region of Funen. In 1994 he set a world record for marathon blitz chess playing and in 1997 won the British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award. Nowadays he lives in Minnesota.

Review Quotes

"I learned something mind-blowing from Chess Opening Traps For Kids. ... the piece-value chart that I've used all my life is wrong!" - Alexey Root (former USA Women's Champion), sparkchess.com

"Stronger and older kids learn to appreciate the benefits of reading chess books if they want to improve, but making the transition for weaker/younger players is not so easy. One book that will help to bridge that gap is Chess Opening Traps for Kids by Graham Burgess. This attractively produced hardback book offers young chess players tips on how to improve their opening play and tactical eye ... should prove entertaining for a wide audience from near beginner to about 1600. ... an excellent stocking stuffer for the young chess player who is new to the game and wanting to study on their own. Recommended." - John Donaldson, USA Team Captain

"The author, Graham Burgess, has a nice, accessible style of writing. ... a book that can be fun for youth players and above all has a pleasant training angle. ... a nice collection of tactical ideas that can lead to rapid success. As far as I am concerned it is essential." - IM Herman Grooten, schaaksite.nl

"This book does what it says on the tin and shows 100 traps, some of which I have never seen myself so this is not just for kids, believe me. It is a well-presented hardback book, consistent with the format in this excellent series, and there are three sections covering Basic Tactics, Combining Ideas and Advanced Concepts. ... Kids and adults learning chess will benefit from reading this and learning the various traps - of which there are many to fall into. Buy this and remember that forewarned is forearmed." - Carl Portman, carlsplanet.co.uk

About the Author

Award-winning author Graham Burgess has written 25 chess books, ranging from general guides to works on specific openings. He is a FIDE Master and a former champion of the Danish region of Funen. In 1994 he set a world record for marathon blitz chess playing and in 1997 won the British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award. Nowadays he lives in Minnesota.