Exactly one week after LubbockOnline announced that Texas would include chess in UIL (University Interscholastic League) competition, the three volumes of Chess Camp books arrived in my mailbox. More than 1200 checkmate-in-one problems are included in volumes 2 and 3, beginning with simple mates such as king and queen against king and progressing to checkmates that arise out of common openings. Since the UIL chess competition for younger children will consist of  solving checkmates-in-one, volumes 2 and 3 will help them train for UIL.

Therefore, I recommend buying volumes 2 and 3. Because volume 1 is for absolute beginners, it should have included the rules of chess at the front and a glossary in the back. Also for volume one, the directions for how to solve problems should be improved. For example, one page says "Should White take (will Black take the white rook in reply?)" The answer is "no" to the first half of that question, and "yes" to the second half! All three volumes are attractively designed, with each diagram showing a position of interest to a beginning chess player. The algebraic notation on the borders of each diagram is especially helpful for beginners, since the answer key is also in algebraic notation. Chess Camp books are written by Igor Sukhin and published by, and available from, Mongoose Press.