The Life-Changing Magic of Chess: A Beginner's Guide with Grandmaster Maurice Ashley

Ages 6 to 10, Grades 1 to 5

The Life-Changing Magic of Chess isa beginner’s guide to the strategy game for children, with secrets from Grandmaster Maurice Ashley.

Discover why the world’s first Black Grandmaster Maurice Ashley thinks that chess is one of the best skills in life. Follow him on a journey from Jamaica to New York to the world stage where he has taught thousands of young people the life philosophies of the game.

Part biography, part skills and fully oozing with passion, this book offers: A child-friendly, joy-filled introduction to the game of chess Step-by-step illustrations of basic and advanced chess skills Tips and motivation from the first Black Grandmaster, Maurice Ashley Learn about the chess board and pieces, sequences such as Scholar’s Mate, and skills like castling. With fun-filled, engaging illustrations from Denis Angelov, and in the inspirational words of Maurice Ashley, this is the perfect book to inspire a child to find their life’s passion.

Life-Changing Magic Series

The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding by Sky Brown and illustrator Shaw Davidson

The Life-Changing Magic of Chess by Maurice Ashley and illustrator Denis Angelov

The Life-Changing Magic of Baking by Joy Wilson

The Life-Changing Magic of Druming by Nandi Bushnell

About the Author

Maurice Ashley lives his passion. Through his love for chess, he not only made history as the first Black Grandmaster in the annals of the game but he has managed to translate his love to others as a three-time national championship coach, author, ESPN commentator and motivational speaker. The Life-Changing Magic of Chess is his first book for children. Denis Angelov is a children’s book illustrator who lives in Sofia, Bulgaria. He loves mixing all sorts of media in his work, including gouache, oil pastels, colored pencils, watercolors, and more. If it’s within arm’s reach while he’s drawing, it will most likely end up in the final illustration in some way! Denis also works with lots of wonky shapes and skewed perspectives to add charm and character.