Predator at the Chessboard, volumes I and II are good. I need to go all the way through them, because my tactics are terrible! I went through the section on forks, and I improved a lot in spotting forks...
In this two-book set, the author does a good job showing the tactic, how to look for setting up each tactic, and how to make the tactic happen.
I'm working through Susan Polgar's Chess Tactics for Champions and Dan Heisman's Back to Basics: Tactics right now. They're both pretty good.
I also have Polgar's father's monster sized book (Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games) but I just find it's so big and awkward to deal with. The two books above just fit better in my backpack.
The following list contains many good books devoted to tactics, written for the beginner-intermediate player audience...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond
While all of the books are worthy of recommendation, I particularly like the following two books, because of their excellent content, and that the puzzles are organized by tactical theme....
"Winning Chess: How to Perfect Your Attacking Play" by Irving Chernev & Fred Reinfeld...
note there are two editions currently available...the content should be the same in both...I have the Batsford edtion which I like, but I imagine either would do...
Batsford edition...
https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Chess-Perfect-Attacking-Batsford/dp/1849941106/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1482357092&sr=1-2&keywords=winning+chess
Simon and Schuster edition.....
https://www.amazon.com/WINNING-CHESS-Irving-Chernev/dp/1501117580/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1482357092&sr=1-1&keywords=winning+chess
"Chess Tactics" by Paul Littlewood...
https://www.amazon.com/Chess-Tactics-Batsford-Book/dp/0713489340/ref=sr_1_23?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1482357487&sr=1-23&keywords=chess+tactics
Chess Tactics for Champion by Polgar is a superb book. Arguably, for its intended audience, it is the best tactics book.
https://www.amazon.com/Chess-Tactics-Champions-step-step/dp/081293671X
I think you can go through Predator for free at the author's website. I think those books are excellent.
"Winning Chess: How to Perfect Your Attacking Play" by Irving Chernev & Fred Reinfeld...
This.
As an introduction to tactics I second Predator at the chessboard. I have both volumes and very happy I followed that advice. The books don't only introduce the tactical motifs, it explains all components of the tactics in words and it trains your thought process. Really, I could not recommend them more strongly and was a real eye opener what tactics really are about... (and how many I missed) !
Hi, I'm looking for a quality book on tactics preferably with a decent amount of puzzles and good commentary explaining the tactical motifs and key moves. Any recommendations?