What it teaches
László Polgár famously set out to prove that genius can be taught, and his daughters Susan, Sofia and Judit became three of the strongest female players in history, with Judit the strongest ever. This enormous book, more than a thousand pages, collects the kind of training material they grew up on. The bulk is checkmate puzzles, starting with mate in one and moving through thousands of mate-in-two positions to harder mates, followed by miniature games, tactical combinations and endgame studies.
There is almost no prose. The value is pure volume: solve enough of these and mating patterns become instant recognition rather than calculation.
Who it's for
Everyone, which is rare. Beginners can live in the mate-in-one and mate-in-two sections for months, while strong players use the harder chapters for fast pattern work. Coaches love it as an endless supply of exercises.
How to get the most from it
Set a daily target, such as 20 puzzles, and keep a bookmark in each section. Solve from the diagram without moving pieces, and write your answers down before checking. The book is heavy, so keep it on the desk rather than in the bag.
Key takeaways
- Volume builds pattern recognition that no explanation can replace.
- Mate-in-one and mate-in-two drills sharpen vision at every level.
- Solve from the diagram and write answers down to train calculation.
- Short daily sessions work better than occasional marathons.
Read next
For themed tactics with explanations, try Chess Tactics for Champions by László's daughter Susan Polgar. Advanced solvers can move on to The Woodpecker Method.
