Chess Books to100% Electronic & Games Clickable

The problem with 95% of the chess books, both paper and on e-books is that the authors write them with tons of move sequences that require the reader/student to use a separate aid or prop of a chess set, computer or cellphone with chess program. What we need is an all inclusive electronic book that clicks the games or sets of moves, similar to the articles one finds on Chess.com.  I don't know if the chess masters and grandmasters have gotten this second decade 21st Century suggestion from people.

Another problem is that most instruction in books is inductive, i.e., taught via huge numbers of games or sequences and conclusions drawn from them rather than the reverse deductive style of lecture on principles only after which are some exemplary games, etc. I would call this the correct horse before the cart way of teaching.

I think there are some formats that do include a feature like that. I've never used them but I recall seeing things like that in the past.

Ramon, I'll look for e+Books app. Thank you for the suggestion.

It is so easy with ChessBase or an interactive eBook to move the pieces into position and not stop along the way.  This presents a danger of just seeing the position in front of you and not visualizing future positions.  As Dan Heisman reveals in this YouTube video, there are three types of vision: 1) board vision, 2) visualization, and 3) tactical vision, and each must be honed.

Your assumption regarding learning methods is incorrect.  Though there are some instructors who grew up in the age of chess databases who think human beings are mere repositories of positions without guidelines, a presumption of radical "rule independence," there are others who belong to the tried and true method of "rule-based" principles first, then examples to reinforces those principles.

Interestingly, both methods are necessary to become an accomplished player.  In other words, you have to know the rules or principles first, then experience will be a guide for the more advanced player on when and how to break the rules.

First and foremost, lower-rated players must learn principles.  The following books meet that need.

Tactics

The Art of Checkmate

Learn Chess Tactics

Improve Your Chess Tactics: 700 Practical Lessons & Exercises

Endgame

Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge

Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner to Master

Strategy (basic to more complex)

Logical Chess: Move by Move

The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played

50 Essential Chess Lessons

Modern Chess Strategy (Note: the one by Luděk Pachman and in Descriptive Notation only, though I like Edward Lasker's book too, but it's older and not as advanced)

Opening

Discovering Chess Openings

Understanding the Chess Openings

That was a really constructive response to my forum comment and request for help.  You put a lot of time into your writing and I'm very grateful. I will heed your advice and try some of those books. You're very wise and correct about the vision of future positions. I guess using a small magnetic chess set or using my cell phone and a chess program to enter the moves laid out in books is a necessary way to go.

Thank you for "setting me straight" and very very constructively and patiently.

Please don't get me wrong, bromoseltzer, you don't have to enter the games into your cellphone by hand or use your travel set exclusively, you just want to stop every once in awhile and study critical positions.  You're probably asking, "What are critical positions?"  They are positions in which concrete analysis predominates and general principles (i.e. non-analytical positions) take a temporary back seat.  These are usually tactical in nature and feature a series of exchanges.

Regarding the books I recommended, you can often find the PGNs on line.  For example, the PGN for Chernev's Logical Chess is found here, and the PGN for Chernev's more advanced Most Instructive Games can be downloaded here.  Naturally, these PGNs are just the game score; they do not include variations or the text of the book.

In my searches I ran across the website BeginChess, which looks like it could also be quite instructive.  It has its own list of book, some corresponding to mine.

Lastly, you can't go wrong with Dan Heisman's Novice Nook columns, which are pure gold.  They were initially written for the website ChessCafe, which is now subscription only.  However, old columns before January 2013 can be accessed here.  I suggest downloading the ZIP file of all the columns for a particular year beginning with February-December 2001 and ending with February-December 2012.  For you to get a taste of the columns, I have directly linked three PDFs below.

• The Two Types of Counting Problems
• Critical and Principal Variations
• The Three "Times" for Checks, Captures, and Threats

Just remember, chess is a game you can learn in half an hour and spend a lifetime practicing.  But also remember the old Asian Indian saying, "Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe."

Best regards,
Bob