Edwin van Haastert

The Real Paul Morphy - ECF Book of the Year 2025

The Real Paul Morphy is ECF Book of the Year 2025

We are proud of all of our books, but the ones that win an award are always special! It is with great pleasure we can say that The Real Paul Morphy by Charles Hertan has been selected as Book of the Year 2025 by the English Chess Federation. There were four books on the 2025 shortlist, three of which are from the New In Chess group. The jury, consisting of Ray Edwards, Jovanka Houska, and Sean Marsh, described the book as 'A worthy tribute to a player often described as ‘The pride and sorrow of chess.' and mentioned, 'The book is beautifully produced, with many excellent photographs.' The jury report starts with: 'In today’s hectic chess world, it is easy to forget that the game we play now is built on foundations established many years ago. A biography of a player — perhaps the most talented who ever lived — who influenced chess enormously is this year’s Book of the Year.' 'Charles Hertan writes well and clearly. As a professional psychotherapist, he is well qualified to consider the175

Ulf - the attacker! on Power Play Chess

Ulf - the Attacker! on PowerPlayChess

On his YouTube channel PowerPlayChess, Grandmaster Daniel King shares his expertise and passion for chess. He recently interviewed one of our authors - IM Thomas Engqvist from Sweden - and looked at a few games from his latest book, Ulf - the attacker! The complete interview, which is over an hour long, can be watched on Power Play Chess. In the shorter clip, Daniel and Thomas examine a specific game, which demonstrates that Ulf Andersson was more than a positional genius, possessing a crystal-clear style.

Simul by New In Chess author and editor for the 100-year Anniversary of Chess Club Wassenaar

Simul by New In Chess author and editor

As a company located in the Netherlands, we have the habit of sponsoring some local events with books and magazines. Frank Erwich is a FIDE Master and an experienced chess trainer from the Netherlands. He holds a Master’s degree in Psychology. Frank is a book editor for New In Chess and has published the best-sellers: 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players and 1001 Chess Exercises for Advanced Club Players. More recently, he published 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know and an accompanying workbook. On July 5, Chess Club Wassenaar celebrated their 100-year jubilee. As this was Frank’s first club, he was asked to give a simultaneous display as part of the celebration. There was only room for 30 players, but players who finished early were replaced by people who were anxiously waiting to get a chance to participate. In the end, Frand played against 35 opponents, all of them getting a small prize sponsored by New In Chess. On the club’s website, you can find more photos and an extensive report175

Join us at the New In Chess Group!

Join us at the New In Chess Group!

** The application period is closed for now ** We are seeking a Courses Editor to convert books from the New In Chess Group into Chessable Courses. About the Role:We’re looking for a detail-oriented Courses Editor to help bring Quality Chess, New In Chess, Popular Chess, and Everyman Chess publications to life inside Chessable’s MoveTrainer. You'll be a bridge between the New In Group and Chessable, and be responsible for converting course files to ensure they are correctly structured and of high quality. You’ll also work with the community to beta test new courses, gather feedback, and help fine-tune the final release. Key Responsibilities: Import and format course content (e.g., PGNs, PDFs) into the MoveTrainer platform Review and edit course materials for accuracy, structure, formatting, content issues & user experience Run beta tests with community users to identify bugs, confusion points, or areas for improvement Track feedback and help implement final course updates before launch175

IM Kostya Kavutskiy

100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know now available on Chessable!

Numerous books have emerged on chess tactics, with many more to come. And that is hardly surprising, given the pivotal role tactics play in chess. Mastering and applying tactical twists often decide between victory and defeat. 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know offers a unique perspective. While presenting a diverse array of tactical themes, the book focuses not only on general positional features like undefended pieces or an exposed king but also on the specific arrangement of chess pieces, a crucial factor in executing successful tactics. Focusing on typical piece configurations allows you to evaluate and decide more quickly and efficiently in certain positions. In addition to this book, there is also The 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know Workbook. In this workbook, you can test the knowledge gained in this book with over 500 exercises. And now the book is also available on Chessable! IM Kostya Kavutskiy presents the course in over 15 hours of video explanations. Below175

2024 Chessable Awards

New In Chess group books and authors on Chessable

Of course, we are mainly into print ourselves. However, the content of our books is also available in various electronic formats. We have our Interactive eBook library at https://www.newinchess.com/booksdigital, and on Forwardchess.com, you can get all the eBooks of the New In Chess group. Some of our books are very well suited for a slightly different format, and that’s where Chessable comes in! On February 6th, Chessable announced the winners of the 2024 Chessable Awards. You can check all the winners in the 15 categories on their excellent blog, but here, I want to highlight a few related to the New In Chess group. Chessable Course of the Year – The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional PlayFrom the report: “The famous Woodpecker Method has long been regarded as one of the best ways to supercharge your tactical skills. But last year, GM Axel Smith published the sequel and it’s proving a great way to hone your strategic skills too.” You can check out the course or have a look at the book. Best175

FM Charles Hertan

Charles Hertan – the man behind The Real Paul Morphy

Paul Morphy might be one of the most interesting personalities in chess history. In his latest book, The Real Paul Morphy, award-winning author Charles Hertan brings you everything you need to know about Paul Morphy's life, chess, and legacy in a single volume. Of course, this does not go unnoticed, and Mark Capron, editor of The Chess Journalist, not only reviews the book but also has an extensive interview with Charles Hertan in the latest issue of the magazine. “The Chess Journalists of America was created to help promote and encourage chess writing and communication in its myriad forms. They encourage chess journalists and writers, editors and publishers, and creators and producers of digital media to exchange information and ideas for their mutual benefit.” (https://chessjournalism.org/) The review and the interview are excellent reads if you are curious and would like to know more about the unique book on one of the greatest players of all time or the man behind it. Below are some175

Books for the younger generation

Books for the younger generation

The New In Chess group works with various partners worldwide. Le Due Torri is one of the oldest bookstores in Europe and is also involved in organizing various prestigious events in Italy. This year, the FIDE World Cadets Championship (ages 8-12) was held 14 to 27 November in a beautiful seaside resort in Montesilvano. When we were asked to partner with the organization by providing prizes for the young participants, we did not think twice. What better way to get the younger generation interested in the fine art of printed books? All prize winners received a book as one of their prizes, and as can be seen in the picture below, they were proud to show it together with their trophy! I am sure we’ll see more of these players in the future. And, of course, we hope they learned a lot from the book they won.

Center Game thematic tournament in Amsterdam

GM Friso Nijboer wins Center Game thematic tournament in Amsterdam

New In Chess recently published a new book on the Center Game by Arne Moll. The author found an original way to launch his book by organizing a thematic tournament where playing the Center Game was mandatory.Below is a short report on this event, complete with pictures and a tactical game commented on by the author himself. On 17 November, Arne Moll’s new opening book, “The Center Game,” was launched with a blitz tournament in Amsterdam in which the moves 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 were mandatory. In café Eighty-Four, located in the eastern part of the city, prominent chess players of all ages from the Amsterdam area gathered to play a thematic tournament celebrating this ancient chess opening, characterized by White’s early queen sortie. The day started with a “crash course” in Center Game opening theory by the author himself. After that, a 3+2 blitz tournament was held in which everyone played two games, one with white and one with black, against the same opponent. As the book was for sale175

GM Daniel King

Perpetual Chess Improvement

On https://www.youtube.com/@PowerPlayChess, Grandmaster Daniel King shares his expertise and passion for chess. He recently interviewed one of our authors - Ben Johnon - and talked extensively about his latest book, Perpetual Chess Improvement. The complete interview, which is over an hour long, is a must-watch for all adult improvers. In the shorter clip, Daniel and Ben discuss topics like motivation, accepting risks and calculation. They will also be looking at some interesting positions.

GM Daniel King

A Vladimir Kramnik masterpiece

On https://www.youtube.com/@PowerPlayChess, Grandmaster Daniel King shares his expertise and passion for chess. He recently interviewed one of our authors - IM Thomas Willemze - and talked extensively about his latest book, World Chess Champion Strategy Training for Club Players. The complete interview, which is over an hour long, is a must-watch for all chess enthusiasts. Below, you can see Daniel and Thomas delving into a positional masterpiece by former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik, a discussion sure to pique your interest.  

Daniel King

Chess is hard - that's the conclusion

On https://www.youtube.com/@PowerPlayChess Grandmaster Daniel King shares his expertise and passion for the game of chess. He recently interviewed two of our authors and discussed the books they have written. The first live interview was on October 20 with David Howell on his book – Grind Like a Grandmaster. The interview can be watched in full on the YouTube channel. Below you can see a 14-minute version. In the first part, David sheds some light on the somewhat controversial title. In the second part, Daniel is being put on the spot by David when looking at a beautiful ending between Carlsen and Vachier-Lagrave. Curious what the connection is between the song T.N.T. by AC/DC and the book? Or just want to enjoy some beautiful chess? Then do have a look at this short version of check out the full interview.