Most chess books cover some aspects of the game, be it the opening, the middle game, the end game, or strategy. A few have tried to offer comprehensive approaches to the entire game, but today, these efforts are mostly obsolete and hastily compiled. Bruce Pandolfini has provided a new, unified approach to the game, one good for beginners and experts alike. Pandolfini provides: a short introductory history of the game, the moves, rules, and notation, the basic principles of the game, pattern recognition and memory aids, traps and pitfalls to be avoided, a method for playing in any situation, defence and counterattack, famous positions and players, a resource guide to the best websites for playing chess online and loads more.

With interesting, insightful notes on famous players and positions, as well as Pandolfini's personal thoughts on computer chess and the future of chess, this book may become the benchmark title for chess players for years to come.