- Paperback: 96 pages
- Publisher: Sterling; illustrated edition edition (2 Jun 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 140271145X
- ISBN-13: 978-1402711459
- Product Dimensions: 21.7 x 15.5 x 1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 94,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
Each of these 125 problems has won top prize in one of the many chess competitions held throughout the world- and they will help hone players' skills so that even beginners can learn to become winners too. As with all orthodox chess conundrums, the ones collected here stipulate that White makes the first move, and must checkmate Black in a specified number of moves no matter what Black does. This specification is inviolable: players can neither make more moves nor fewer, and each problem has only one correct key. A section offers hints for the really, truly stumped. But beware: while most hints provide instant help, some cryptic ones require a little extra thinking. About Mensa:- Mensa is the internationally renowned high IQ society which has a worldwide membership of almost 100,000 members in more than 100 countries. There are 28,000 members in the UK, including 2,200 Junior Mensans under the age of 16. To join Mensa, the only requirement for membership is that an individual's IQ falls within the top 2 per cent of the population.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I got this book for my girl friend's dad for Christmas (who really likes this sort of thing), but in all honesty I had a sneeky peek inside before I wrapped it up. What I can tell you is this:
-Baring in mind that even though I'm not a grand master, by any stretch of the imagination, I'm certainly not the worst player either. This book is seriously challenging. It literally takes me at least a good 1/2 hour to work out each puzzle (or just 15 mins if I happen to have an epiphany).
-All 150 puzzles involves you being white and trying to checkmate black in two moves. Sounds easy enough? Well the tricky bit is that you have to cover all of black's possible retaliation from black's 1st move, and trying to do all that in your head is seriously tough.
-They do provide hints though so don't despair (the hints are quite cryptic, but not over the top). The answer section is clear and concise.
-All in all, its worth the money you pay and will keep you entertained (or frustrated) for months.
Enjoy
=D
-Baring in mind that even though I'm not a grand master, by any stretch of the imagination, I'm certainly not the worst player either. This book is seriously challenging. It literally takes me at least a good 1/2 hour to work out each puzzle (or just 15 mins if I happen to have an epiphany).
-All 150 puzzles involves you being white and trying to checkmate black in two moves. Sounds easy enough? Well the tricky bit is that you have to cover all of black's possible retaliation from black's 1st move, and trying to do all that in your head is seriously tough.
-They do provide hints though so don't despair (the hints are quite cryptic, but not over the top). The answer section is clear and concise.
-All in all, its worth the money you pay and will keep you entertained (or frustrated) for months.
Enjoy
=D
0 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book has nothing to do with Mensa. This is true of many advertised on Amazon. As a member of Mensa I shall be drwing their attention to the misrepresetation.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Caveat emptor: This is a challenging puzzle book.
12 May 2008
Format:Paperback
This is one of the greatest chess puzzle books, but be forewarned; it's also one of the most difficult. Some of the puzzles have easy to see white to move and mate in three, but can you find the mate in two? The whole book is "white to move and mate in two," and the puzzles are culled from award-winning puzzle competitions. My only potential complaint is that sometimes the position of white is unbelievably secure and racking your brains for a victory in two moves seems pointless, but they are puzzles that are guaranteed to pull you back from the vices developed from internet speed chess. This is why we need more books like this.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Only for extreme begginers
1 Sep 2009
Format:Paperback
I enjoy chess puzzle books a great deal. I think this book is geared for people who don't play chess at all and on occasion like to try and solve chess puzzles as part of an overall IQ (Mensa) test. If you play regularly club, tournament, coffeehouse, you will find that the puzzles are very easy. Many take just seconds to solve.
If you are an advance begginer, intermidate level or above, this book will not help you much, as the puzzles are too easy. Other begginer puzzles books offer more of a challenge than this one.
If you are an advance begginer, intermidate level or above, this book will not help you much, as the puzzles are too easy. Other begginer puzzles books offer more of a challenge than this one.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Ignore the first third of the puzzles
11 Jan 2009
Format:Paperback
This is an enjoyable book, and is a great way to pass a few hours in a waiting room or on an airplane. The author has organized the book well, with a section of hints preceding the actual solutions, and with hints on alternating pages so that you don't see the hint for the adjacent puzzle.
I gave this book four stars instead of five because the first third of the 125 puzzles are uninspiring. Skip over them, and start with puzzle #43. In the first batch of puzzles, white has so much more material than black, that a win is inevitable anyway. A human would resign at this point, so who cares if white can mate in two moves? Things are better in the remaining two-thirds of the book, where white and black are more evenly matched.
I gave this book four stars instead of five because the first third of the 125 puzzles are uninspiring. Skip over them, and start with puzzle #43. In the first batch of puzzles, white has so much more material than black, that a win is inevitable anyway. A human would resign at this point, so who cares if white can mate in two moves? Things are better in the remaining two-thirds of the book, where white and black are more evenly matched.
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