Tactics Book Recommendation
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I've just finished "The Tao of Chess" by Peter Kurzdorfer and I thought it was an outstanding chess book. I bet it would help. I saw it recommended in a chess.com forum about chess books and found a new copy for sale on the web quite cheaply. I'm not doing adverts, but if you want to know where message me and I'll tell you.
For training straightforward tactics -- the kinds of things your description says you are overlooking on occassion -- check out chess.emrald.net. In my opinion the resources of today are better than just books. The website mentioned will adjust the the tactics problems you are asked to solve to meet your ability.
Thanks guys. :)
Anything written by NM Loomis, he's a guru in the tradition of Chessmaster 9000.
I am not a NM and have written no books on chess.
Dec 13, 2007
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#7
I'd have to recommend "Winning Chess" by Chernev and Reinfeld. I always boost my rating by going through it.
Dec 13, 2007
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#8
I think that, without question, the best tactics study tools are computer programs. Keep the books for the bathroom and travel. As far as programs go, I strongly recommend CT-ART 3.0, which you can find in the USCF shop or at wholesalechess.com, among other places. There are over 1200 positions at different skill levels. The program tracks your performance and gives you hints when you make mistakes. It's really the best thing I've seen.
I agree. Software is the best way to learn tactics nowadays, but if you want books, I recommend the Lev Alburt series Comprehensive Chess Course. It trains you in recognizing checkmate patterns as well as tactics.
By the way, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Chess Mentor! (Remember, GARRY IS ANGRY!) It is an excellent training tool in tactics.
Ooh, thanks for the additional recommendations, guys. About Chess Mentor... I don't think the new version was live yet when I posted this. :)
sir,
hi, try chess tactics by im littlewood, hope this help.
best regards & all the best.
very repectfully yours,
antonio malapira
I'm returning to chess after a 15 year absence, and I could use your help in recommending a book to improve my tactical play. In looking at my chess library, I see that I only have 2 books on tactics. Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics, and Pachman's Modern Chess Tactics. I just finished (re)reading the former, and the latter I'm saving until later (mainly because it takes me twice as long to read books in descriptive notation... and because I'm afraid it will fall apart!). Okay, that's not counting the two Chessercizes puzzle books by Pandolfini, but still...
Looking on Amazon, the most "relevant" books on chess tactics are Practical Chess Exercises: 600 Lessons from Tactics to Strategy by Ray Cheng, Learn Chess Tactics by John Nunn, and Chess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way (Chess) by Susan Polgar and Paul Truong. Seems to me that the Cheng book would be something to tackle much later. What do people think about the other two? Are there other books that people think are clearly superior?
I suppose to answer that question you'll have to know a little more about me. Well, I wish I could tell you more. I've never had a rating. My tournament playing friends told me I was probably somewhere between 1400 and 1500 back when I played. That was probably being generous. Regardless, I'm much, much weaker now. While I've retained most of my strategic insight (I like closed positions), my tactical vision (which was always the weakest part of my game) has gone out the window. (Oddly enough, so has my endgame skill, but I have books for that.
) So, most of my games go something like... "okay, made it through the opening without any catastrophies... superior space... solid pawn structure... now to just open up a file to exploit... BAM, blunder away a piece". (Of course, I keep blowing won endgame positions too, but that's another story.) My Fritz game analyses have way more "??"s than I want to see. (I don't know what's more troubling... the blunders, or the missed tactical opportunities. ("What? I could have won his queen for a rook there?!" or "What do you mean I missed a mate in 3?"))
So anyway, I guess that's all just a longwinded way of asking this. What book(s) would you recommend for someone that understands all of the tactical themes but seems to be unable to see or apply them over the board? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.