I've noticed a topic recently for the top 5 chess books a player should own. It was mentioned it was mostly aimed towards players 1400+. I play usually between 1200-1400 depending how much time i take and concentrate. My question is what books are best for a player within this range. My long term goal is 1500. I'm looking for books not heavy in notation and more focused on theory. I'm strong in the open but very poor in the end game and i play very defensively. Any suggestions? Thanks

1200-1400 fide? 1200-1400 chess.com? 1200-1400 WHERE? It is like saying (from france, but in english) the temparature is in the 40s [coldish if 40F, roasting if 40C ].

If you're talking 1200-1400 OTB rating I would say:

Ludek Pachman's "Modern Chess Strategy"

Chernev's "Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played" followed by

McDonald's "The Art of Logical Chess Thinking"

Silman's "Complete Endgame Course"

and Modern Chess Openings 15

If you're talking 1200-1400 chess.com range I would suggest

Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move"

Heisman's "Everyone's Second Chess Book"

Silman's "Complete Endgame Course" (Do chapters 1 and 2)

Vagabond69, I took a look at some of your games (losses - they're the most instructive for figuring out what you need to work on). I'd recommend you start with these:

http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+books/play-winning-chess2

http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+books/winning-chess-tactics

http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+books/winning-chess-strategies2

I have 1300-1400 on chess.com, never played in a tournament, so i don't know my on the board rating.

the book you suggestfor 1200-1400 at chess.com are easyer than the ones you suggest for OTB?

I have some book like "My system" and "how to reasses your chess" do you think they could be usefull, or simply they won't fit my needs because they are for strionger player?

from ericmitten's post, looks like he is NOT talking about 1200-1400 fide OTB. Canadian-Chess-Federation ratings??? uscf???

A good tactics book might give you more confidence to keep your pieces moving forward.  Chess by Lazslo Polgar is good for 1200-1400 wherever.

For sure tactics are the most important thing, but I personally don't like books for tactics.

Yes my suggestions for a chess.com rating are easier than my suggestions for an OTB rating because chess.com ratings are extremely inflated.

I am talking about any OTB rating, though not FIDE as they start at 1600 and you can't get a FIDE rating at local tournaments. So any USCF/CFC/ECL/whatever rating will do.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions

As a player firmly entrenced in the range (1200-1400) you describe I can tell you that Jeremy Silman's "The Amateur's Mind" has given me much to think on and work with. Plus, his writing I find accessible and fun; it feels almost like a private tutoring session. Definetly worth a look... Just my .02 :)

Good Luck!

Lots of usefull suggestions! Do not forget your local library! There are lots of excellent books for advanced beginners and improving players more or less containing the same stuff. You need to be lucky to find a book you like to read/use/study. It often boils down to personal preferences on how you like books to be written. hence, it is very nice to borrow a book from the library to better see if you like the presentation.

I especially like ericmitten's thorough suggestions.

Very astute of lanceuppercut_239 to review the games of the original forum topic  poster.

When I started OTB play (several decades ago ), I started with about a 1225 rating.

A book that made a huge difference in strategical planning was Euwe's "Judgement and Planning".

A book the helped my tactics was Chernev's and Reinfeld's "Winning Chess - How to See Three Moves Ahead". Chernev and Reinfeld are not known to have produced great educational chess books, but I liked how in this book they broke down the nuts & bolts on tactics.

Unfortunately for some, these books are apparently not in print (see www.abe.com for a very good used book site), and except for a reprint of the former book, may be in descriptive.

First chess book I ever read was from our blessed public library system: Logical Chess: Move by Move - Irving Chernev.  Another good read in your range.

get a few book of lots of tactics problems - preferably graded.

Until master-level it is tactics, tactics, tactics - okay 95% of it.