“I believe that chess possesses a magic that is also a help in advanced age. A rheumatic knee is forgotten during a game of chess and other events can seem quite unimportant in comparison with a catastrophe on the chessboard.” -Vlastimil Hort
RIP – Vlastimil Hort passed away May 12, 2025.

Vlastimil Hort is a Czechoslovak-born German chess Grandmaster. During the 1960s and 1970s he was one of the world’s strongest players and reached the 1977–78 Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship.
He was born January 12, 1944 in Kladno, Czech Republic, and he died in his home on May 12, 2025 in Eitorf, Germany.

Goodbye, Vlastimil Hort!
The World’s Best Selling Scholastic Chess Workbooks!
177,685 of John’s workbooks sold!
Beginner’s Book – Chess Rules For Students

“Knights Battle”
Chess Rules For Students is a workbook for students learning the game of chess and for beginning students returning to the game. No previous knowledge of chess is necessary. Parents unfamiliar with chess will find this booklet a valuable guide to their child’s new interest.
Chess Rules For Students is designed with students, coaches, and parents in mind. Reading level is appropriate for grade-school use. All major rules of chess are covered, and algebraic notation worksheets are included. Each page is in easy-to-use worksheet format.
A student-friendly Answer Key makes self-correction fun!
Beginners & Intermediate Book – Checkmate! Ideas For Students

“Knight Checkmates King!”
Checkmate! Ideas For Students is a workbook for beginning and intermediate students. Checkmate! covers the tactics used in checkmate attacks with clear explanations, diagrams and arrows to pinpoint the key features.
Unlike many other basic checkmate books, Checkmate! categorizes the checkmates by the tactics used to force the checkmate–like Pins, Sacrifices, Removing the Guard, Attraction, Clearance and Attacking Flight Squares–rather than only the checkmate pattern itself.
The worksheets and Answer Key are clear and simple for the student to use, and easy for the parent, teacher and coach to correct! Fun!
Intermediate & Advanced Book – Chess Tactics For Students









