Three Moves Ahead shows how classic chess strategies address the #1 problem of Information Age executives: how to move quickly in the face of incalculable complexities and unexpected change. This witty and novel guide, written for non-players, is packed with scores of real-world examples showing how top CEOs use Grandmaster techniques to win on Wall Street. Readers will see how a "strong square" strategy drove Adobe’s rise from niche player to industry giant, as well as Western Union’s success through a hundred years of technology changes. They’ll learn how AOL has played a crucial "exchange sacrifice" to revive its fortunes, and how Google is taking turf from Microsoft with a "minority attack." Most importantly these days, they’ll find out "what to do when you don't know what to do," and avoid the fate of companies like Polaroid, Gateway, and our dearly departed Ma Bell.

"A fun ride from Apprentice to Business Grandmaster. Grab it!"—Donald Trump

Bob Rice (Short Hills, NJ) was a long-time partner at Wall Street's prestigious Milbank, Tweed, Hadley, and McCloy. He left to start a software venture that was purchased by Viewpoint, a NASDAQ company of which he later became CEO. He is currently a Managing Partner of Tangent Capital, which structures financial products for hedge funds, and a member of the "New York Angels" venture finance group. Along the way, Bob served as Commissioner of the Professional Chess Association, founded the Wall Street Chess Club, ran numerous international chess events and produced a successful "Speedchess" series for ESPN.

"In his thought-provoking, chess-themed book on business strategizing, Rice asserts that beginning and intermediate players tend to focus on which pieces are positioned to take or be taken, but when grandmasters examine the board they look at the squares. Rice makes fitting comparisons between chess pieces and actors in the corporate world. Lowest-level workers are compared to pawns, middle managers to knights, director-level executives to bishops and vice presidents to rooks. The central them of this book is that you have to have a plan, event if it's a bad one, to succeed in both chess and business. The idea is to adjust your plan as the game proceeds in response to the moves of the opposition."--McClatchy-Tribune News Service, April 26, 2008

Bob Rice was a longtime partner at Wall Street's prestigious Milbank, Tweed, Hadley, and McCloy. He left to start a software venture that was purchased by Viewpoint, a NASDAQ company of which he later became CEO. He is currently a managing partner of Tangent Capital, which structures financial products for hedge funds, and a member of the New York Angels venture finance group. Rice served as Commissioner of the Professional Chess Association, founded the Wall Street Chess Club, ran numerous international chess events, and produced a successful "Speedchess" series for ESPN.

Three Moves Ahead

In today's fast-moving Information Age, traditional business-planning tools are rapidly becoming obsolete. Yet the competitive, ever-changing marketplace demands that executives move quickly or risk becoming relics.

In Three Moves Ahead, business leader and chess expert Bob Rice offers an entertaining, practical response to this modern dilemma. He shows how the world's top executives use chess tactics to thrive in the face of incalculable complexities and unexpected change. Written for nonplayers, this witty, smart guide is filled with real-world examples of how to win the game of business by applying chess strategies honed from over 1,000 years of competition.

With incisive prose, Rice clearly shows how to use these principles to attack competitors, defend turf, and crack new markets. He demonstrates how a "Strong Square" strategy drove Adobe's rise from niche player to industry powerhouse, how Kodak is reviving its fortunes with an "Exchange Sacrifice," and how Google is creating holes in Microsoft's position with a "Minority Attack." Most importantly, Three Moves Ahead also shows how to "Stay Ahead On the Clock" and avoid the fate of companies like Polaroid, Gateway, and our dearly departed Ma Bell.

Insightful and clever, Three Moves Ahead shows how anyone can navigate strategically through the most disruptive period in business history.

People are Talking About Three Moves Ahead

"Three moves ahead? I'd say four, at least. An utterly fresh guide to winning in today's business environment."
—Jim Spanfeller, CEO, Forbes.com

"Every executive struggles with the pressure to think fast and think ahead. Bob's fascinating book shows how to apply chess principles to do just that. It's impossible to make the right move every time, but these strategies will help you succeed in the face of the unpredictable."
—Bruce Chizen, former CEO, Adobe Systems Incorporated

"This amazing book is the first time anyone has clearly translated Grandmaster ideas to real-world situations. The business examples are so good that I'm using them to teach chess!"
—Maurice Ashley, International Chess Grandmaster

"Rarely does one find a book where every page is filled with both brilliant insight and witty writing. Mandatory reading for every startup."
—David S. Rose, founder, New York Angels

"I don't play chess but it sure improved my 'game' at the office! The clever, clear examples show how to use dozens of classic strategies in everyday situations. This book can put any executive 'three moves ahead'!"
—Sarah Fay, CEO, Carat USA

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Distributor: John Wiley & Sons
Publication Date: 03-28-2008
Pages: 224
Measurements: 232.0mm X 160.0mm X 23.2mm X 14.016oz