@YagerMeisterr, the first two books that come to my mind are:
1. Pawn Power in Chess by Hans Kmoch
2. The Middle Game in Chess by Reuben Fine
@RussBell has a fantastic blog covering books for most/all chess topics, and all skill levels. It’s a bookmark (no pun intended) I highly recommend saving:
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond
Also, I think one of the best ways to improve your middle game (typically when most games deviate away from textbook theory and strict lines) is to analyze your games. It’s helpful to do this with the engine off, trying to find the best move once theory has fallen wayside, then turning the engine on to see if you were right, rinsing and repeating. I believe those with Diamond membership have unlimited access to an analysis feature that stops at each move where you made an incorrect, or less correct move, then has you attempt to find the best move. I believe this feature might even offer some insight. Aside from direct instruction, engine analysis is probably the best/fastest way to address and improve your personal games, but the wisdom and implementation of book ideas/theory cannot be understated, and will provide great long-term success through both conscious and subconscious decision making.
Good Positional Chess, Planning & Strategy Books for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-positional-chess-planning-strategy
Pawn Play and Structure - for Beginners and Beyond…
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/chess-books-on-pawn-play-and-structure
Hey everyone,
I've been playing chess for around 4-5 years now, and I'm really eager to take my game to the next level. I feel pretty confident in my endgames—especially when I'm up a pawn in king and pawn endgames. If I don't see a direct checkmate, I usually focus on reducing material and simplifying, which has worked well for me.
However, about 80% of my losses seem to come from losing my advantage due to an unclear middle game plan. I’ve been hearing a lot about the importance of understanding pawn structures, but I’ve struggled to find any resources that really explain this concept clearly.
For openings, I usually play the King's Gambit as White for e4 and d4, the Wing Gambit against the Sicilian, and Nc3 against the Scandinavian. I’ve spent a lot of time studying these lines, and I’m comfortable with them up to 6-10 moves deep. I often get to tricky positions where my opponent is out of their prep, and I usually come out with strong development or a material advantage, which suits my aggressive play style.
I really enjoy gambits because they match my preference for dynamic, attacking chess. That said, I feel like I need to improve at converting my advantages and maintaining solid pawn structures in the middle game.
Does anyone have book recommendations or advice on how to better solidify my middle game and hold onto the advantage, especially with a focus on pawn structures?