Volker Schleputz and Grandmaster John Emms offer a unique framework to study chess tactics. The reader assumes the role of a tactics detective, checking for mistakes and missed opportunities in games. This training method resembles the real board situation far more realistically than traditional chess puzzles.

Experts agree that regularly solving tactical exercises is a vital component of chess training. However, it's also widely acknowledged that there is one major drawback to traditional chess puzzles - students know for sure that there is a genuine tactic in the position waiting to be found, whereas during a real game there is no such guarantee! In this workbook, Volker Schlepütz and Grandmaster John Emms offer a unique framework to practise chess tactics independent of themes, difficulty and - most crucially - even the definite existence of an actual tactic in a given position. Analysing carefully selected games, from beginner through to club and tournament level, the reader assumes the role of a tactics detective, searching for mistakes and missed opportunities by both sides without the help of a chess engine. This training method resembles actual over-the-board play far more realistically than solving traditional puzzles, because on each move you won't know whether or not a tactical possibility really exists - you have to work it out, just as you would in a real game! The same thinking processes practised during the training can then be easily applied in your games.