Antonio Gude: Fundamental Checkmates

Gambit Verlag, paperback, Englisch, ISBN: 978-1-910093-80-1, 384 Seiten, 2016.

A complete study of mating patterns, mechanism and combinations.

Chess might seem a complex and mysterious game, but the ultimate goal is simple: checkmate. Checkmate can occur in all stages of the game, from snap mates in the opening, through middlegame attacks to simplified endgames. Learning how to use our pieces together to corner the enemy king is a fundamental skill that all chess-players must constantly practise, sharpen and develop.

This book lays out, in systematic and thorough fashion, a wide range of mating patterns and techniques, in particular showing how each piece-pair can combine to deliver mate. A working knowledge of these ideas enables players to move on to mating combinations, where pieces lay down their lives so that the remaining forces can deliver mate. Gude explains an amazing variety of tactical devices, and illustrates them in unforgettable style with some of the most brilliant mating attacks from practice, new and old. There are chapters on how to attack kings in the centre, as well as standard (and other!) attacks against the castled position.

This is a true textbook of checkmate; readers will never be short of mating ideas, and will instinctively know when there is a possibility to launch an attack, or when they must parry the opponent's threats. Fundamental Checkmates also features more than 300 exercises with full solutions.

Antonio Gude is an extremely experienced chess writer and teacher from Spain. Several of his books on tactics and for beginners are long-standing best-sellers in Spanish language. Gude has also translated a great many books, including some of the classics of chess literature.


Review:

"Fundamental Checkmates offers over 300 positions to solve (with full solutions), but it is primarily a textbook on how to give checkmate. This massive, oversize book is a systematic attempt to characterize and explain all the different tactics arranged by theme.
Books offering tactical positions to solve are universally agreed upon as first rate training, but before starting out it makes sense to first have a solid grounding in the fundamentals. This book will do that and more. Recommended for all players 1600 to 2200",  IM John Donaldson.

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