Book Recommendations for the Aspiring Chess Player
As an expert who's been playing chess all his life, I have been asked "How do I get good at chess?" more times than I can count.
Besides my standard response of drilling tactics or puzzles on chess.com, I have a dozen or so chess books that all aspiring chess masters (or at least those who are looking to improve!) should read.
Here's the list of books I've accumulated over the years, read and learned, and highly recommend. I'll add ones that I have heard highly about, and plan to buy/read myself in the future.
I'll list the ISBN and link the book to its Amazon page (no affiliate), so you can check them out!
Books for Beginning Players (Ratings < 1399)
- A First Book of Morphy - by Frisco Del Rosario
- ISBN10: 1412039061
- https://www.amazon.com/First-Book-Morphy-Frisco-Rosario/dp/1412039061/
- Chess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way - by Susan Polgar, Paul Truong
- ISBN10: 9780812936711
- https://www.amazon.com/Chess-Tactics-Champions-step-step/dp/081293671X/
- Silman's Complete Endgame Course
- ISBN10: 1890085103
- https://www.amazon.com/Silmans-Complete-Endgame-Course-Beginner/dp/1890085103
- *This book starts out at the most basic endgames for Beginners (Unrated - 999), and then levels up by class all the way to Master (2200-2399), so this book would be in the other book sections on this blog post too.
Plans for Intermediate Players (Ratings 1400-1799)
- How to Reassess Your Chess: Chess Mastery Through Chess Imbalances - IM Jeremy Silman
- ISBN10: 1890085138
- https://www.amazon.com/How-Reassess-Your-Chess-Imbalances/dp/1890085138/
- The Reassess Your Chess Workbook
- ISBN10: 1890085057
- https://www.amazon.com/Reassess-Your-Chess-Workbook/dp/1890085057
- The Amateur's Mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions Into Chess Mastery - by IM Jeremy Silman
- ISBN10: 9781890085025
- https://www.amazon.com/Amateurs-Mind-Turning-Misconceptions-Mastery/dp/1890085022/
- ISBN10: 9781890085025
- Combination Challenge - by Lou Hays and USCF Senior Master John Hall (2520)
- ISBN10: 188067386X
- https://www.amazon.com/Combination-Challenge-Lou-Hays/dp/188067386X/
- Endgame Challenge - by USCF Senior Master John Hall (2520);
- ISBN: 1880673983
- https://www.amazon.com/Endgame-Challenge-John-Hall/dp/1880673983/
Books for Advanced Players (Ratings 1800-1999)
- Tactical Chess Training - by GM Leonid Shamkovich, Jan R. Cartier
- Art of Attack in Chess - by Vladimir Vukovic
Master-Path Books (Ratings 2000-2199)
- Modern Chess Openings, 15th Edition - by GM Nick De Firmian, 3-Time US Chess Champion
- Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual - by Mark Dvoretsky (Author), Vladimir Kramnik (Foreword), Karsten Muller (Contributor)
So that concludes the list of physical books I've bought over the years to help improve my chess. I will be adding more as I continue on my path to becoming a master, but for now, just these dozen or so books are a great foundation to start from.
Personally, I am old school when it comes to learning chess, as I love books, but Chess.com has a variety of wonderful resources for learning chess and you may never need to touch a chess book! There are puzzles, lessons, videos, opening explorers, and even an official study plan directory!
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-Art
