This is an excellent book for players of the game at all levels. The first 2 chapters alone are worth the price of the book. These concentrate on the basis of all pawn operations from not only a practical but also a tactical standpoint. From there you learn the effects that the pawn structure can have on your minor pieces and rooks in detail with wonderful examples from masters games such as Alekhine and Capablanca. Then comes the unexpected when you learn how to use such tactics as "sweeping and sealing" & "the center fork trick". This book leaves no stone unturned and can only have a positive effects on the games of players at all levels.

The standard line that you hear about this book is that it is excellent despite it's odd jargon. This book is aimed at a player who is already familiar with more basic ideas in chess such as tactics. I have talked with one person who was rated 1800 and his rating jumped to over 2000 almost overnight after reading this book.

Here's the truth about this book. This book will give you a firm grasp of how to play the pawns in chess, and it will give you ideas about what your plan should be based on the pawn structure. The bad reviews that other people have given this book is because they weren't serious about digging into this book and finding the treasures that are in this book. Having said that, that is the main drawback of this book. It is a little bit advanced. If you are a beginner you would be MUCH better off buying a book about tactics and doing tactical problems.

The other knock on this book is that Kmoch invents some of his own names for variuos themes (such as calling doubled pawns 'twins') which was a little bit annoying to me, but it isn't too bad once you get used to it.

Overall this is a very good book. It's not an easy read, but if you are past the basics in chess, but not yet a master, and you seriously want to improve your chess, then get this book, sit down, dig through the material, and STUDY this book. If you study this book and really understand what it's saying about pawn play, it will improve your game dramatically. I know exactly how some of the other posters here feel, because I felt that way the first time I read this book. I felt that this book was a waste of my time, but then I asked another strong chess player what he thought about it, and he said this book helped his chess game more than any other, so I sat down and made myself read it and understand it, and sure enough, he was right.

So bottom line, this is a good book, but it's not really fun to read. If you want to read a chess book for enjoyment, read Searching for Bobby Fischer. If you are serious about improving your game and you are willing to do a little hard work, then this book is for you.

Also, Soltis's book, Pawn Structure Chess, covers much of the same material, but it classifies typical plans based on pawn structures, and you will get a lot more out of that book if you read this one first.

"The pawn is the soul of chess." - Philidor, over 200 years ago. One learns about duos, the ram, chains, levers, fork tricks, pawn structure and more. The structure of pawns actually dictate the placement of all other pieces. Quite a lot of power for the little foot soldier, as pawns are often called. Master players win many games because of weak pawn play by the opponent. This would be on my list of the first 5 books one should study

The diagrams are bad although after a few games
i did get used to them, and the annotations! they are just
terrible! but i guess you get what you pay for. although
usually [these] books are a bargain, i am questioning whether
this is!! its just too bad that the only other books on
akiba cost [more],so if you want to learn about a great
masters moves you really need to go elsewhere.
unless youre rated around 1500 and above and you dont mind doing
youre own notes. ( I did give the book 3 stars only because
of akiba's games)

This a Dover reprint. Usually, Dover does not make changes to the format of its reprints, but this one needed it, and badly. The diagrams are small and old-fashioned and the moves are in descriptive notation. This usually does not bother me. Though I cannot tell you why, it bothers me here. As to content, Hans Kmoch's annotations are a bit skimpy in places. He assumes a knowledge level beyond a beginner's so be warned. The games are vintage Rubinstein: crystal clear strategical plans, superb middlegames and faultless endings. Should you wish for a book on this Polish genius and you have deep pockets look for the volumes by John Donaldson. If on a budget this present book will suffice.

If you want to study one of the greatest players who ever lived, this is the best book to do it from. Period.