Best Chess Book For Kids (2026 Updated)

Master one of the world’s most fascinating games — chess! Learn how to play chess through this fun, illustrated chess guide! A board game like no other, chess challenges young minds to think strategically about moves by applying the principles of chess to their club games, tournaments and championships.

Take your skills even further by gaining a deeper appreciation for the aim of the game and tactics. The chess book for kids age 9 and older includes: – Chessboard graphics that show how to apply the principles you learn in real-life game situations – A breakdown of the value, importance and role of each piece – A history section provides background on the game and its origins, reflecting the latest changes in the game and how it’s played International chess master and tutor Michael Basman show you everything you need to know to improve your tactics and win more games.

Go from beginner chess player to chess champion by following the expert advice in Chess for Kids. Soon you’ll know the difference between chess pieces (your bishop from your knight!) and how to use them strategically, when to use the castling move and how to counter the Queen’s Gambit.

Dive into the history of chess and learn from the greatest players and games. Chessboard graphics illustrate different scenarios so you can visualize different chess moves and their potential outcomes and learn the best move to make in any given situation.

Chess is experiencing a new wave of popularity in schools, and it’s educational too. Organisations like Chess in Schools are promoting it as the perfect way to develop analytical thinking skills, foster the competitive instinct – and provide a lot of fun along the way.

This cute, character-based book, aimed at children aged 7 and up, is a complete guide to chess for those starting out in the game. In straightforward, animated language, Jess and Jamie – two rough-and-tumble kids who are obsessed with chess – explain everything you need to know, from first sitting down at the board to sneaky tricks to help you beat your opponents.

It also introduces the idea of chess etiquette – and explains why sometimes no one wins and a game ends in stalemate. Friendlier and more fun than the average children’s chess book, The Batsford Book of Chess for Children should become an essential addition to any child’s bookshelf.

This is the perfect introduction to chess for children from the age of seven upwards. The book contains 30 short lessons, starting with learning about the board and the pieces, then the moves of each piece in turn, then the vital concepts of check, checkmate and stalemate, and finally basic strategy and thinking skills.

Quizzes and puzzles reinforce what the children learn. The book uses the characters of the 7-year-old twins Sam and Alice who are always arguing and fighting. They decide to join the army where they are told about an impending invasion of aliens from the planet Caïssa.

The outcome of the invasion will be decided by a game of living chess. During their lessons they learn about the battlefield and the different types of soldier and get to play the part of each in turn.

With this charming book, children will delight in learning the basic moves of chess – the most popular and challenging strategy game of all. All the rules of chess are clearly explained, step by step, assuming no prior knowledge.

The lessons are reinforced by the inventive tales that George is told by his pet alligator Kirsty, self-proclaimed Grand Alligator of chess. Chess is recognized in many countries as a useful tool for developing creative thinking in children.

Although chess can be regarded as a rather complex and mysterious game, the rules themselves are straightforward. It doesn’t take long to learn how the pieces move, and even children as young as five can enjoy exciting games.

They will also thoroughly enjoy outwitting friends and relatives! Murray Chandler gained the chess Grandmaster title by winning events in New York and Amsterdam. During 28 years as a professional player, he has taken part in over 150 international tournaments, in 32 different countries.

His previous books include the best-selling How to Beat Your Dad at Chess and Chess Tactics for Kids. Dr Helen Milligan is a World Chess Federation woman master, and a former British Ladies Champion.

She has represented Scotland in ten Chess Olympiads, and New Zealand in two.

This is a chess book for everyone, from eight to eighty, beginner to master. In a clear, easy-to-follow format it explains how the best way to beat a stronger opponent (be it a friend, clubmate – or Dad!) is by cleverly forcing checkmate.

Delightful and instructive positions from real games are used to show the 50 Deadly Checkmates that chess masters use to win their games. – For the beginner, simply learning the checkmating ideas and enjoying the examples will help develop the tactical skills needed to carry out attacks, combinations and sacrifices.

– For the advanced player, many of these checkmating ideas will come as a revelation, having never been categorized before. Experts agree that pattern-recognition is vital to success in chess, and this book provides a wealth of valuable patterns.

– How to Beat Your Dad at Chess makes improving easy and fun, and is full of helpful explanations and practical advice on how to approach chess games with confidence – and success. – Grandmaster Murray Chandler finished second in the World Cadet Championship in 1976, ahead of Garry Kasparov, whom he defeated in their individual game.

He remains to this day one of the few players in the world with a 100% score against Kasparov. He was a key member of the England team that won the silver medals in Chess Olympiads three times during the 1980s, and went on to captain the team in 1994.

He is a former proprietor and Editor-in-Chief of the British Chess Magazine and the author of several bestselling chess books.

STORY TIME cHESS s a new and innovative way to teach chess to children as young as 3, created by chess at Three, an amazing early education chess company that has taught and tutored thousands of students over the years.

Through fun and engaging stories and characters, chess at Three has developed an amazing way to engage kids and bring the benefits of chess to children who may be too young to learn traditional chess.

STORY TIME cHESS makes learning the game of chess fun, through beautifully illustrated stories teaching them the strategies and moves of the entire board of chess pieces. Each character has a unique story and purpose, like King chomper or Queen Bella.

Your child will be guided along through their story and understand the hows and whys of the moves of chess. Each chess piece has a beautifully drawn character, so they can take what they learn in the story and apply it to the game itself.

There are also over 30 mini games included, covering all of the characters and teaching them in a fun and engaging way even more things about the game of chess. The board is also dual-sided, and the STORY TIME cHESS character pieces can slide out of the traditional pieces, allowing regulation game play as your child grows.

STORY TIME cHESS is the most unique and innovative way to teach the wonderful game of chess to young children. The benefits are incalculable and children everywhere will discover a fun new activity and game they may have never been interested in before.

A one-of-a-kind masterclass in chess from the greatest player of all time. Learn how to play chess the Bobby Fischer way with the fastest, most efficient, most enjoyable method ever devised. Whether you’re just learning the game or looking for more complex strategies, these practice problems and exercises will help you master the art of the checkmate.

This book teaches through a programmed learning method: It asks you a question. If you give the right answer, it goes on to the next question. If you give the wrong answer, it explains why the answer is wrong and asks you to go back and try again.

Thanks to the book’s unique formatting, you will work through the exercises on the right-hand side, with the correct answer hidden on the next page. The left-hand pages are intentionally printed upside-down; after reaching the last page, simply turn the book upside-down and work your way back.

When you finish, not only will you be a much better chess player, you may even be able to beat Bobby Fischer at his own game!.

Illustrated Chess for Children was originally published in 1970. Now renamed, updated, newly illustrated, and presented with a custom-designed chess board and full set of chess pieces, the kids’ book of chess and chess set introduces kids to the game that’s inspired passion and challenge for over 900 years.

Fantasy art captures the energy and excitement of chess’s origins-the medieval battlefield-while a direct, lively text explains the game and its pieces in light of history. Readers are led through the fundamentals of beginning, middle, and end game, and shown winning strategies for offense and defense.

Suitable for ages 8-12. 792,000 copies in print.

Meet King Shakey, who’s afraid of bees, trees, and even his own knees–which is why he moves so cautiously, one square at a time. Characters, stories, activities, and imagery help kids as young as 3 learn the moves, tactics, and language of chess.

This delightful, creative approach to the game of kings has been used in schools and endorsed by chess masters and homeschooling parents alike. Once they’ve worked through the basics, choose the expansion kit to level up your child’s knowledge.

This second storybook contains nine more strategy filled tales featuring new friends like the Cranky Princess and Casanova the Dragon. Grown-ups need no prior chess experience to help kids learn with these materials, so it’s fun for everyone.

Made in China.

Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.