Hi,

I've got to the stage of my chess playing where I'm looking to improve my game by reading books on the subject. I've bought a couple already but, before I go out and by anymore, I'm after recommendations on books which people felt really helped improve their game.

 

My game's quite eratic at moment, my openings are all over the place, my end game could do with improving and as for the midgame well, that only just gets me by.

 

So if've read any books that really helped you, please pass them on.

 

Doc

Author Bruce Pandolfini has a number of books that are simple to follow and themed to parts of the game (e.g. Endgame course, Opening traps and zaps, etc.).  However, you cite inconsistency as part of the problem.  Books will not necessarily help with this.  Calculate moves.  This postal chess thing is really good for allowing complex calculations and letting you write them down.

 

A couple of other things you might consider are: Play fewer games at a time.  Make yourself spend five, ten even fifteen minutes per move before allowing yourself to make a move.

HAHA, 15 mins a move, I spent 8-9 hours yesterday on two pawn moves :)- Understanding Chess Move by Move, John Nunn. Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces, Igor Stahl. John Watson has a couple strategy books out. All these are by Gambit. Irving Chernov, Chess move by move is classic. Pawn Power in Chess by Hans Kmoch is another classic. Yasser Seriwan and Jeremy Silman both have book series out. You can google both, search the books here, go to e-bay, or Amazon!

Thanks Guys,

I've done a bit of searching and so far this one's top of my list.

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logical-Chess-Move-Batsford-Book/dp/0713484640/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200850647&sr=1-13

It's got great ratings and I think it's just what I need at the moment, a book that explains each move as it's played.

That one is a classic

i read The Amateur's Mind by Jeremy Silman