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

by **Maurice Ashley** (Author), **Denis Angelov** (Illustrator)

**Experience _The Life-Changing Magic of Chess_, a beginner's guide with secrets from Grandmaster Maurice Ashley!**

  
After making history as the chess world's first Black Grandmaster, Maurice Ashley went on to become a three-time national championship coach and commentator. Now he's sharing his passion for chess with YOU!

Discover more about Maurice's story as he recounts his journey from Jamaica to New York to the world stage where he has ranked among the best in the game. Then find your own chess magic as he shows you basic skills like how each piece moves and how to make a start.

When you're ready, follow along with Maurice's step-by-step instructions for

-   Capturing
-   Checkmates
-   Castling
-   Sacrificing
-   ...and more!

  
Fun-filled, graphic-novel inspired illustrations from Denis Angelov bring Maurice's tips to life. It's the perfect beginner's guide to chess for kids.

​  
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 Bakin_g by Joy Wilson and illustrator Tatiana Kamshilina  
_The Life-Changing Magic of Druming_ by Nandi Bushnell and illustrator Andrea Stegmaier

### Author Biography

**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.

**Number of Pages:** 40

**Dimensions:** 0.4 x 9.4 x 7.4 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** April 02, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 14.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 14.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

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

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> Updated: 2026-07-21