The perfect Christmas chess presents

/in

(Chronicle Chess 8 December 2023)

What should I get young Beth or Uncle Harry for a Christmas present?

If you have friends and/or family who you think would enjoy playing chess, you can do a lot worse than buy them a set of pieces and board.

A fancy wooden set costs from £60, but a simple set of plastic pieces and rollup board is as little as £15. A good place for Christmas deliveries is Chess & Bridge (go to https://chess.co.uk or call 020 7486 7015).

Many expert players prefer standard sets, as they are easier to carry and don’t cause major trauma when one of the pieces goes AWOL or gets mauled by the family cat. Get a set with the algebraic coordinates (a-h and 1-8) marked around the board, as this helps you record the moves of the game. You can then review the game afterwards to see how you could play better next time.

OK, so you’ve got your playing kit, what’s next?

The are many resources to help you get better at chess. Go to lichess.org (everything’s free), chess.com (partly free) or YouTube (free but of varying quality) and you’ll find tournaments, tutorials and tactics trainers, covering from basic checkmates to advanced strategies.

Chess books are a great stocking filler for any budding Magnus Carlsen or Beth Harmon.

Good improvement books are “Comprehensive Chess Course 1 & 2” by Alburt & Pelts, which take the newcomer from beginner to tournament player; “Logical Chess: Move By Move” by Chernev; and Nunn’s “1001 Deadly Checkmates” and “Learn Chess Tactics.” For serious players, “Bobby Fischer’s 60 Memorable Games” and “The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal” are inspiring. For sheer fun, beg, borrow or steal two out-of-print gems, the cunning “Chess for Tigers” by Simon Webb, and the hilarious “How to Cheat at Chess” by William Hartston.

Books to avoid are those promising a “killer” or “winning” opening repertoire. No such silver bullet exists. Just get good at tactics and endgames, and remember to develop your pieces in the opening and castle.

The next step is to find some flesh-and-blood opponents. Go to northumberlandchess.com and you’ll find a club near you. Most meet on weekday evenings, while there are also chess clubs in libraries and schools (check out: https://www.chessinschools.co.uk/ for more info).

And don’t worry: Chess is not just for Christmas. You can enjoy mastering its secrets over a lifetime.