The book is a teaching and training work that includes 35 lessons on topics such as the King's Gambit, center control, position evaluation, goal-oriented planning, and the fundamental principles of endgames. Additionally, it offers an insight into the history of chess from its beginnings to the 1980s. This work is ideal for self-study by intermediate-level players, but it is also suitable as a textbook for advanced chess instruction. Alexander Kostjew was for a long time the head of the chess school at the Moscow Palace of Pioneers and can thus be regarded as a qualified expert when it comes to providing insights into the workings of the legendary Soviet chess school. It does not reveal any secret recipes for success, as there were none, but rather an effective and targeted approach.