Mastering Chess Defence

Mastering Chess Defence by Johan Hellsten is an English-language chess training book in paperback format, focused on one of the game’s most overlooked skills: defence. It is a structured manual for players who want to handle pressure better, meet attacks more confidently and reduce costly defensive mistakes.

What the book covers

Many players spend most of their study time on tactics, openings, endgames and calculation, while defence only becomes a priority once a position turns difficult. Hellsten treats defensive play as a core skill, not an afterthought, and shows how it supports both practical training and tournament play.

The book is organised as a learning programme that works on two levels: short-term defence, when you need to survive a direct attack, and long-term defence, when you have to hold out under sustained positional pressure.

Inside the book

The book contains 31 chapters covering a wide range of defensive themes. Among other things, it shows how to:

• sacrifice material at the right moment to meet a threat
• create counter-threats when active defence is the best response
• use last-resort defensive ideas to stay in the game
• judge the risks of grabbing material and recognise when greed leads to trouble
• find safe squares for the king
• look for saving resources in positions that seem lost at first glance

It is supported by hundreds of instructive examples and dozens of exercises, so it works both as a book to read and as a practical tool for self-study.

Why choose this title?

This is a focused chess book for players who want to improve their defensive technique and feel more confident in difficult positions. It will suit club players, ambitious amateurs and anyone who wants a clearer understanding of how to defend rather than relying on attack alone.

Johan Hellsten is also the author of Mastering Chess Strategy, Mastering Opening Strategy and Mastering Endgame Strategy.

Key details

• Product type: chess training book
• Title: Mastering Chess Defence
• Author: Johan Hellsten
• Language: English
• Format: paperback
• Page count: 440
• Chapter count: 31 chapters
• Training style: instructional workbook with examples and exercises