Winning Chess Exercises for Kids
by Jeff Coakley
Reading Profile
Should I read this?
Bright, cartoon-strewn pages deliver short puzzles and bite-sized explanations aimed at young beginners, so the book feels more like play than formal instruction. What works best is the sheer number of progressive exercises that build pattern recognition and basic tactics through repetition and visual cues. Its main limitation is a light touch on deeper strategic explanation and annotated games, which makes it too simple for older or advancing juniors. Parents and coaches will often want supplemental, more structured material.
Read this if...
- •a parent teaching a 6–9-year-old beginner who loses focus with long texts — cartoons and short drills keep attention while practicing tactics.
- •an elementary-school chess-club coach planning 20–30 minute sessions — puzzles fit neatly into class time and give clear practice targets.
- •a child who already knows the rules and wants quick, hands-on practice before casual school matches — useful for sharpening instincts and spotting basic tactics.
Skip this if...
- •you’ll likely put it down when the same short-puzzle format repeats and you want richer, step-by-step explanations or annotated games.
- •annoying if you prefer text-heavy, theory-focused instruction and detailed game analysis — this is light on long examples and adult notation.
- •not for advanced juniors preparing for rated tournaments — too basic and missing systematic opening, middlegame, and endgame depth.
This wonderfully entertaining book also happens to be quite effective. Everything any child will need to know about chess strategy and more is here in this book, which is well laid out and easy to follow. Part of the fun factor for kids is that the book is replete with cartoon images of chess characters to help make the learning experience more exc...
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:easy
Audience Fit
- a parent teaching a 6–9-year-old beginner who loses focus with long texts — cartoons and short drills keep attention while practicing tactics.
- an elementary-school chess-club coach planning 20–30 minute sessions — puzzles fit neatly into class time and give clear practice targets.
- a child who already knows the rules and wants quick, hands-on practice before casual school matches — useful for sharpening instincts and spotting basic tactics.
- you’ll likely put it down when the same short-puzzle format repeats and you want richer, step-by-step explanations or annotated games.
- annoying if you prefer text-heavy, theory-focused instruction and detailed game analysis — this is light on long examples and adult notation.
- not for advanced juniors preparing for rated tournaments — too basic and missing systematic opening, middlegame, and endgame depth.
Check formats, pricing, and availability options for Kindle, physical print, or audiobooks directly.
View available editions on AmazonKey themes
Why recommended
Recommended by 1 source and appears in Chess and Most Recommended Books.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
No verified recommendation proof available yet.
Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider My 60 Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer. Recommended by 2 sources.
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