I have Averbakh. See the sample on Amazon. The rest of the book is just like the last pages of the sample.
For comparison, I also have Znosko-Borovsky and Euwe and Hooper end game books. ZB (288p) has more instructive text albeit in older language and descriptive notation. E & B (258p) is pretty dense with examples and far less text than ZB. It goes deeper than Averbakh. Of these, I think Averbakh is closest to what you're looking for.
Great Short Games of the Chess Masters by Reinfeld or some similar book of miniatures. You could play guess the move and try to find the tactical knockouts for yourself
Simple Chess by Michael Stean, which you mentioned, is the best short chess book ever written. He takes you rapidly to the intermediate level. A shame he left chess for another profession.
Slightly longer at 256 pages is Chess Secrets, The Giants of Strategy by Neil McDonald. I have re-read parts of it several times and believe it's the best of the Chess Secrets series.
Another interesting book at 300 pages is Pandolfini's Endgame Course. This is not an introductory text ; you should read something else first. He discusses over 200 positions and gives most maneuvers a name, like The Underpass which you are likely to remember. Problems : he uses term critical squares , while most now call these key squares . He uses shielding off for what Dvoretsky & others call shouldering or bodycheck. There are many printing errors but a list is available online.
I recommend Irving Chernev’s Practical Chess Endings. It is a short, understandable, and practical intro to endings.
i also recommend Chernev’s The Most Instructive Games Of Chess Ever Played. Each game is selected to illustrate a different theme. So, while it covers many different middlegame and endgame ideas, it is an accessible and concise guide to chess strategy.
Hi,
I'll get straight to the point. I'm hoping you could point out some small/short chess books that could be read by someone with limited time, fairly promptly. I'd rather read a short book each on a number of topics than one huge detailed book.
The type of books I'm talking about, as good examples: Simple chess, Michael Stean, 160p Attacking Chess, Colin Crouch, 103p. Modern Ideas in Chess, Richard Reti, 132p. Better Chess (now 'Improve your Chess), William Hartson, 163p (possibly my favourite- shared with Art of Checkmate).
These are some I have. Any endgame books? (Averbach?) Or anything else recommended. I'm currently 1400 OTB, but books rated from 1000-1600(ish) will be fine.
And I already have "Chess for the gifted and Busy," Alburt and Krogius.
Thanks