I have recently set up a chess club at my high school, and am teaching my fellow members how to improve their chess. There is only one problem: I am a beginner (my rating is only 1058)! When showing them examples in chess books and chess life, I am not always able to show why the move listed is the best move. The members of my club, meanwhile, keep telling me that the book move is the best move, but I cannot say why.
How can I convince my club to rely on materials from proven sources, instead of assuming that my answer is always the right one?
in the previous post, I wrote that “the book move is the best move.” What I meant was that they think my move is the best move; I am having difficulty convincing them that I am not the be all, end all, source of good chess.
Perhaps you can go through analyzing some games and use those annotations to use as reasons for best moves. The goal is to get ideas out, not just a “best move”, since there wouldn’t be a point in just being one move ahead.
If you all are such beginners, I’d pick out some easier books! You’ll find the “best” move will be more obvious to all of you. Start with some books of simpler tactical chess problems, then move on to analyzing games.
Also, some books of game analysis are better than others about following the different lines off of a given position, and why some are better than others.
As the teacher, you may want to work through your chess problems first on your own, before teaching them to the rest of the group. It’s hard to answer questions on the spot when you’re new to teaching chess.
Easy – just start losing 60% of your games to your members. 
Bill Smythe
If the book doesn’t explain why the move is better, then it’s either not a very good book, or it’s just over your head. Just knowing the best move is of absolutley no use at all, knowing why it’s the best move is essential.
If the problem is just that the book is too advanced for your level, you may find help in running through the game/position with a chess program in “infinite analysis” mode. If you come accross a move you think is better, try it out and use the computer’s suggested move for the next few moves. If the score doesn’t change that much, then your alternate move probably wan’t that inferior.