Like life, chess has its rules. The difference that your parents probably didn't tell you about chess.

• Never cross the street before looking both ways.
• Never discuss portable explosives in the airport security line.
• Never overthrow the cut-off man.
• Never download email from someone you don't know.
• Never take the queen's knight pawn.

Save hours of head-scratching and uncertainty in your own games and understand why the masters make the moves they do:

• The worst square for a White knight is b.2.
• With rook vs. two knights, exchanging queens is worth a pawn.
• Never capture the b.2 pawn with the queen.
• Rooks united on the seventh are blind pigs.
• The winner is the one who commits the next-to-last mistake.

Backed up with diagrams and illustrations to help you remember key principles, a glossary of essential chess terms and a rundown on all major openings, Chess Rules of Thumb will improve your chess play. And it's great fun to read!

• Never buy a chess book that isn't fun!