Need Advice

 I'm a beginner chess player. I know how to play and have played for years but never really studied chess literature. I was wondering if there is a good book for starting chess studies. I finally realized that studying opening, middle, and endgames are very important. so any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

http://www.chess.com/chessmentor/myhome.html

http://www.chess.com/tactics/myhome.html 

Some good tactics practice books are Chess Tactics for Champions and A World Champion's Guide to Chess both by Susan Polgar. Both books really help in crucial chess tactics for all elements of the game: opening, middlegame, and endgame. They can be found on Amazon.com.

Hope that helps, and good luck to you!

1) Technique in Chess by Gerald Abrahams

2) The Game of Chess by Siegbert Tarrasch

3) Laskers Manual

4) The Art of Chess Combination by Znosko Borovsky

How much of a beginner are you? Have you read any chess books at all?

for a *beginner*, yasser seirawan's "play winning chess" series is excellent. i made the mistake of reading 'bobby fischer teaches chess' first, simply because it had his name on it. then, i read 'everyone's second chess book' by dan heisman. that book is definitely for a beginner, and he's a fantastic instructor. this is a little-known book, well, not one that chessies brag about anyway (they like to drop the name 'my system' by aron nimzowitsch--which is an *incredible* book on strategy--but it's not for beginners, i don't care what anyone says.) anyway, the dan heisman book is pretty good, but there is a better one for you to buy: go and read yasser seirawan's 'play winning chess'. then, after reading that book, it's almost imperative for you to read 'the amateur's mind' by jeremy silman. after you've read those two books, if you're still curious, post here and we can recommend some others. fyi, not all the seirawan books in his 6-book 'winning chess...' series are worth a look (i.e., there are others out there that are better: i'd skip his endgame book and get jeremy silman's 'complete endgame course'.)  if you want a book on tactics, you need to buy 'chess tactics for champions' by susan polgar. not only does she provide you with tactical puzzles, but she gives you the reason why it's the correct choice--which is something that many books don't do.

best wishes with your studies!

 So far I have Bobby Fischers book, the "Ameteurs Mind", and I just bought Chess Tactics for Champions.

 As to how much of a beginner I am, I have played chess since I was seven. However, I play on and off. It wasn't until recently I realized how important studying chess literature is. As for my playing, I know almost no openings but what I make up. So basically I am in serious need of help in my playing.