I thought it would be interesting to know who on chess.com has the largest personal chess library. I know it wont be me , I have between 250-300 books on chess. Are you the one with the largest library here ?
I know it wont be me , I have between 250-300 books on chess.
Are you being sarcastic here or do people actually own more books than you? The only way you can own this many books is to just purchase the sea of opening books people make in their sheds over a weekend. Then again, I suppose it depends how many languages you can speak...
I own no books at this moment in time. However, after Christmas, and my January birthday, I shall own all of five books- My System, Winning Chess Strategy, Winning Chess Tactics, Winning Chess Endgames, and Jeremy Silman's Complete Endgame Course.
Not the biggest collection, which was the point of this thread, I believe, but a collection which (I hope!) covers everything I need to know.
It won't be me either, I have about 50 chess books (although I do have access to the Hasting's Chess Club library.... a couple of thousand volumes.... some very old, and some valuable enough to be locked away).
Nytik: That's a substantial library Reb has but I'm sure there's more than a few who have more. I know two people, albeit not on this site, who have way more than that. Personally I "only" have about 70-80 but I also have hundreds of magazines such as the british ones Chess and British Chess magazines. It's not a question of what one needs in terms of learning, most i just read for entertainment, games collections, biographies, and tournament reports etc.
Only 50-60 or so books for me, but I remember one person on this site living in CA had an immense library they donated to a chess club...
I believe in quality over quality. I read my books several times before purchasing anything new. I think I own about 10 books.
I have more books than I have time to read.
I wish I had time for some of the books on my shelf such as Kasparov's "Great Predecessor" books and Zurich 1953. Who has time to read when it takes hours to play one game!
Nytik> Not the biggest collection, which was the point of this thread, I believe, but a collection which (I hope!) covers everything I need to know.
An excellent beginning--should occupy you for awhile. I suspect you'll add tactics books or opening books (general or specific) before crossing 1800 FIDE. All in good time.
Some nice pics of member collections
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/list-your-chess-books?page=2
I'm afraid my collection is comparatively small, but its quality not quantity! 30 great books are better then 200 cheaply produced,badly written, typo riddled books which seem to infest a lage majority of chess litereture!
An excellent beginning--should occupy you for awhile. I suspect you'll add either tactics books or opening books (general or specific) before crossing 1800 FIDE.
That is the general idea, I chose these books to cover the broad spectrum of chess- tactics, strategy, openings, endgames, and My System thrown in because it's apparently practically essential . And I notice this is what your blog is based on.
I then plan to go in-depth on one or two openings- I hope to have a strong reply to both 1. e4 and 1. d4 as black and then I was thinking the English opening also. But anyway, sorry for interrupting your thread Reb.
Here is my collection: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/farbror&tag=Chess
Doesn't look like you read that post several times before hitting submit (quality over quality?). Sorry couldn't resist...
I have been collecting chess books for 35 years and dont even have 300 , so an average of less than 10 books a year isnt really so many. If you have just one or 2 books on all the world champions and if you bought the informants as they came out , a few books on great tournaments, world championship matches etc, they add up very fast ! I know there are people with private chess libraries with ver 1000 books in them. I am just curious who has the largest chess library on chess.com ? I was not being sarcastic, lots of people have larger libraries than I do. Yes, I do have a lot of opening books as well. I have 9 or 10 on the sicilian alone. On my recent trip to the Olympiad I added 3 new books to my collection, all 3 were highly recommended.
I want your autograph! I have promised myself several times to read one (1!) for every three I buy! No success.
I currently have 86, only read about 30, some are just reference, some are soely instructional, some are stories- I enjoy book collecting and whatever subject I am interested in at the time I end up purchasing some quantity depending on my interest and the availability of books for that particular subject.
Reb i have 60 books, im getting some more for xmas :-)
heres my thread on this subject :-)
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/list-your-chess-books
I counted up my chess book collection today and I've got around 800 including Informants and New In Chess Yearbooks. Also, countless magazines I've subscribed to over the years. My favourite books are player biographies and best games collections, tournaments (old and more recent) and quality books on match play. I tend to go for quality over quantity now especially hard cover books that will last even though they tend to be more expensive. Also, books on chess history interest me, it's great reading about the greats of the past.
I've devoted a whole room for my collection and very quickly running out of space, but that won't stop me from buying more though! I'm a chess book junkie, I guess I just love reading about chess.
Amazon is a favourite site of mine for chess book purchases as they always have the latest and hard to find older books at a great price. Their postage charges are reasonable too. You also have the option of saving some money and buying second hand.
All these books may not be turning me into a champion but I get a lot of enjoyment out of reading them.
Here's mine:
Opening Books A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire –SummerscaleThe Chess Advantage in Black & White- KaufmanWinning with the Najdorf –KingComplete Defense to Queen Pawn Openings SchillerWinning with the Schliemann –TseitlinDutch Defense: New and Forgotten Ideas-Minev, DonaldsonComplete Defense to 1.Pk4(A study of the Petroff’s Defense) –HooperComplete Defense to King Pawn Openings: Caro-Kann –SchillerThe Ruy Lopez: Winning Chess with 1. PK4 –BardenThe Benoni –hartstonThe Modern Defence –Keene, BotterillThe King’s Indian Defense-Barden,Hartston, KeeneThe Siclian Defense Book1 –Gligoric, V. SokolovThe Siclian Dragon –LevyThe Sicilian Sozin – Kottnauer, Botterill, HardingIdeas behind the Chess openings-FineCaro-Kann Defence- SuetinThe Classical Caro-Kann-Kasparov, ShakarovThe Gruenfeld Defence-HartstonThe Dynamic Caro-Kann –SilmanThe Meran System –PedersenThe Slav Defense –SadlerThe Ultimate King’s Indian Attack –DunningtonStarting out: Benoni Systems –Raetsky,ChetverikWinning with the Gruenfeld –Adorjan, DoryThe Complete benoni –PsakhisAn Unbeatable White repertoire –Evans, SmithTrends: Benko Gambit –JacobsNunn’s Chess openings-Nunn,Burgess,Emms,GallagherThe Chigorin Queens Gambit –DunningtopnB12 Caro-Kann –SeirawanThe Sicilian Scheveningen –Kasparov,NikitinThe Grand Prix Attack –LaneThe Ruy Lopez Exchange –Panczyk, IlczukHow to play the Albin Counter Gambit- SchillerNew Ideas in the Four Knights –NunnMystery of Najdorf – Raicevic,Jukic,BotoChess Informant No. 1-22New In Chess No. 80Open Ruy Lopez C80-81 –KorchnoiChess openings traps and zaps –PandolfiniWinning with the closed Sicilian –LaneSurveys: 34 Opening Variations * The Complete Grunfeld- Suetin * The Contemporary Anti- Dutch –Martin * Winning with the Ruy Lopez Exchange- Soltis * Grob’s Attack – Bill Wall * The Sicilian Defence- Gufeld * French Defence, Tarrasch Variation C05-06 – Bareev * Open Ruy Lopez – Flear * The …a6 Slav –Flear * 101 Chess Opening Surprises –Burgess * The Scandanavian Defence-Plaskett * Starting out: 1.d4! –Cox * The Scandanavian –Emms * Winning with the Cole System –Smith ,Hall * How to open a chess game-Evans,Gligoric * French Defence: Steinitz, Classical & Other System –Psakhis * Chess Openings For Black Explained- ALburt,Dzindzichashvili * Chess Opening for White Explained –“ “ * Mastering the French –Harley,Mcdonald * Play 1.e4 e5!: A complete Repertoire for black in the open games-Davies * Winning with the Nimzoindian-Keene * The Complete King’s Indian –Keene, Jacobs * Practical Chess openings-Fine * Starting Out: Closed Sicilian –Pallisser * Play the Nimzo-Indian Defence-Gligoric * Sicilian Defence B86-87-Beliavsky ,Mikchalchishin * The Essential Center-Counter-Martin * Understanding the Chess openings:The Queen’s Indian –Soltis * The Nimzo-indian Rubinstein- Dunnington * Mastering the Spanish-King, Ponzetto * Queen’s Indian Defence –Efim Geller * Starting out: Modern Benoni-Vegh * Beating the Anti-King’s Indian: Gallagher * The Complete Pirc-Nunn * The New Classical King’s Indian-Nunn ,Burgess * The Open Spanish-Krasenkov * The HedgeHog-Suba * The Gambit-Yudovich * Starting out 1.e4: A Reliable Reportiore for the Improving Player –Mcdonald * The Trompowsky –Davies * How to play the English opening –Povah * Mastering the King’s Indian Defence-Bellin,Ponzetto * Mastering the Modern Benoni & Benko Gambit –Bellin, Ponzetto * Trends in the Advance French Vol. 2 –Wade * Understanding the Leningrad Dutch-Beim * Queen’s Gambit Accepted- Neishtadt * The Complete Sveshnikov Sicilian –Yakovich Strategy ,Tactics, Studies books Grandmaster Secrets: Endings –SoltisGranmaster Secrets : Openings –SoltisChess Fundamentals –Capablanca, de FirmianAnalyzing th end game –SpeelmanThe Middle game Book 1 –Euwe,KramerMy System –NimzovichTurning Advantage into victory in chess –SoltisWinning Chess Tournaments for juniors –SnyderThe Middle Game in chess –Fine200 Challenging Chess Puzzles –GreifCombinations The Heart of Chess-ChernevThe King Hunt –CozensDevelopment of a chessmaster-SchillerThe Final Countdown- Hajenius,van RiemsdijkPractical Knight Endings – MednisPractical Chess Endings: KeresChess Endings Essential Knwoledge – AverbakhThe Chess Sacrifice –Vukovic303 Tactical Chess Puzzles-Wilson,AlbertsonMaster The Game of Chess – SehgalWinning with chess Psychology –Benko, HochbergFrom Beginner to expert in 40 Lessons –KostyevTraining For the Tournamnet Player-Dvoretsky,YusupovHow to play good opening moves-Mednis,HochbergChess Catechism –EvansAlexander on Chess –AlexanderThe Art of Defense In Chess- SOltisThe Art of Positional Play –Reshevsky,Hochberg3 Steps To Chess Mastery –SuetinAttack & Defence in Modern Chess Tactics-PachmanThe Art of Chess –MASonEasy Endgame Stategies – RobertieThe 10 Common Chess Mistakes –EvansA World Champions Guide to Chess –Susan PolgarChess Tactics For Champions –Susan PolgarGuide to Good Chess – Purdy# Teach Yourself Visually Chess –Edwards*Complete Chess Strategy 1 -3 –Pachman*Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur-Euwe, MeidenMaster Class Typical Mistakes –McdonaldMastering Chess Tactics –McdonaldThe Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess –WolfComprehensive Chess Endings 1 -5 – Averbakh,Maizelis,Kopaev,ChekoverChess For Beginners –HorowitzChess Board Magic –ChernevPlanning in Chess- FleschChess for Fun & Chess for blood- Ed LaskerChess Endings Made Simple –SnapeWining Chess –Chernev, ReinfeldInside the Chess Mind-AagaardSecrets of Rooks Endings-NunnUnderstanding Chess Move by move –NunnImprove Your Chess now- TisdallNew Ideas In Chess –EvansWinning Chess Tactics For Juniors –HaysChess Endings For the practical playerSchool of Chess Excellence VOl. 1 to 4 –DvoretskySecrets of Chess Training –DvoretskyAttack and Defense- Yusupov, DvoretskyThe Middle Game book 2 –Euwe,KramerPlay Like a GM –KotovThink Like a Gm –KotovTrain Like a GM –KotovThe Soviet School of Chess- Kotov, YudovichA Contemporary Approach to the Middlegame –SuetinPlan Like a GM –SuetinUnderstanding the Sacrifice-DunningtonChess Endgame training –RosenPandolfinis’ Endgame Course –PandolfiniHow to use Computers to Improve Your Chess –KongstedUnderstanding Pawn play in chess –MarovichThe Art of Chess Combination- Znosko-BorovskyThe Soviet Chess Conveyor-ShereshevskyThe Art of planning in chess-McdonaldDefence and Counterattack- FlorianWhy You lose at chess –hardingHow to calculate chess tactics-BeimThe Art of Attack in chess –VukovicThe brilliant touch in chess –KornWinning Chess Tactics –Seirawan,Silman Biographical BooksLasker's greatest games - Fine and ReinfeldThe Unkown Capablanca-HooperdtChess At the top 1979 to 1984 –KarpovBeyond the 13th Move –TorreGary Kasparov’s Fighting Chess-Kasparov,Speelman,WadeMy Best Games of Chess 1935-1957-SmyslovReshevsky’s Best games of chess- ReshevskyJon Speelman’s Best Games of Chess – SpeelmanDevlopment of a GM –AdamsMorphy’s Game of Chess –SergeantCapablanca's Laste lecturesThe Chess Games of Adolph ANderssen –Burnett,PickardJohn Nunn’s Best Games –NunnChess Praxis –NimzovichNimzovich –The Hypermodern –ReinfeldGrandmaster Achievement –PolugaevskyMikhail Tal’s Best Games of Chess –ClarkeThe Closed Openings in action –KarpovThe Development of A Chess Style –Euwe,NunnMy Life and Games –Kramnik,DamskyMy 300 Best Games –KarpovThe Games of Anatoly Karpov –O’conel,AdamsMy Best games of chess VOl 1 1908 -1923 –Alekhine100 Instructive games of Alekhine –ReinfeldCJS Purdy;s Fine art of Annotation Vol. 1 to 3 –PurdyMy 60 Memorable Games –FischerLearn from Bobby Fischer’s Games –SchillerHow to beat Bobby Fischer –MednisBobby Fischer: from genius to legend –GufeldProfile of A Prodigy –BradyHow Fischer Plays Chess- LevyBobby Fischer and His approach to chess-AgurThe Immortal Games of Capablanca –ReinfeldThe Art of Sacrifice in chess –Rudolph SpielmanBotinnik’s 100 Selected Games 1926-1946 –BotvinnikKasparov’s VOl. 1-6 –Chess AsiaTigran Petrosian: His life and Games –VasilievSpassky’s 100 Best Games –CaffertyThe Games of Robert James Fischer – O’ConnellKasparov’s Chess Openings-Borik#Achieving the aim –BotvinnikInterview with a GM –SummerscaleMy best Games 1978 –KarpovA Memorial to Steinitz –DevideThe Test of Time –KasparovMy 50 Years of Chess- MarshallFire on Board: Shirov’s Best Games – ShirovWhy Lasker Matters-SOltisThe Blockade-NimzovichWilliam Steinitz:Selected Chess Games –Devide,HooperMy Chess Career-CapablancaAnatoly Karpov: His road to the world championship –BotvinnikThe Life and Games of Mikhail Tal- Tal, Nunn,ChandlerGary Kasparov:His career in chess-YudovichTigran Petrosian : Master of Defense 1946 to 1963 –ClarkeAron Nimzovitch: Master of planning –KeeneChess is my Life : KorchnoiKarpov -Korchnoi Match 1978 -R. Keene Chess Matches,Tournaments,CollectionsBest of Chess 1988 – 1995 Games of Worlds top ten –Chess AsiaWorld Championship Chess 1990 Cycle-Chess asia“ ‘ ‘ 1993 Cycle –Chess asiaFischer vs Spassky 5Million Comback –Davies,Pein,Levitt“ “ “ The Chess Match of the Century –GligoricBest Chess Games 1970 -1980 –SpeelmanThe GM’s Mind –AvniThe Golden treasury of Chess- Horowitz1992 Fischer –Spassky 10:5 – MatanovichKorchnoi_karpov match 1978-KeeneMoscow Marathon 1984/1985 World Chess Ch. –Speelman,TisdallWorld Champion from Ruy Lopez to Fischer –Santos,Ramirez,Valdez5 Crowns: The Complte Karpov- Kasparov Duel –Seirawan,TisdalWorld Chess Championship 1995:Kasparov vs. ANand: KingThe World Chess Championship 1948-1969 –Glogoric,WadeGreat Chess Victories and Defeats –Byrne500 Master games of Chess- TartakoverZurich Int’l Chess Tournament 1953 –BronsteinThe book of the Nottingham Int’l Chess Tournamnet –AlekhineThe 1974 Canidates Semi-finals –Santos, Ramirez, MendezThe Leningrad Interzonal 1973 –Torre,De CastroInterzonal Chess Biel 1993 –Chess AsiaInterzonal Chess Manila 1990 –Chess ASiasWorld Chess Olpympiade 1988,1990,1992,1996 –Chess AsiaVarious Tournament books from 1988 to 1997 ( Iceland, Spain, Belgium, France,)# Chess Match between Steinitz and Blackburne –SteinitzFolkstone 1933 Int’l Team Chess Tournament –KashdanTrophy Chess: Lessing Rosenwald Tournament -1954 -1955 –EvansThe World Chess Crown Challenge:Kasparov –Karpov Seville 1987 –Bronstien2nd Intl’ Chess Tournamnte Moscow 1935 –KrylenkoSoviet Union vs World 1970 –Petrosian,MatanovichMammoth Book of Greatest Chess Games –Nunn, Emms, burgess Chess MagazinesChess AsiaVOl 14 #1VOl 17# 3Vol 16 # 2VOl 17 # 4Vol 17 # 2Vol 14 # 2Vol 8 # 2Vol 7 # 4VOl 9 # 2Vol 7 # 3Vol 8 # 4Vol 11 #2Vol 10 # 4VOl 12 # 3Vol 11 # 1Vol 9 # 1Vol 3 # 4Vol 4 # 2 Inside ChessVol 7 # 13Vol 5 # 7VOl 6 # 24Vol 10 # 10Vol 7 # 10 Chess LifeJuly 2005July 2006Aug 2005May 2005
Got some 180+ more at the attic(unless the mites got them) and some i already traded and sold.:)
I think I have close to 200 chess books, which comprise perhaps 10% of my home library. I have long regretted diminishing my chess library by half when I had a dozen texts and was playing little chess. I traded them at a used bookstore for a fat public policy text from the Kennedy administration.
Two of the tournament books I lost in that exchange are out of print, and were among the best tournaments in the early 1970s.
Wow! Guess some one had plenty of time to write that! Ummm.......get a life!
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