What do you think?
Rate this book
Everyone's Second Chess Book
An amazing look at kids who play chess and how to help them and their parents. It features overcoming beginning hurdles and why newcomers often play BAD moves. This book list 11 real rules for improvement.
- GenresChessNonfiction
127 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2000
26 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 13, 2016
Exactly what the title suggests - a very good second book for improving chess players. Filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge created when I skipped over the very basic stuff I thought I already knew. That is probably true of a lot of us weaker chess players - we want to be better, faster, and have the intellect to read heavier material, which, if it's well written we think will make us better. But there is no point reading a good book on quantum mechanics if you are still having trouble counting... In many of my tournament games, it's just like that - I miscount attackers and defenders or miss some simple tactic and all that endgame knowledge is not helping me survive. It is said the world champion Tal read a beginner book every year even long after he was a Grand Master. I think I will follow his example and keep working on the basics until I stop making so many basic mistakes.
August 17, 2019
It feels like Dan Heisman wrote this book specifically for me.
I learned the rules that govern a piece’s movement as a kid, but I’ve only been trying to play real chess for the past year. I’ve struggled with terrible board vision and from playing my moves too quickly and my games, while improving, have been varied and inconsistent as I don’t always put in the work that I should before every move.
As I read the examples and stories in “Everyone’s Second Chess Book”, I found myself saying “oh, I do that...” over and over again.
Dan’s writing is incredibly accessible and enjoyable... and I experienced so many “penny drop” moments while I read his examples, principles and advice.
This was the book I was missing.
While it’s everyone’s second chess book, it’ll also be my third... and my forth, until the principles contained within come naturally to me and my game improves.
If your chess game sounds like mine, then I couldn’t recommend “Everyone’s Second Chess Book” more highly.
I learned the rules that govern a piece’s movement as a kid, but I’ve only been trying to play real chess for the past year. I’ve struggled with terrible board vision and from playing my moves too quickly and my games, while improving, have been varied and inconsistent as I don’t always put in the work that I should before every move.
As I read the examples and stories in “Everyone’s Second Chess Book”, I found myself saying “oh, I do that...” over and over again.
Dan’s writing is incredibly accessible and enjoyable... and I experienced so many “penny drop” moments while I read his examples, principles and advice.
This was the book I was missing.
While it’s everyone’s second chess book, it’ll also be my third... and my forth, until the principles contained within come naturally to me and my game improves.
If your chess game sounds like mine, then I couldn’t recommend “Everyone’s Second Chess Book” more highly.
May 7, 2012
Snagged a copy of this from the library - it's primarily geared towards parents or instructors of young, beginning chess players. A role I'm currently filling.
The descriptions of chess ability levels are spot on with what I'm seeing in my kids, and the book has given me a few ideas on how to help them progress from where they currently are. That's actually what this book is best at: giving you maxims and guidelines on how to improve, not a ton of variations or annotated games. (Though there is a fair bit of the latter as examples of various ideas.)
If you've got young kids interested in chess (by young, I mean under age 9) or are thinking of becoming a children's chess tutor, try to find a copy of this book. You'll be glad you did. The problem is this is tough to find - the publisher's effectively out of business and used copies are very dearly priced.
The descriptions of chess ability levels are spot on with what I'm seeing in my kids, and the book has given me a few ideas on how to help them progress from where they currently are. That's actually what this book is best at: giving you maxims and guidelines on how to improve, not a ton of variations or annotated games. (Though there is a fair bit of the latter as examples of various ideas.)
If you've got young kids interested in chess (by young, I mean under age 9) or are thinking of becoming a children's chess tutor, try to find a copy of this book. You'll be glad you did. The problem is this is tough to find - the publisher's effectively out of business and used copies are very dearly priced.
October 9, 2018
A wonderful book. It truly should be everyone’s second chess book. I wish it had been mine. Entertainingly written and full of solid principles and guidelines, it hammered home many points for that needed cementing in my aging brain.
June 16, 2020
Does what it says on the tin.
Useful for starting players, as it goes over the most common beginner mistakes and the best way for them to improve.
At times (mainly the first few chapters) reads more like a chess book for aspiring teachers or parents than a book for the players themselves.
Useful for starting players, as it goes over the most common beginner mistakes and the best way for them to improve.
At times (mainly the first few chapters) reads more like a chess book for aspiring teachers or parents than a book for the players themselves.
February 15, 2021
Dan is an excellent teacher and this book is geared to beginning players and to coaches of young players. It does a good job of presenting important chess principles especially to lower rated players and what you need to do to improve as a player. Nicely done for a specific audience!
March 17, 2021
Mediocre
Disappointing. Had some cute puzzles, a few illustrative games on principles it listed. Overall, not as helpful as I hoped to players who are past beginners, but not yet intermediate.
Disappointing. Had some cute puzzles, a few illustrative games on principles it listed. Overall, not as helpful as I hoped to players who are past beginners, but not yet intermediate.
July 30, 2022
This is a great chess book to start with!
October 1, 2025
El público objetivo era jugadores mucho más jóvenes que yo, pero me sirvió para rellenar varios de los agujeros que tengo respecto a los torneos.
December 27, 2013
Quite a fun read. No wonder the author is called "the best tutor for chess beginners"!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews