What is the basic differenced between a tactics book and a puzzle book?

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stwils

How do you distinguish between a chess tactics book and a chess puzzle book? What are some good examples of each for a below 1200 player?

stwils

RobertKaucher

A "puzzle book" book offers chess board diagrams showing positions where you must find the strongest move. Most books like this are focused on combinations. Most people call chess combinations "tactics." Some puzzle books might be positional in nature. Others, like Practical Chess Exercises, do both combinations and other types of puzzles.

A "tactics book" could be a puzzle book or might be like Winning Chess Tactics, which offers explanations and instruction as well as some puzzles for solving. 

RobertKaucher
stwils wrote:

How do you distinguish between a chess tactics book and a chess puzzle book? What are some good examples of each for a below 1200 player?

stwils


 Forgot to ask. Where is this rating from and is it in slow chess (games with 30+ for each side)? A chess.com rating is not the same as a USCF rating, for example.

stwils

The rating is mine playing on chess.com online games, 24 hours or 3 day moves.

stwils

RobertKaucher

Here is what I suggest:

Winning Chess Tacticsby Seirawan

How to Become a Deadly Chess Tacticianby La Moir

Ignore the cover and illustrations in the La Moir book. It not only teaches tactical ideas, but also gives a bit of a history lesson. Very good book. Once you have completed these two books get CT-Artfrom Convekta.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the obvious... Once you have completed those books (in order), chess.com's tactics trainer is really cool, too! I have just started using it and really like it.