Good Tactics Workbook for the Advanced Beginner to Intermediate Player

A Kid's Review

This is not just a tactics workbook for juniors! It is useful for anyone wanting chess tactical problems to solve that are not too easy and not too hard! I like chess tactics workbooks and books that cover opening traps to learn the tactics in the openings as well.
Recommended.

Over 500 Tactics

A Kid's Review

There are over 500 different tactics positions to work on and solve. They are arranged by type of tactic so you can focus on the type of tactic you like. The answers are in the back (would have rather had them at the bottom of the page so I wouldn't have to go all the way to the back each time).

Some of the tactics are harder than others so there is a variety. This is in a work book style. I also learned a lot of good opening tactics from "Winning Chess Traps" that i also recommend. If you learn tactics you will win a lot more games.

This Practical Practice Pays Off Quickly

Ever see those chess diagrams in the newspaper? Well, essentially this book has 534 of those type of problems for you to solve. I'm going through this book for my 3rd time now, which is what Hayes recommends. My tactical ability has improved greatly--not so much being able to pull one over on others, but in being able to AVOID allowing others to pull one over on me. In the end, that is just as good for me.

The book covers the major tactical themes: discovered attacks, Queen sacrifices, pins, Knight forks, double attacks, attraction, overloading, removal of the guard, and back rank mates. If you don't know what each of these is, Hayes explains it to you. Additionally, there is a section that mixes all of the above and leaves it to you to figure out which tactic is at play-just like in real over-the-board play.

Each problem diagram is solved either in one, two, or three moves. Generally there are 6 diagrams to solve on each page. The print quality is not as sharp as I would like, but its not so bad as to make the book unpleasant to use. On the whole, this is a good book for those who have some basic knowledge beyond the rules, and who want to take the next step to improve their play.

I often keep my copy in the car, and also take it to appointments. Is not a large book, so can fit into a large coat pocket. Its amazing how many diagrams you can go through when waiting at the physician's office or for an oil change. My copy has taken a great deal of abuse from day to day use, and I found that for a paperback it really takes a beating without losing pages.