I’ve just finished a few books aimed at beginner to intermediate chess play. I’ve been searching around and am completely overwhelmed by the number of “greatest chess book ever written by grandmaster so-and-so” titles available.
I understand basic chess concepts. The sorts of things you would probably find in any beginner’s book. I’m looking for a book that will take it to the next level without confusing me or creating a debilitating focus on a single aspect of the game.
Any recommendations?
The Improving Chess Thinker by Dan Heisman.
We could give a better answer if we know what your rating is (server rating would be ok).
Also if you can tell us which books you have already read.
Based on the question in some of your prevous posts, I suspect you are ready to read Logical Chess Move by Move by Irving Chernev.
And you can never study too much tactics. Get a book with lots of tactical problems to solve, and go through it several times to burn the patterns into your memory.
Servers where I’ve played more than 50 or so games I have a rating in the 1500-1600 range. I’ve read Pandolfini’s Ultimate Guide to Chess and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess recently. I’ve read other books in the past, but was too long ago to matter. I have two phone apps that I work tactics on.
As far as my assessment of my own play, I’ve recently noticed that I nearly always enter the middlegame one or two pawns behind, sometimes even a minor piece. I seem to play the middle and end games well enough to catch up and win more often than I lose, but I know it’s just as much weakness in my opponents play as it is any strength I bring to the board.
I’m not sure what other information might be relevant to the question.
As always, thank you for your time. It’s amazing to be part of a community of people who go out of their way to help strengthen their own competitors. I think that proves that chess really is an art.
For tactics, I would suggest the following for a player in your rating range:
- The Complete Chess Workout, by Richard Palliser - Hundreds of practical puzzles
- How to Become a Deadly Chess Tactician, by David LeMoir - Helps to expand your imagination
Personally, I enjoyed reading Irving Chernev’s “The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played” more than more academic books on particular topics in chess. Each game is an example of one or more major chess concepts. Likewise, going through “Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings”, also by Chernev, was more interesting than wading through a book like “Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual.”
Have you looked at John Watson’s “Mastering the Opening”? The first volume has an extensive introduction on what you should be striving for at the beginning of the game. If you are not sure what you want to play but yet want more than variations as an explanation, then pick up one the “Starting Out…” books on a particular opening. As your rating gets higher and you get more involved in an opening you can get the more specialized books, DVDs, or splurge on Chessbase. It all depends on how deeply you want to study.
These few books can keep you busy for a year or so as you digest what you learn and put it into practice. Given the level of people you are playing, studying tactics, planning, and how to win so-called “won” games will do you more good than focusing heavily on the openings.
Some of his thoughts about chess books can be found at
home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Eve … _Guide.htm
chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf
chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf
I’m currently reading Réti’s Masters of the Chessboard: it’s great for beginners and masters, and a good book to read before tackling My System.
Chernev’s The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played (already recommended above) is another great choice for intermediate & below (but available in descriptive only).
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0043eu.htm
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chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
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chesscafe.com/text/review621.pdf
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chesscafe.com/text/review336.pdf
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0037dv.htm
chess.co.uk/twic/jwatson8.html
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jeremysilman.com/book_review … arpov.html
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chesscafe.com/text/hansen99.pdf
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chesscafe.com/text/hansen127.pdf
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jeremysilman.com/book_review … nnium.html
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chesscafe.com/text/review600.pdf
I have never read it, but I wonder if Discovering Chess Openings by John Emms
uscfsales.com/product_p/swb0159em.htm
chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
would be a good place to go for a first taste of greater opening knowledge. Some other possibilities (also not read by me) are:
Winning Chess Openings by Yasser Seirawan
seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginn … &AUTID=126
uscfsales.com/product_p/swb0194em.htm
FCO: Fundamental Chess Openings by Paul Van Der Sterren
chesscafe.com/text/hansen128.pdf
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0142gb.htm
Back to Basics : Openings by Carsten Hansen
thechessmind.net/blog/2010/1 … nings.html
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0038re.htm
Chess Openings for Kids by John Watson and Graham Burgess
chesscafe.com/text/hansen146.pdf
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0164gb.htm
Improve Your Opening Play by Chris Ward
chesscafe.com/text/improveop.txt
uscfsales.com/product_p/swb0214em.htm
It has been awhile since I have read a chess book, but I still have fond memories of one book that I read for my first general introduction to chess openings:
How to Win at Chess, Volume I by I. A. Horowitz
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0121is.htm
and another that I read for my first general introduction to chess strategy:
How NOT to Play Chess by Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0026dv.htm
I have not finished it, but, from what I have read, I think this book is helpful:
Simple Chess by Michael Stean
chesscafe.com/text/review326.pdf
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0003dv.htm
The Starting Out series included a few books on subjects other than openings:
Starting Out: Attacking Play James Plaskett
chesscafe.com/text/review467.pdf
uscfsales.com/product_p/b0005em.htm
Starting Out: Defensive Play by Angus Dunnington
chessville.com/reviews/Start … vePlay.htm
uscfsales.com/product_p/swb0010em.htm
If one is worried about being confused, I think the shorter books are a good place to start. For more Dan Heisman advice, one can turn to:
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Heisman
chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
uscfsales.com/product_p/swb0315em.htm
It is pretty dated now, but I once made a compilation of chess book suggestions.
groups.google.com/group/rec.game … d24caa5445
This was my favorite comment:
“Remember, if you like books–like reading them and owning them–there’s no such thing as ‘one chess book.’ … as you acquire one or two and read them through–even if you don’t–you’ll find yourself drawn to the chess section every time you walk into Walden’s or Barnes and Noble or Borders. If you leaf through the books and compare their contents to what you need, you’ll soon find yourself dedicating a shelf or two of your bookcase to chess books. You’ll want to have all of Sierawan’s books (as soon as they’re back in print). You’ll yearn to complete your collection of Alburt’s series. You’ll start haunting used book shops for old copies of Fischer’s ‘My 60 Memorable Games.’ Your hair will gradually grow unkempt, and a distracted wild look will creep into your eyes. If you’re separated from your books for too long, your hands will begin to twitch and you’ll start plotting knight moves across the checkered tablecloth at the Italian restaurant where you’re supposed to be wooing your wife / girlfriend. You’ve entered a perilous zone … ‘Chessbibliomania’ is not a condition to be easily dismissed, and research has shown it isn’t curable. Maybe you’ll be better off just buying a gin rummy program for your computer and avoiding this chess book madness altogether. 
Happy reading!!”
groups.google.com/group/rec.game … f5ddec3c33
See cavemanchess.com/Study_Materials.htm
Ignore #1 in the list.
I’m a big believer in classics, and the theory espoused in Reti’s Modern Ideas in Chess and Euwe’s Development of Chess Style.
You can study Morphy, Steinitz, Lasker, Capa, Alekhine in order and learn alot. I think studying Karpov’s My Best Games is good - because he talks about thinking about positions.
Anyway, check the list; feel free to ask questions.
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chesscafe.com/text/review564.pdf
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chess.co.uk/twic/jwatsonbkrev81.html
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