Learn Chess the Right Way | Book 3 | Susan Polgar

The Polgar Way to Better Chess! Learn Chess the Right Way is a five-volume chess puzzle series designed for novice, beginner, and intermediate players. Developed using the unique teaching methods of award-winning and former world champion Susan Polgar, the series introduces essential checkmating patterns, material-winning tactics, and defensive techniques through structured, practical training. Each volume contains 500 carefully selected puzzles to strengthen understanding and improve practical play.

Book 3 focuses on 500 must-know defensive techniques. Each chapter begins with introductory examples and explanations to guide players on what to look for in the puzzles that follow, helping develop strong defensive awareness and resilience over the board.

In Chapter 1, the task is to move an attacked piece to safety, with only one correct solution in each position. Chapter 2 presents positions where a king is in check, challenging players to find the correct defensive response. In Chapter 3, an attacked piece has no safe square, requiring players to defend it using another piece instead.

Chapter 4 explores defensive ideas against direct checkmate threats, while Chapter 5 introduces defence through counter-attack. Chapters 6 and 7 teach game-saving techniques such as drawing by stalemate or perpetual check. Chapter 8 focuses on stopping a pawn that is about to promote, and Chapter 9 trains players to prevent pieces from becoming trapped. The final chapter provides mixed defensive exercises aimed at avoiding or minimising material loss and preventing checkmate.

About the Author

Susan Polgar, a Hungarian-American Chess Grandmaster, has enjoyed an illustrious career highlighted by four Women’s World Championship titles and becoming the first player to achieve the chess triple crown (Blitz, Rapid, and Classical). At age 15, she became the world’s top-ranked female player and remained in the top three for nearly 25 years.

In 1991, she broke historic barriers by becoming the first woman to earn the Grandmaster title through traditional FIDE qualification requirements. A five-time Women’s Olympiad Champion, she has won ten Olympiad medals, including five gold medals. In 2014, she received the Furman Symeon Medal as the world’s best trainer.

Beyond competitive play, Susan is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and head of the SPICE program at Webster University. She also leads the Susan Polgar Foundation, promoting chess education worldwide, especially for girls. Her university teams have won four consecutive national collegiate championships, and her training curriculum is used in more than 80 countries. She continues to , provide commentary at major events, and author best-selling chess books, including A World Champion’s Guide to Chess and Chess Tactics for Champions.

Other Details

• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 166
• Dimensions: 25cm x 18cm x 1cm
• ISBN-13: 978-1941270439