In an ideal world, any chess player would improve their game with help from a coach. If that's not possible, having chess champion coach Thomas Engqvist's book next to the chess set is the next best thing. In a series of lessons, he guides players through the most important elements of chess to master. He also looks at the psychology behind chess, how to marry knowledge with imagination, and how to stay motivated.

Suitable for adults as well as older children, the lessons will steer players in the right direction to avoid wasting time on chess learning that is inefficient. Following the important great players, starting with the Italian school and Philidor and finishing with Carlsen and AlphaZero, the chess lessons draw from their most important discoveries, theories, and ideas. These are distilled into useful lessons that include the main focus: how to practice chess.