For the very first time in the English Language, this book offers the most detailed study of the opening-game of Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) ever seen. In these pages readers will be introduced to the five major categories of openings and every known variation -- some common, some very obscure and rarely played over the table. Heavily illustrated, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CHINESE CHESS OPENINGS is the best way to begin the long journey to Mastership of this wonderful and fascinating cousin of International Chess.

Learn the ancient and fascinating game of Chinese Chess with this expert guide. Chinese chess, or "elephant chess," has intrigued the powerful and the quizzical for centuries. Although its rules are similar to the well-known Western game, subtle and fascinating variations must be mastered in order to understand the strategies it requires. A great way to learn Chinese Chess, this book is simple enough for Chess beginners but contains a wealth of information and tips that experienced players will find useful as well. In Chinese Chess, author H.T. Lau explains the game's fundamentals--the rules, the board, and the basics with dozens of insightful diagrams. With the aid of 170 diagrams, Chinese Chess walks players through the board, the movement and values of the pieces, basic rules for capturing and defeating an opponent, techniques and game-winning tactics. Once he's covered the basics, Lau introduces advanced tactics, methods for escaping difficult positions, and cunning strategies for winning. This book includes eighty mid- and end-game exercises designed to sharpen playing skills and strategy and concludes with two appendices devoted to the elegantly constructed games found in The Secret Inside the Orange and The Plum-Blossom Meter, two classic seventeenth-century works on Chinese chess.

Take Your Game to the Next Level Are you interested in taking your chess skills to a completely new level, impressing your friends and opponents with your ability and chess knowledge? Perhaps you are new to the game of chess and have not played it before, but you are interested in trying it out and unsure of how to start a game successfully. Or maybe you have given the game of chess a try in the past, but you are aware that your knowledge on how to begin a game of chess is weak, and this lack of information will ultimately stop you from being able to improve your skills. The good news is that if any of these sound like you, then you have come to the right place, and your chess game is about to increase to all new heights! Chess Openings for Beginners offers you all of the information that you need and could want regarding the different openings that you have at your disposal in the game of chess, from the openings that occur on 1.e4 to the openings that occur on 1.d4, and many other opening variants for you to test out as a beginner player. You will be amazed at just how much useful information is crammed into this book that you can take and apply to your next chess match. Not only will this book give you a greater understanding of how to play each opening successfully, but it will also teach you what you can expect your opponents to do in response to your openings, giving you the best chance of going into the middlegame with an advantage. These are just a couple of the excellent things that you will be able to take from studying the content of this book. Don’t miss out on being able to take your chess opening skills to a whole new level! Inside Chess Openings for Beginners you will Discover: - A brief history into the origins of chess openings, along with the most important components that make up a good opening strategy. - The 2 openings that you should avoid at all costs. - The most famous openings from 1.e4, such as the Ruy Lopez, the Sicilian Defense, and the Italian Game. - The best openings for beginners from 1.e4, such as the Queen’s Gambit, the Slav Defense, and the Grunfeld Defense. - A detailed insight to surprise your opponent and win a game in 6 moves - And much more! Information on the importance of the psychology of chess and why this is so important in the opening of any chess match. Gone will be the days of going into chess games without a clear plan, only to realize you are about to lose too late. Purchase a copy of Chess Openings for Beginners today, and begin playing this historical game of skill and strategy, impressing your friends and opponents with your ability along the way!

The way players begin a game of chess often dictates the outcome, which explains why hundreds of websites, computer programs, and even a five-volume book collection called The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings are all devoted to categorizing the thousands of possible moves with which a chess game can be opened. But sorting through all that information is daunting, not to mention time-consuming, especially when literally thousands of opening move options are available. With all that information, how does the chess novice figure out the best openings and the most strategic way to execute them, both offensively and defensively? Right here! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess Openingsprovides all readers need to know to solidify their opening game and get on the road to victory. This book provides a step-by-step walk-through of 100 of the most effective opening moves. Each opening strategy is clearly and succinctly explained, with numerous illustrations that bolster the reader's understanding. Perfectly suited to the chess player who wants to take his or her game to the next level, this book is the next step on the road to becoming a grand master.

The ancient Chinese board game of Xiangqi, or Chinese Chess, has been played for over 1,000 years. However, few books have been published in the English language on the strategy of Chinese Chess. Now, this 367 page book demonstrates optimal strategies, verified by modern computer analysis. The book is heavily illustrated with pictographic chess board diagrams, similar to diagrams in international chess books. These picture pieces are easier to visualize than classical Xiangqi Chinese character piece labels. Excessive use of algebraic notation is avoided, making it easier to follow game annotations, and to evaluate positions. This Chinese chess book is an easier way for English speakers to learn this complex, baffling and counter-intuitive board game, that has a tactical language quite different from that of international chess. Various topics are covered: ● Xiangqi Rules ● Opening Game Theory ● Middle Game and End Game Tactics ● Beginning, Intermediate and Expert Strategies ● Fully Annotated Games with Play-by-play analysis ● Hundreds of Illustrations - An Actual Board is Not Needed to Follow Annotated games!