In this first volume of "Crucial Chess Skills for the Club Player", attention is given to three essential elements of practical play. These three aspects aren't closely related to each other, but together form the key to improvement for any ambitious chess player. In the first three chapters, Ris explores the most essential positions for rook endgames, offering practical advice along the way. He offers ways to sharpen tactical vision in chapters four to six. In particular, he seeks to cultivate an ability to sense opportunities to strike. The final part, chapters seven to nine, he examines positional play in such a way that the student's overall understanding of the game is deepened. The result is that Ris offers a course to help chess students master all facets of the game!