List of books

Can anyone suggest a list of books that are actually accessible to an intermediate player. I mean a list that includes everything from tactics to strategy to endgames and such. It would be greatly useful. Once again, books that are actually accessible and do not require much work.

I don't know of any books that will help that don't require much work.  The best are usually those which contain test material or workbooks such those by Silman or Yusupov.

i mean books like 'simple chess' by michael stean or some endgame books  generally books that are simple and elegant rather than books geared for 2000 FIDE etc..

All Chess books require work and time to master and learn material your learning skimming through them or reading them in bits and parts is a waste of time and money.

No spoon feeding hard work is what makes you a better player!

i meant books that are easy to track and are actually enjoyable and less tedious. chess can be learned only if it is fun.

I strongly recommend Eric Schiller's The Encyclopedia of Chess Wisdom.

Judgement and Planning by Euwe is for the intermediate player. Amazon is a great place to read some reviews. Study the classics Lasker, Alekhine, etc... to give yourself an all-over-the-board-feeling.

John Nunn about Euwe's books say that they are too old and modern chess is less linked to general principles and more linked to current requirements of the position. In his midgame book, for example, he talk about queenside pawn majority: Euwe wrote that queenside pawn majority is a decisive advantage, Nunn instead object that, without other positional advantages, it's difficult to win. He often repeats the difference between modern and old chess masters.

@ProfBlunderer

Have you read the foreword by John Nunn in the new algebraic edition of Judgement and Planning?

Oh so you want a fun book eh. I gotta say that Think like a Grandmaster by

Alexander Kotov is both simple and very fun.

That's a good classic as well.

The Tao of Chess by Peter Kurzdorfer

@pdve What do you mean by "much work?" You can put as much or as little work into a chess book as you want to. Check out these recommendations and for more info look up customer reviews of any book you're considering at amazon. Silman, Euwe, Soltis, Seirawan and Polgar are a few "brand name" authors you should check out. Avoid anything by GM Keene or Eric Schiller - just to be on the safe side.

PS: GM Kotov (Think/Play/Train Like A GM) is not "simple" his books require "much work" because he expects you to do your own analysis first instead of having everything spoon-fed to the reader. I don't recommend him for anyone rated under 1800 here - at the very least.

http://www.chess.com/blog/NimzoRoy/endgame-books?_domain=old_blog_host&_parent=old_frontend_blog_view

http://www.chess.com/blog/NimzoRoy/beginner-chess-book-recommendations

https://home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/General_Book_Guide.htm

1. Capablanca's Chess Fundamentals - it has endgames, combinations, elements of positional play, opening priciples..., a good start
2. 1000 Checkmate Combinations - the title says all
3. The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games - in order to increase your passion for chess

I000 Checkmate Combinations by Fred Reinfeld, Victor Khenkin or GM Nunn? Reinfelds book is OK esp at about $6 for a used copy; Nunns book is about $17 (new) & is probably worth it if you want a book written by a world-class GM with a very good reputation. I never heard of Khenkin, so I can't recommend him (or say anything bad about him either)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=1000%20checkmates&sprefix

the reinfeld book is especially great. i want to read more like that one.

also, i liked pandolfini's endgame course and also chernev's practical endgames

i have basically come to the conclusion that struggling with difficult chess books is not really the best way to go about things. it causes both frustration and waste of time.

i want to read books that i can actually grasp.

It has nothing to do with chess but 'Monsieur Linh and his Child' by Philippe Claudel is a lovely book. You'll be surprised. Sorry, but I couldn't resist when I saw the title.

mmmokay? 

The link is to the Khenkin's book. Anyway, it seems that Khenkin is not much more than just the editor and one of the reviewers on amazon.com writes that the book is more or less a sort of reprint of "Tal's Winning Combinations". There is indeed a preface by Tal, but in any case it feels that the real authors of the book are the authors of the combinations themselves; the book itself is just a (great) collection of puzzles organized by the piece that delivers the checkmate.