16 Apr '11 15:33>1 edit
If you were to create a book for beginners and I mean for someone who has never played the game, how many chapters would it have and how in depth would you go? I'm assuming that chapter one gives the basics: board set up, how pieces move,rules of the game, and object of the game.
Now what?
I'd go with:
Chpt 2 Board vision: Examples of how you need to look at the entire board before moving. Emphasize the fact that you should not give material away and you should take it when your opponent offers it.
Chpt 3 Forks: Pawn forks, bishop forks, knight forks, rook forks and queen forks. I'd give explanations then several puzzles asking the reader to solve simple one move fork problems.
Chpt 4 Skewers: Same idea as forks. Examples of all the types of skewers and puzzles.
Chpt 5 Pins: Examples of absolute pins and pieces pinned to a queen and how to take advantage of them. Once again, one move pin puzzles.
Chpt 6: Opening basics principles with examples of how to avoid placing your pieces in bad spots. Things to avoid such as placing your knight and bishop in such a way as to allow a pawn fork.
Chpt 7: King pawn end game. Go into opposition and have puzzles requiring the reader to either move his king or pawn. 1 king vs 1 king and 1 pawn only. Perhaps I'd go into why a king can't take a backwards pawn and how to see if a king can catch a pawn by seeing the square.
Chpt 8: Basic checkmates. Queen and rook, queen and king, rook and queen and two rook.
Chpt 9: One move checkmate puzzles.
Am I missing anything? Would this be too much?
Now what?
I'd go with:
Chpt 2 Board vision: Examples of how you need to look at the entire board before moving. Emphasize the fact that you should not give material away and you should take it when your opponent offers it.
Chpt 3 Forks: Pawn forks, bishop forks, knight forks, rook forks and queen forks. I'd give explanations then several puzzles asking the reader to solve simple one move fork problems.
Chpt 4 Skewers: Same idea as forks. Examples of all the types of skewers and puzzles.
Chpt 5 Pins: Examples of absolute pins and pieces pinned to a queen and how to take advantage of them. Once again, one move pin puzzles.
Chpt 6: Opening basics principles with examples of how to avoid placing your pieces in bad spots. Things to avoid such as placing your knight and bishop in such a way as to allow a pawn fork.
Chpt 7: King pawn end game. Go into opposition and have puzzles requiring the reader to either move his king or pawn. 1 king vs 1 king and 1 pawn only. Perhaps I'd go into why a king can't take a backwards pawn and how to see if a king can catch a pawn by seeing the square.
Chpt 8: Basic checkmates. Queen and rook, queen and king, rook and queen and two rook.
Chpt 9: One move checkmate puzzles.
Am I missing anything? Would this be too much?