Chess Books Every Collector or Player Should have in their Collection

Please post your recommended books. My first entry to this thread is the classic book, "Alexander Alekhine's Chess Games, 1902-1946" with 807 pages by Leonard M. Skinner and Robert G.P. Verjhoeven, McFarland & Comapny, 1998. This hardback book contains 2543 of Akehine's known games, many of which are annotated in great detail. Aslo contains his complete career record with crosstables and match results. A must have chess book for the serious collector and tournamnet player. I've seen this book offered on various sites in the $100 to $150 range. The book can also be ordered direct from the publisher, McFarland.

That's a fantastic book. It was so much in demand after it ran out of the first printing I believe McFarland went ahead not long ago and did another run in cloth which is highly unusual, as far as I know that is the first chess book they have done this for. Their MO is usually release it in PB after the HC is dwindling.

If I am not mistaken when it first came out back in 1998 I got mine for about $60 in cloth and retail was about $69.95 bit I might be off by a few bucks. The McFarland books for chess at least seem to hold their value among chess book collectors and even appreciate.  

Mike, do you know for a fact that McFarland had a second printing or is the book just old stock they are offering?

Here's two of Averbakh's books - one on tactics, and one on basic endings:

And just for fun, here's something purely for entertainment:

GNM I am just guessing. If it is old stock they must have discovered it years after they ran out of the book. For a while when it was OOP in the HC and no more available this book was going for $150 to $200.  I got mine when it first came out probably from Chessco(Thinkers Press aka Bob Long) for a discount which he always offered even for McFarland books.

If it is old stock is the only printing of this book 1998 or does it show an update?  

Anyways I can't say enough about the Alekhine book by McFarland as it is so well put together and all high quality materials for the book to last a long long time in great shape. Now maybe we can convince them to do the Verna Menchik book in a HC.  They still have a few months to decide. I didn't realize she was only 38 when she passed away. Back then 38 was young for an International Player like herself as she was born in 1906. Who knows how many more great chess players she could have beaten and now she gets her own book so the world can see she was one of those great players herself. All you can do is email McFarland which I did and ask them to at least make a small run of HC books along with the PB edition. Here is the email from the person who responded to me from McFarland   APhillips@mcfarlandpub.com

I guess we have to ask McFarland

As I was glancing at my unorganized book cases I came across this one. I have it in the original edition from Australia as well as the latest from Thinkers Press. I do beleive Bob Long has bought the rights to publish anything of Cecil Purdy's from the family. 

There were so many books including My 60 Memorable Games in various editions from the Faber & Faber of London to Simon & Shuster both HC & PB in the USA but I am sure it will be posted soon. I thought I would share this Purdy book as some may not be familair with it. Purdy was one of Fischer's favorite authors and he didn't have too many at that. 

The book by the way if you can find it is marvelously done even as a PB with high quality paper as well as easy to read with large diagrams and large enough fony for us old folks. 

Thanks for diversion from Sunday chores, Mike. The groceries and grass can wait for this vital activity. Here are a few oldies and classics. Whenever I want a quick handle on an opening and don't want to go online, Horowitz is my man.

Fischer on Fischer and Wade on Fischer...

Botvinnik on Botvinnik and Tal on Tal...

Here is the original 1982 cover printed in DN at Melbourne, Austrailia.  All the photos in the beginning of the book are in high glossy paper. The book is nicely done but of course the updated editions are easier to read (larger fonts & diagrams) and are in AN.  Just in case anyone was interest Bob Long was working on a update to this book which was suppose to be released later this year. After his car accident 3 weeks ago I think that will be postponed but I am not ceratin of anything. He was going to add an extra chaper in the update.  It is possible it may never take place and the picture I posted may be the last edition, but again I guess it depends on how his recovery goes. Send him your best wishes please  info@chessbutler.com

A few more Soviets of note...

Lasker, Reti, and Euwe...

A couple Chernev classics...

And no collection is complete without a few treatises by and about Uncle Roberto...

Uncle Roberto?

Thanks Mike for pointing out the upcoming McFarland book on Vera Menchik. I will certainly get this book when it comes out. Agreed, it would be nice in a hardback edition