What's the best way to learn chess? Great Moves: Learning Chess Through
History blends the intricacies of chess play with the game's compelling
and colorful history, putting real people at the 64 squares. Tracing the
development of chess from its origins in ancient India, the authors take
the student on a far-ranging journey through the palaces of medieval and
Renaissance Europe to the cafés of the Enlightenment and the dawn of the
Industrial Age, with a focus on the leading personalities of the royal
game and on their contributions to understanding of it. Rogues and
champions, tragic as well as inspirational human stories all serve as
the backdrop for illustrative games and exercises of increasing
complexity highlighting their discoveries, and invite the student to
grasp the potential of chess to fascinate. Much more than a primer for
beginning chess players and their teachers, Great Moves shines a light
on the lives of famous players of bygone eras, helping experienced
players to fill in the gaps in their chess culture.