What it teaches
Franco Masetti and Roberto Messa built this workbook around a simple idea: learn each tactical theme on its own, then mix them. Chapters cover the double attack, pins, skewers, discovered attacks, deflection, decoying, removing the defender, promotion tactics and basic mating patterns, each with a short introduction followed by dozens of positions. Later chapters mix the themes so you have to recognize the idea without a hint.
The positions are chosen to be solvable by beginners while still teaching real patterns, and the solutions are short and clear.
Who it's for
Beginners and early club players, roughly 600 to 1400, and kids working with a coach. If you've finished a first rules-and-principles book, this is the natural next step.
How to get the most from it
Do one chapter at a time, and don't guess: find the whole sequence before you check. When you miss one, set it up on a board and play it out. Revisit the mixed chapters after a few weeks to see how much faster you've become.
Key takeaways
- Learn each tactical theme on its own before mixing them.
- Double attacks, pins and removing the defender win most beginner games.
- Find the whole sequence before checking; guessing trains bad habits.
- Revisiting mixed exercises shows how much faster you've become.
Read next
Keep the volume going with Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games, understand the deeper logic with Understanding Chess Tactics, and learn to use tactics in real games with Everyone's 2nd Chess Book.
