In the world of chess, few names resonate with as much insight and inspiration as Jennifer Shahade. A two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, Shahade has been a beacon of brilliance and success in chess. Her latest masterpiece, “Play Like a Champion,” available on Forward Chess, isn’t just a book; it’s a journey into the depths of chess tactical mastery.
On this journey, Shahade takes you through champions’ games, selected according to the chapter’s tactical theme. The games showcase brilliancies, and are followed by many – I mean MANY tactics to test yourself with. Be prepared to learn a wealth of chess knowledge, from both outside and within the game, and sharpen your tactical vision to play like a champion.
Let’s take a look at what the book entails, and test out a puzzle or two.
About the Book
Each chapter shines a spotlight on a particular player, with a brief background on their life and impact on the chess world, followed by an annotated example of a game in which the player executed the chapter’s theme.
With the following game by the first Women’s World Champion, that shows a beautiful queen sacrifice:
Table of Contents
Play Like a Champion showcases a range of tactical beauties according to certain themes, with examples taken from real-life games of chess icons. From lesser-known historical champions, to modern-day ones, there are many players to be inspired by.
About the Author
Jennifer Shahade
Jennifer Shahade is a renowned chess player and author. A two-time United States Women’s Chess Champion, she has represented the U.S. in several international competitions, including chess Olympiads. Beyond chess, Jennifer is also a skilled poker player, participating in numerous high-profile tournaments.
Beyond her achievements in chess and poker, Jennifer is an advocate for promoting gender diversity. She actively works to encourage more women and girls to take up chess and poker, breaking stereotypes and fostering a more inclusive environment in both fields.
Jennifer is also a respected chess author and commentator. She has written several books on chess, offering insights into the game’s intricacies and strategies. Her ability to articulate complex chess concepts in an accessible manner has made her a popular figure in chess broadcasting, where she often provides expert commentary for major chess events.
Play Like a Champion: Exercises
The book contains 700 puzzles for the reader to solve. As you can see in the table of contents, most tactical themes are covered, ranging from mate-in-ones to in-between moves. The puzzles range in difficulty, making it suitable for players of all strengths, where all “the positions are designed to help chess improvers (from beginner to master) to develop their tactical vision”.
Take a moment to try out a few puzzles from the book – solutions are at the end!
Exercise 1.18: Mate in 1
Exercise 3.22: Mate in 3
Exercise 9.7: Discovered Attack
Exercise 15.2: Clearance
Exercise 16.5: Levers and Rook Lifts
Get the Book
Play Like a Champion is available on Forward Chess, and is also tactics-enabled which lets you solve the puzzles in quiz mode, making it the perfect way to test your tactics.
Have any thoughts or questions? Let us know in the comments!
Get Play Like a Champion on Forward Chess with a new release special discount.
Puzzle Solutions
Exercise 1.18
Exercise 3.22
Exercise 9.7
Exercise 15.2
Exercise 16.5
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Sean Marsh