Rating: 
Summary: Many great books in one
Review:
"The Mammoth Book of Chess" contains all aspects of modern chess playing. Chess Openings sections explain the main chess openings that, in my opinion, are superior to the legendary "The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings" by Reuben Fine. Solid sections on endgames provide the key endgame principles definitely enought to understand (not memorize) and play well on at least class A level endgames. For the midle games, the book explains about mating, tactics, combinations, and attack & defence. Chess strategies are demostrated throughout the book. Tactics and Combinations sections are as good as "Winning Chess Tactics" by Seirawan and Silman. Attack and Defence section blows away some of the books written on that subject.
If you are new to chess, sections such as Beginning Chess, How to Play Chess, The Chess Clock, The Basic Mates and Chess Notation will be great help. Excellent explaination on computer chess and on-line chess playing can also be found in the book. A Brief History of the World Chess Championship and Chess Demographics are absolutely fascinating.
Graham Burgess, FIDE Master and experienced chess writer, has written the book exceptionally well. From the begining to the end, the book is of pure interest and excitment. Even the glossary section teaches you many things about chess such as 'Saavedra Position' and 'Time'. I own more than 50 chess books and have read about 50 more. But if I were to own only one chess book, this one would be it.
So, such a great book must cost a fortune?
It's only $8.76!!! (Amazon price)
Rating:
Summary: Many great books in one
Review: "The Mammoth Book of Chess" contains all aspects of modern chess playing. Chess Openings sections explain the main chess openings that, in my opinion, are superior to the legendary "The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings" by Reuben Fine. Solid sections on endgames provide the key endgame principles definitely enought to understand (not memorize) and play well on at least class A level endgames. For the midle games, the book explains about mating, tactics, combinations, and attack & defence. Chess strategies are demostrated throughout the book. Tactics and Combinations sections are as good as "Winning Chess Tactics" by Seirawan and Silman. Attack and Defence section blows away some of the books written on that subject. If you are new to chess, sections such as Beginning Chess, How to Play Chess, The Chess Clock, The Basic Mates and Chess Notation will be great help. Excellent explaination on computer chess and on-line chess playing can also be found in the book. A Brief History of the World Chess Championship and Chess Demographics are absolutely fascinating. Graham Burgess, FIDE Master and experienced chess writer, has written the book exceptionally well. From the begining to the end, the book is of pure interest and excitment. Even the glossary section teaches you many things about chess such as 'Saavedra Position' and 'Time'. I own more than 50 chess books and have read about 50 more. But if I were to own only one chess book, this one would be it. So, such a great book must cost a fortune?
It's only $8.76!!! (Amazon price)
Rating:
Summary: The Best for Begginners
Review: As a Chess instructor and coach, every now and then I must read the new editions of the 'for Beginners' books. The Mammoth is by far the best.
Rating:
Summary: The price is right!
Review: For the price this is an excellent introduction to Chess. Its not for absolute beginners, you should have read at least one other book on beginners Chess (Chess for Dummies is a good one) but its not for "intermediate" players or advanced players only either. If you know enough of the basics (basic endgames, algebraic notation, etc), you will get a lot out of this book. I love the puzzles, they really make you think and it feels great to get a particularly hard one right. This book will make you a better chess player, if your just starting out (with the caveat above) or have been playing awhile. I would recommend this book for beginners and intermediate players. Advanced players might like this in their library, if only to loan out to friends that are trying to get up to speed. Buy it, at this price you won't be disappointed!
Rating: 
Summary: Classic case of the emperor's new clothes
Review: I am mystified why anyone thinks this book is "comprehensive" let alone good. If you are a novice player-stay away, this book is awash is jargon and silly hyperbole that I assume is understood by advanced players. This book assumes you know the names of most of the games and gambits. Thus, you need to read other books on chess just to understand what Burgess is talking about.
Rating: 
Summary: Great value for money
Review: I bought this book three reasons
1) ***most important*** It covers most of the openings and almost if not all have actual strategic game annotated example for that opening. It also lists traps in most of the openings.
2) All the other topics are well written too.
2) The book is worth the money overall. This one book covers it all
Rating:
Summary: Get This Book...
Review: I think everyone should own or buy a copy of this book for someone... Esp if they are starting out in the chess world or around 1200-1500 or low STR... This book is a great little bit of everything kinda book... Has coverage on attack and defense, some tactical and endgame puzzles... Also gives basic few moves of most openings that matter with some games for them... So you can least find a basic idea of what path you wanna go towards the opening etc... Some of the lines he says might not be the best, but they are not awful either... He has a style that is pretty easy to read to say least... You dont find yourself thinking how boring and awful he is etc... Its nice cuz he has about 40 mid level tactic puzzles from actual games... Then follows up with about 25 puzzles for more advanced players taken from actual games as well... He also explains in most cases pretty well why the game is over or what to do if this move... The book is huge, while the price is not... This was the first chess book I bought, I got a copy from library and rest is history... Ive bought this book for a friend also I got him Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess... Helped get him to play at least something that resembled Chess ;)... Maybe he could of had a few more endgame puzzles, but its not a real problem... He left out at least 1 good opening for white, but can only fit so much into 1 book... Also I dont mind that he left out Levitsky Attack personally :)... Still for the price and the content, I can not think of a book that is a better over all value... Do your self a favor, if you only ever get 1 chess book... Make it this one...
Rating:
Summary: Get This Book...
Review: I think everyone should own or buy a copy of this book for someone... Esp if they are starting out in the chess world or around 1200-1500 or low STR... This book is a great little bit of everything kinda book... Has coverage on attack and defense, some tactical and endgame puzzles... Also gives basic few moves of most openings that matter with some games for them... So you can least find a basic idea of what path you wanna go towards the opening etc... Some of the lines he says might not be the best, but they are not awful either... He has a style that is pretty easy to read to say least... You dont find yourself thinking how boring and awful he is etc... Its nice cuz he has about 40 mid level tactic puzzles from actual games... Then follows up with about 25 puzzles for more advanced players taken from actual games as well... He also explains in most cases pretty well why the game is over or what to do if this move... The book is huge, while the price is not... This was the first chess book I bought, I got a copy from library and rest is history... Ive bought this book for a friend also I got him Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess... Helped get him to play at least something that resembled Chess ;)... Maybe he could of had a few more endgame puzzles, but its not a real problem... He left out at least 1 good opening for white, but can only fit so much into 1 book... Also I dont mind that he left out Levitsky Attack personally :)... Still for the price and the content, I can not think of a book that is a better over all value... Do your self a favor, if you only ever get 1 chess book... Make it this one...
Rating:
Summary: wide selection of topics, a real bargain!
Review: I think Mr Burgess has done a great job by doing this book a very readable and it's a small inexpensive paperback, so I like to have it when travelling. It's suitable, in my opinion, for 'intermediate' beginners, having nice exercises: mates in two, combinations etc.(although I think they are a little bit too difficult in comparison to mate exercises. but they are taken from real matches, and could anybody say finding combinations with no refute is easy?!). this books contains a lot of opening info with traps and strategic play examples. Besides there is coverage of chess-related topics which you could probably not find in most of books. Get the book, you'll love it.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive
Review: If you've never done much chess reading before and you don't want to spend tons of $$$ on chess books or you only have time to read one chess book this is the one. No other low cost paperback I've seen is as comprehensive. Openings, tatics, mates, endgame, clocks, online play, biographies, computer chess, great games, chess terminology, et cetera. If there was a class, Chess 101, this would be the text.
| 
