Personally, I never took to Vukovic's The Art of Attack. I know that nearly all strong players recommend this book, but I don't. Mainly because the book is too wordy and not enough examples for my liking. I need to be drilled with lots of examples to get something...it seems to work for my students as well.
For attacking chess I prefer Znosko-Borovsky's The Art of Chess Combination, and Kotov's chapter on attacks in The Art of the Middlegame, which I re-read about a week ago, having last read that book in about 1997. I appreciate that chapter much more now. Also, Euwe's chapters in Judgment and Planning in Chess, "Weakening the King's Side" and "Attack on the King's Field," are really instructive.
Speaking of Euwe, in my opinion he is maybe the greatest chess author ever. I just love how he uses few words, but his writing is so clear and to the point, and his examples are brilliantly chosen. I recently started looking at his Middlegame books, but that will take me some time to go through.
His A Guide to Chess Endings is a bit dull, but a FANTASTIC book on "basic" endgames.
Znosko-Borovsky's The Art of Chess Combinations was one of my first chess books (and a little bit over my head then). His emphasis on the geometric idea behind certain motifs is, in hindsight, an interesting one as it explains well not only how certain tactics work, but how and when to look for them. Other authors I've read since haven't explained the motifs as well, and that's even allowing for the (by today's standard) awkward english of the translated text.
I also liked his book on "How Not to Play Chess," as well as Euwe's Chess Master versus Chess Amateur. Both were good authors, and less dogmatic than some of their contemporaries (like Tarrasch).
Personally, I never took to Vukovic's The Art of Attack. I know that nearly all strong players recommend this book, but I don't. Mainly because the book is too wordy and not enough examples for my liking. I need to be drilled with lots of examples to get something...it seems to work for my students as well.
For attacking chess I prefer Znosko-Borovsky's The Art of Chess Combination, and Kotov's chapter on attacks in The Art of the Middlegame, which I re-read about a week ago, having last read that book in about 1997. I appreciate that chapter much more now. Also, Euwe's chapters in Judgment and Planning in Chess, "Weakening the King's Side" and "Attack on the King's Field," are really instructive.
Speaking of Euwe, in my opinion he is maybe the greatest chess author ever. I just love how he uses few words, but his writing is so clear and to the point, and his examples are brilliantly chosen. I recently started looking at his Middlegame books, but that will take me some time to go through.
His A Guide to Chess Endings is a bit dull, but a FANTASTIC book on "basic" endgames.