Books published by publisher Gray Rabbit Publications

"…the reader will learn many tactical tricks from this book and thus surely increase his playing strength." - Jerzy Konikowski, Fernschach InternationalChess enthusiasts of all ages and levels will find this book an instructive delight. In a simple, easy-to-understand format it explains how to bamboozle your chess opponents using commonly occurring tactical motifs.The illustrative positions, all taken from real games, show the 50 Tricky Tactics that experienced chess masters use to win their games.Recognizing frequently-occurring tactical ideas is vital to success in chess. One of the fastest and most enjoyable ways to improve at chess is by learning these thematic manoeuvres.Beginners will benefit from the clear explanation of basic concepts, such as how to utilize a fork, pin or skewer. Advanced players will delight in the many devious middlegame tricks - some classified here for the first time - which can catch out even grandmasters.Chess Tactics for Kids makes improving easy and fun, and is full of helpful explanations on how to approach chess games with confidence - and success."...really easy to understand. If you need a general idea of tactical examples Chandler's books will help you." - KARLGrandmaster Murray Chandler finished second in the World Cadet Championship in 1976, ahead of Garry Kasparov, whom he defeated in their individual game. He remains to this day one of the few players in the world with a 100% score against Kasparov. He was a key member of the England team that won the silver medals in Chess Olympiads three times during the 1980s, and went on to captain the team in 1994. His previous book for Gambit, How to Beat Your Dad at Chess, has proved one of the most popular chess books of recent years."Chandler writes in a clear, intelligent style that does not talk down to kids" - Daniel Lucas, Georgia Chess"From my point of view, this is a totally successful book for the intended target audience - and that is not only due to the occasional scattered very attractive chess cartoon." - Helmut Conrady

Solving carefully chosen tactical exercises is a great way to develop your chess ability, and few players know more about solving than Dr John Nunn! He has drawn upon eye-catching recent games, little-known studies and games from his own playing career to produce 100 positions where there is a neat way to win or draw. In most cases, there is a tricky point to see, but few messy variations.As with other books in this series, the first 25 exercises are ‘warm-ups’, while the final 25 are much tougher. There is something for everyone here, whether you are just looking for a few tactical ideas to help win online or club games, or if you have ambitions to become a top solver yourself.Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures in world chess. He was among the world’s leading grandmasters for nearly twenty years and won four gold medals at chess Olympiads. In 2004, 2007 and 2010, Nunn was crowned World Chess Solving Champion, ahead of many former champions. In 2011, his two-volume work Nunn’s Chess Endings won the English Chess Federation Book of the Year Award, and was highly praised by Levon Aronian (who read both books cover to cover!) when making the award presentation.The puzzles in this monthly Gambit series are carefully vetted, so they instruct while providing hours of solving pleasure. It is known among top players that working on high-quality chess puzzles is an excellent way to stay tactically agile. Each ‘Desert Island’ book will feature 100 positions, hand-chosen by a different master or grandmaster.

This is a book for those who know the rules of chess and are keen to start winning games.The quickest way to improve your chess is to learn tactics. But not just knowing the themes – you need to get used to using them in real positions. Master tactician John Nunn has thoughtfully crafted a course that gives you the basic nuggets of knowledge and immediately invites you to start finding tactical ideas for yourself.Chess Tactics Workbook for Kids is the first in a new series of books that help players gain chess skills by tackling hundreds of carefully chosen exercises. The themes are similar to those in Gambit’s best-selling ‘Chess for Kids’ series, but the focus is on getting vital hands-on experience. Many positions build on ones given earlier, showing how advanced ideas are normally made up of simpler ones that we can all grasp.Each chapter introduces a basic theme and features dozens of exercises, with solutions that highlight the key points. In each chapter there are tips on what to look out for to help spot tactical ideas. As the chapters progress, we increasingly see how tactical ideas are combined together, with ideas from previous sections repeatedly appearing as part of a deadly one-two punch. The book ends with a series of six test papers where you are given no clues about the themes involved.

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.

“a book that will provide plenty of pleasure and instruction at a very reasonable price ... recommended” – IM John Donaldson, USA Team CaptainWarning: this book is not just entertainment. The author wants to teach you a lot about chess and improve the quality of your play! He has selected 53 miniatures from throughout chess history – the earliest are from the 1850s, while the most recent are from grandmaster events just a few months ago.A miniature is a decisive game, won in 25 moves or fewer. Most of these 53 games feature brilliant tactics, attacks on the king, and even a few outrageous king-hunts. In many, the winner had to overcome cunning defensive ploys and inventive counterattacks.But our aim in this book is not just to admire the players’ skill, but to learn how we can play like this in our own games. Chess coach Ataman is keenly focused on the instructive points, explaining which features of the position justified the attacks, and what prompted the critical decisions. Where analysis is given, it is restricted to what it would be realistic for a human to work out at the board.But why are miniatures so instructive, especially for younger players? It’s because we get to see an idea or plan implemented successfully, in full. Once we understand what players are trying to achieve, we can then appreciate how to oppose these ideas, and the cut-and-thrust typical in modern grandmaster play will make a lot more sense.Alper Efe Ataman is a FIDE Master from Turkey. He is a chess publisher, author and an experienced trainer, especially at the scholastic level.“Following the annotations opened my eyes to a different understanding of the game. Yes, we can have 1000 miniatures at our fingertips with a few clicks of the mouse, but they will not open our eyes to the meaning behind those miniatures if we don’t have a wise teacher like FM Ataman guiding us ... through the review of these games, I’ve noticed how many things I thought I knew and I didn’t, so I thank FM Ataman for writing a book which is really instructive!” - Davide Nastasio, georgiachessnews.com

This is a book for those who have started to play chess and want to know how to win from good positions and survive bad ones.The endgame is where most games are decided, and knowing all the tricks will dramatically improve your results. Endgame specialist John Nunn has drawn upon his decades of experience to present the ideas that are most important in real games. Step by step he helps you uncover the key points and then add further vital knowledge.Chess Endgame Workbook for Kids is the third in a new series of books that help players gain chess skills by solving hundreds of carefully chosen exercises. The themes are similar to those in Gambit’s best-selling ‘Chess for Kids’ series, but the focus is on getting hands-on experience. Many positions build on ones given earlier, showing how advanced ideas are normally made up of simpler ones that we can all grasp.Each chapter deals with a particular type of endgame and features dozens of exercises, with solutions that highlight the key points. For each endgame we are given tips on the themes that are most important and the strategies for both sides. The book ends with a series of test papers that enable you to assess your progress and identify the areas that need further work.Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures in world chess. He was among the world’s leading grandmasters for nearly twenty years and won four gold medals in chess Olympiads. In 2004, 2007 and 2010, Nunn was crowned World Chess Solving Champion, ahead of many former champions.

“Useful for both young kids and old kids like me!” – GM Matthew Sadler, New in ChessMost chess games are decided in the endgame. It is here where you reap the reward for your good play, or else use all your cunning to deny the opponent victory. Knowing just a few key endgame techniques will dramatically increase your confidence, as you will understand what positions to aim for and which to avoid. Starting with the basic mates and the simplest pawn endings, this book provides all the endgame knowledge that players need to take them through to club level and beyond. Müller carefully guides us step-by-step through a fascinating range of endgame tactics and manoeuvres, helping us understand the underlying logic. Throughout the book, many cunning endgame tricks are highlighted. You will have fun springing them on friends, family - or your opponents in serious tournaments. "Chess Endgames for Kids" makes learning chess endgames fun. But it is also a serious endgame course written by a leading endgame expert, and provides a firm basis for vital skills that will develop throughout your chess career.“On your way to excellence in chess this book will be both a constant guide and a place to return to. The title refers to kids ... but adults will also get valuable input, to easily understand the complex world of chess endgames” – SchattenblickGerman grandmaster Karsten Müller is arguably the world's foremost writer on chess endgames. Whenever an interesting endgame occurs in a high-level game, the chess world knows that it will soon be dissected and explained by Müller. Whether writing for a low-level or high-level audience, his infectious zeal for the endgame shines through. His 'masterwork', "Fundamental Chess Endings" (co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, and also published by Gambit) is a modern endgame 'bible' and was studied intensively in his youth by current World Champion Magnus Carlsen.“The 50 mini-chess lessons featured in Chess Endgame For Kids are a fountain of rich, chess knowledge and tips to play winning endgames. Karsten is the consummate, virtual mentor. With young, eager chess players in mind, he patiently, and enthusiastically explains the essence of each endgame. Not too much and not too little – just the absolute must-know, practical endgame ideas and the underlying logic of each position” – Michael Ciamarra“The author is the phenomenal grandmaster Karsten Müller, who is considered to be the best endgame expert in the world. His masterwork Fundamental Chess Endgames, co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, belongs to the best-ever written endgame books – some say this work is responsible for the outstanding endgame skills of World Champion Magnus Carlsen, who has studied this book in great depth” – John Elburg, www.chessbooks.nl“No-one has explained the ‘W-manoeuvre’ so clearly before, and I had a lot of fun with it! My impression is that Karsten Müller has completely fulfilled his aims. His zeal for the endgame shines through” – Raymund Stolze, Chess International DE

"A new book that I found delightfully appealing" - Bruce Pandolfini, www.chesscafe.comFor all chess-players, from beginners to world champions, from kids to seniors, delivering checkmate is the greatest thrill the game has to offer. The ability to spot checkmates is a vital skill - and this easy-to-use book shows you how it is done. With the help of Grandmaster John Nunn, you will be ready to shock your next opponent with a deadly checkmate, whether in a school match, a club tournament - or even a championship game!By focusing exclusively on positions from real games, ranging from junior events to grandmaster encounters, Nunn ensures that the mates featured are those which arise most often in real life. He also highlights themes and ideas that are often missed in practice. While solving these puzzles, your all-important 'mental library' of patterns will grow, leading to an immediate increase in your playing strength.All 1001 puzzle positions have been carefully checked, and are graded by theme and difficulty. Points are awarded for finding the checkmate, so you can measure your skill. Most of the puzzles are suitable for novice and junior players. The last chapter challenges you with 'extreme checkmates', but don't worry: you'll be ready for them!The Kindle edition of this book has been specially reorganised for easy use. The solution to each puzzle is always on the page following the puzzle itself, and the puzzle diagram is repeated there, so it is not necessary to flip backwards and forwards when viewing the solution.Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures in world chess, having numbered among the world’s leading grandmasters for nearly twenty years. He has won four gold medals in chess Olympiads, and was crowned World Chess Solving Champion in 2004, 2007 and 2010. Nunn's playing style is notoriously aggressive, with sacrifices, king-hunts and checkmates featuring in many of his finest wins."Recognizing patterns has long been recognized as one of the hallmarks of chess mastery and 1001 Deadly Checkmates offers a series of exercises to train this skill arranged by theme and increasing difficulty. To challenge those of a competitive nature points are awarded for each correct answer with solvers able to track their success." - IM John Donaldson, Gold-Medal Winning USA Team Captain"John Nunn, renowned king-hunter, presents 1001 checkmate puzzles. Players who study this book will learn much about tactical motifs leading to mate... a delightful tome for any lover of chess" - Bab Wilders, Nederlands Dagblad"...like a feast for me! The long list of chess stars to be found there includes hundreds of players with whom I am either very well acquainted, or at least slightly so, and it's a lot of fun to try to find the same brilliant moves that they actually played at the climax of real battles. Though the book is quite thick and heavy, weighing in at over 300 large pages, its content is so enjoyable and easily readable for me that my feeling when packing it in my summer holiday suitcase is that I'm taking along a light yet precious companion." - GM Paul Motwani, The Scotsman

So you have learned how to play chess, studied tactics and know some basic endgames and openings. What’s next? The glue that binds it all together is strategy. By forming a good plan, chess-players seize strong points on the board and target the opponent’s weaknesses. Experienced player and teacher Thomas Engqvist shows that it all depends on logic that can be grasped by players of any age. He explains how to identify the right strategy in a wide range of typical situations. With his guidance, you will soon be finding good plans on your own – and then it will be time to demonstrate your tactical mastery! He first teaches the importance of the central squares and the basics of pawn-play, before examining the role of each of the pieces and how they are affected by the pawn-structure. Finally we see how to use them together to launch attacks of many different types. You then get a chance to test your new strategic skills in 54 exercises, all with full solutions. Chess Strategy for Kids provides a complete course that will help readers understand the potential of their pieces and play more purposefully in their games. Chess will stop feeling like a series of random events as you take command of your forces and direct them like a general in charge of an army. Thomas Engqvist is an International Master from Sweden with more than three decades’ experience of international chess. He is a successful chess trainer and has also made notable contributions to chess theory. Engqvist is editor of the website schacksnack.se and teaches at a school in the Stockholm area.

This is a book for those who want to start their chess games purposefully and take full advantage of their opponents’ mistakes.It is vital to begin a chess game well. Each move needs to be useful and precise. The best way to develop the necessary know-how is by experience and practice, rather than rote learning of ‘rules’ and principles. It’s all about the specifics and being alert to what the opponent is doing, and pouncing on any errors.Chess Opening Workbook for Kids is the second in a new series of books that help players gain chess skills by tackling hundreds of carefully chosen exercises. The themes are similar to those in Gambit’s best-selling ‘Chess for Kids’ series, but the focus is on getting hands-on experience. Many positions build on ones given earlier, showing how advanced ideas are normally made up of simpler ones that we can all grasp.Each chapter is focused on a particular theme and features dozens of exercises, with solutions that highlight the main strategic and tactical points. Each chapter offers tips on opening play, such as how to detect weaknesses and poorly-placed pieces. Later chapters address key aspects of opening strategy such as the centre, development and castling. The book ends with a series of seven graded tests where you are given few clues about the themes involved.Award-winning author Graham Burgess has written 27 chess books, including two on opening play for the ‘Chess for Kids’ series. 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.

This is a book for those who have started to play chess and want to know how to win from good positions and survive bad ones.The endgame is where most games are decided, and knowing all the tricks will dramatically improve your results. Endgame specialist John Nunn has drawn upon his decades of experience to present the ideas that are most important in real games. Step by step he helps you uncover the key points and then add further vital knowledge.Chess Endgame Workbook for Kids is the third in a new series of books that help players gain chess skills by solving hundreds of carefully chosen exercises. The themes are similar to those in Gambit’s best-selling ‘Chess for Kids’ series, but the focus is on getting hands-on experience. Many positions build on ones given earlier, showing how advanced ideas are normally made up of simpler ones that we can all grasp.Each chapter deals with a particular type of endgame and features dozens of exercises, with solutions that highlight the key points. For each endgame we are given tips on the themes that are most important and the strategies for both sides. The book ends with a series of test papers that enable you to assess your progress and identify the areas that need further work.

This is a book for those who want to start their chess games purposefully and take full advantage of their opponents’ mistakes.It is vital to start a chess game well. Each move needs to be useful and precise. The best way to develop the necessary know-how is by experience and practice, rather than rote learning of ‘rules’ and principles. It’s all about the specifics and being alert to what the opponent is doing, and pouncing on any errors.Chess Opening Workbook for Kids is the second in a new series of books that help players gain chess skills by tackling hundreds of carefully chosen exercises. The themes are similar to those in Gambit’s best-selling ‘Chess for Kids’ series, but the focus is on getting hands-on experience. Many positions build on ones given earlier, showing how advanced ideas are normally made up of simpler ones that we can all grasp.Each chapter is focused on a particular theme and features dozens of exercises, with solutions that highlight the main strategic and tactical points. Each chapter offers tips on opening play, such as how to detect weaknesses and poorly-placed pieces. Later chapters address key aspects of opening strategy such as the centre, development and castling. The book ends with a series of seven graded tests where you are given few clues about the themes involved.