Learn Chess Tactics | John Nunn

Mastering chess tactics is the key to winning games and building confidence. Once you've grasped the basics, developing your tactical skills will enable you to checkmate opponents, capture pieces, and execute sacrifices and combinations.
Despite its importance, tactical training is often overlooked, leaving many players vulnerable to tactical mistakes. This book addresses this gap with a systematic, step-by-step approach that ensures a solid understanding of each concept before moving on.

• Intermediate beginners to intermediate players will benefit immensely from this book
• Ideal if you want to study tactics
• Understand the essential ideas like forks, pins and discovered attacks
• Gain better insights into broader strategies like elimination and compulsion
• No prior knowledge beyond basic rules is required
• Put your skills to the test with carefully graded exercises
• Develop your ability to checkmate and capture pieces
• Execute sacrifices and combinations with confidence

Reader’s Reviews:

John Nunn's "Learn Chess Tactics" is an excellent resource. His method is straightforward: he introduces concepts and follows them with numerous exercises to help you enhance your skills. With a Ph.D. in mathematics, Nunn's writing resembles a math textbook—concise and clear, featuring plenty of exercises to sharpen your abilities at the end of each chapter. As someone who majored in math, I found this approach particularly effective -  B Rampa

In Nunn's "Learn Chess Tactics," the exercises are organized by theme. Each section begins with an introduction explaining the theme, followed by a few examples, and then a series of tactical puzzles arranged to increase difficulty. 

Most sections, especially the more relevant ones like those on pins and forks, offer a wide range of puzzles that cater to various skill levels, from beginners to more challenging ones (at least for me as a Class C player). 

The solutions are straightforward and comprehensive, with no significant lines omitted. The final section features an excellent collection of puzzles across all themes, making it ideal for honing your tactical vision.

The variety of themes presented enhanced my overall tactical awareness (and my rating) and helped me identify my blind spots—such as difficulties in spotting opportunities to trap pieces or defensive tactical moves—and work on improving them. I wholeheartedly recommend this book - K Winter

About the Author:

John Nunn is a British Grandmaster, author, and mathematician, widely regarded as one of his generation's top chess players and writers. Born in 1955, Nunn earned the Grandmaster title in 1978 and was ranked among the world's top 10 players in the 1980s. Known for his deep understanding of the game and analytical approach, Nunn has written numerous acclaimed chess books, many focusing on tactics, endgames, and puzzle-solving.
He holds a PhD in mathematics from the University of Oxford, which contributed to his analytical mindset in chess. His books, such as Secrets of Practical Chess, John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book, and Nunn’s Chess Endings, have won multiple "Book of the Year" awards and are considered essential reading for serious chess players.
Nunn is also known for his contributions to chess problem-solving and puzzle composition. In addition to his writing and playing career, he has edited chess magazines and continues to influence the chess world with his intellectual and educational contributions

Other Details:

Paperback
Pages: 160
Dimensions: 17 x 1.1 x 24.6cm
ISBN-13: 9781901983982