Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Levy Rozman, also known as GothamChess, has crafted a delightful and instructive guide for chess enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you're a fledgling pawn or a seasoned grandmaster, "How to Win at Chess" offers valuable insights, witty commentary, and practical advice to elevate your game.

In this refreshing and fun book, Rozman covers the essential aspects of chess, breaking them down into two distinct parts:

For Rising Players (0-800 Elo Rating):

- Openings: Learn how to navigate the initial moves of a game strategically. Rozman demystifies common openings, providing clear explanations and practical tips.

- Endings: Discover the art of finishing games. From basic checkmates to endgame principles, this section ensures you're well-prepared for the final stages.

- Tactics: Unleash your inner tactician! Explore tactical motifs, combinations, and tricks that can turn the tide in your favor.

- Strategy: Understand the broader picture. Rozman discusses positional play, pawn structures, and long-term planning.

For Experienced Players (800-1300 Elo Rating):

- Building upon the foundation laid in Part I, this section delves deeper into advanced concepts.

- Advanced Openings: Explore more intricate opening variations and their nuances.

- Complex Endgames: Master complex endgame scenarios, including pawn endings and minor piece endgames.

- Strategic Mastery: Develop a strategic mindset. Rozman shares insights on middlegame strategy, piece coordination, and prophylaxis.

- Bonus Content: Throughout the book, QR codes link to exclusive material on Chessly, Rozman's teaching platform.

Why You'll Love It:

- Humor and Charm: Rozman's signature wit shines through, making learning chess enjoyable.

- Illustrations: Over 500 instructional gameplay illustrations help visualize key concepts.

- Accessible Language: Whether you're a novice or an enthusiast, the writing style is engaging and approachable.

- Practical Tips: Rozman's practical advice can be immediately applied to your games.

Final Verdict:

"How to Win at Chess" is more than a guide; it's a journey. Levy Rozman invites you to explore the intricate dance of 64 squares, where every move matters. So grab your knights, queens, and rooks, and embark on this delightful chess adventure!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5 out of 5 stars).

I'm someone who used to play chess a lot, and then I stopped when I got older and recently went back to playing. It's great to see a book so well-designed and illustrated to guide players through the game. I think it's really fun!

How to Win at Chess is a thought-provoking and information dense chess monograph by Levy Rozman (GothamChess). Released 24th Oct 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Ten Speed Press imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is an all-around volume, from the minutiae and basics of the rules, including scoring and notation, to the nuts and bolts of gameplay, including early-mid-and-endgame strategies. The author includes his thoughts and experiences as a chess teacher (and high-end competitive player) to help readers approach problem solving in game thoughtfully and improve their repertoires gambit-wise.

He has millions of followers on youtube and chess.com, and is the most-followed western player in the world (there are some few with more followers in Asia, India specifically). He's in a handful of chess players and teachers worldwide with a finger on the pulse of competitive gameplay and has analyzed thousands (tens of thousands?) of games for followers. His almost real-time commentary on competition play is pithy and insightful and very colorful.

Readers who are familiar with his work in film/audio media will immediately recognize the same brash bright attitude and humor in the book. He makes a number of salient points and really does offer insight into improving readers' performance at all stages of their game.

It's enchanting to see people doing things they clearly love, and doing them very well. He's unvarnished (a bit "in your face" at some points), very very clever, well spoken and funny, and it's clear he REALLY loves chess.

Five stars. This would make a great choice for public or school library acquisition, for gifting, and for chess afficionados. It would also be a good choice for more formal instruction, for chess clubs' libraries, gaming clubs, and similar.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is a tremendous intro level book for chess. Rozman is Rozman—his twitch stuff caters to a twitch audience, his old YouTube stuff catered to a new player wanting to learn, his pay vids are ridiculously detailed and helpful, and this volume seems to walk the line between all 3.
More than worth the time and the purchase.

Arc provided

Whilst I understood the principles of chess and basic game rules, I have never really played chess properly. I picked up “How to Win at Chess” by Levy Rozman and am delighted by the improvement in my understanding…and ability to win! Granted, I have only tested my new skills against the computer and chess puzzles but I’m enjoying chess far more!

This book is carefully thought out to give the reader small wins in each chapter. As my understanding improved as to what winning strategy looks like, my game win ratio improved. I find it easy to flip back to the book when I encounter a permutation to a gambit and learn a better way to play. I am only at 600 so haven’t fully utilised the book’s teachings yet but that’s an improvement from O in little more than a month.

The passion of author and Grandmaster Levy Rozman exudes throughout and it is an easy read as he explains why as well as how, for me the why make the how easier to recall.

If you’re looking to improve your chess game or start playing chess and discover why it is so popular, this is the book to read! I couldn’t watch the videos as I had the advanced copy but can only imagine how much more depth this will add. Its a five out of five and highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Clarkson Potter/ Ten Speed Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rozman here writes a highly accessible survey of the game of chess. Capitalizing on the digital age, Rozman incorporates QR codes which expound upon chess-play and strategy. While building a solid foundation for chess players at any level, the author uniquely surveys all kinds of openings, defenses, gambits, the opening, middle, and end-games, in a readable way. Illustrations on every page help the reader visualize each move and its consequences. This is perhaps one of the more accessible and helpful books on chess strategy, as it is easy to read while being exhaustive in the history of chess and fundamentals of gameplay. It proves a great addition to any chess player's shelf.