This is designed to take the beginner through all aspects of the game and bring him up to the standard of a strong club player. By means of 40 carefully selected lessons the author provides a course which can either form the curriculum for a school club or be used by adults for self-instruction. Numerous exercises are included to test the reader's understanding of all points and a timetable provides a suggested period for studying each phase of the game. Aleksander Kostyev is an experienced Soviet chess teacher. Jon Speelman, the translator is a Grandmaster and author of several chess books.