Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins. It goes over the reasons behind each move and the ideas for both sides in each opening.
How to Choose a Chess Openings Book
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There's a lot of great opening repertoire books available. Most of them are two or three book series. I have `A Practical White Repertoire` by Alexei Kornev. This is a three book series that goes into great depth based on 1. D4. It also covers all the sidelines and trick moves. There are other complete courses of just one or two books. I'm using this on Android with an app called `Forward Chess`. They have a lot of different publishers and books. The app works real well and you can play through almost any moves or games right on screen. It also includes Stockfish 5, built in so you can instantly analyze any position. You can also copy any position to clipboard to analyze with your favorite app. They also have some excellent endgame books and also offer several Informant books, too. Might not be as good as a complete ChessBase setup, but if your on a budget it's a quality way to go. Downloading the app is free, then you can browse the books and download samples to check them out before you purchase.
If you must study an opening book I guess something like either:
Fundamental Chess Openings by Van Der Sterren or
Openings for Amateurs by Tamburro or
Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins
I would recommend none of the above at the momment and certainly not a multi-volume opening repertoire. I quickly went over your last four games. Your openings are not an issue. Hanging pieces in the middlegame and endgame is.
I'd suggest Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1 by John Watson, as it meets all of the criteria that you've stated. It's true that some of it is advanced but it starts simply with opening principles and works it's way up from there. Highly recommended!
Charetter115 wrote:
Thank you, Charetter115! I'll look into the title you mentioned.
Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins. It goes over the reasons behind each move and the ideas for both sides in each opening.
Charetter115 wrote:
Thank you, Charetter115! I'll look into the title you mentioned.
Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins. It goes over the reasons behind each move and the ideas for both sides in each opening.
GalaxKing wrote:
There's a lot of great opening repertoire books available....
Thank you, GalaxKing! I am on a budget, and so I appreciate your suggestions.
Biotk wrote:
If you must study an opening book I guess something like either:
Fundamental Chess Openings by Van Der Sterren or
Openings for Amateurs by Tamburro or
Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins
I would recommend none of the above at the momment and certainly not a multi-volume opening repertoire. I quickly went over your last four games. Your openings are not an issue. Hanging pieces in the middlegame and endgame is.
I hate to say this, but: LOL! I appreciate your taking the time to look over my games, Biotk. You're absolutely right about pieces and in terms of phases of the gamewhen; in terms of "real life" I usually hang my pieces while transferring trains or when I'm very tired. Thanks very much for your feedback!
HoneyBadgerOz wrote:
Thanks, HoneyBadgerOz! I'll learn bit more about the title you mentioned.
I'd suggest Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1 by John Watson, as it meets all of the criteria that you've stated. It's true that some of it is advanced but it starts simply with opening principles and works it's way up from there. Highly recommended!
Aug 26, 2015
0
#11
I would suggest researching openings via looking at games from a database. Do not go deep into thought. Look for patterns. See which patterns you best understand. Take the opening that results in that pattern you are comfortable with, and invest in 3 books, 1 for White, 1 for Black against e4, and 1 for Black against d4.
For now, you don't need to go into massive detail of offbeat openings. Sure you will face one every now and then. Apply the general opening concepts to those.
Once you figure out which KP and QP opening you want to play as Black, get a book either from the "Starting Out" series or the "Move by Move" series from Everyman. They actually explain the ideas beyond just the opening few moves. Rather than a database dump, you actually get explanations on what you are trying to do. The advantage with the Move by Move series is it asks you questions while you are studying games. The starting out series doesn't do that.
Here's a good place to look - specifically looking at the ones on openings, not biographical.
https://www.everymanchess.com/move-by-move
Nathan0001 wrote:
I must be one of the worst chess players in history of the world: I've been playing 10 minute games since I was around 10, but I still only have a 10 minutes Blitz rating here on Chess.com of about 1100!
Nathan0001 wrote: I must be one of the worst chess players in history of the world: I've been playing 10 minute games since I was around 10, but I still only have a 10 minutes Blitz rating here on Chess.com of about 1100! I just realized there's a typo there: playing casual games since 10; 10-minute games for maybe eight or nine years, but only for a few months on Chess.com.
GalaxKing wrote:
... I have `A Practical White Repertoire` by Alexei Kornev. This is a three book series that goes into great depth based on 1. D4. It also covers all the sidelines and trick moves. There are other complete courses of just one or two books. I'm using this on Android with an app called `Forward Chess`. They have a lot of different publishers and books. The app works real well and you can play through almost any moves or games right on screen. It also includes Stockfish 5, built in so you can instantly analyze any position. You can also copy any position to clipboard to analyze with your favorite app. ...
http://reviews.dailychess.org/a-practical-repertoire-with-1-d4-and-2-c4-the-complete-queens-gambit-volume-1-by-alexei-kornev-chess-stars-2013-304-pages/
I think that the key thing to note in that review is, "... for players starting somewhere around 1600 ...". Doesn't sound to me like a good choice for the many of us who see ourselves as "one of the worst chess players in history of the world".
Charetter115 wrote:
Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins. It goes over the reasons behind each move and the ideas for both sides in each opening.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627031504/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen76.pdf
Biotk wrote:
If you must study an opening book I guess something like either:
Fundamental Chess Openings by Van Der Sterren or
Openings for Amateurs by Tamburro or
Understanding the Chess Openings by Collins
I would recommend none of the above at the momment and certainly not a multi-volume opening repertoire. ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626173432/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen128.pdf
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
I have some trouble believing that it really makes sense to get a book like the ones by IM Sam Collins or GM Paul van der Sterren. Is it realistic to expect to be able to read such a book all the way through, plodding through one opening after another? For many of us, I think the best hope is that one might browse through the book and get some help on making choices for more study. Perhaps the book might also then be helpful for providing help getting started on a particular chosen opening, although there might be difficulties with attempted partial reading about one opening. In the beginning of the Collins book, he noted, "Certain positions ... arise so often in so many openings that it wasn't practial to explain a typical position each time it came up ... the book is best read as a whole ...".
Of the books of this kind, the one that looks best to me is Back to Basics: Openings by FM Carsten Hansen (2010). http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2010/1/30/a-brief-review-of-carsten-hansens-back-to-basics-openings.html
Unlike Collins or van der Sterren, Hansen included sections on opening principles, choosing an opening, opening terminology, and where to go for further study.
At the beginning of one's serious chess career, it perhaps makes sense to not sink too much time into an effort to start with the optimum opening choices. Tamburro's suggestions look like a reasonable place to start. Perhaps one would want to supplement with the discussion of opening principles in the 2006 book, Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf .
Here are some more books that might serve as an introduction to one commonly suggested approach for Black.
Starting Out: Open Games by GM Glenn Flear (2010) https://web.archive.org/web/20140626232452/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen134.pdf
Starting Out: Ruy Lopez by IM John Shaw (2003) https://web.archive.org/web/20140627024240/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen53.pdf
Starting Out: Queen's Gambit Declined by GM Neil McDonald (2006) https://web.archive.org/web/20140627005627/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen93.pdf
Experience with such openings might at least give one a feeling as to what one would like to try next.
ylblai2 wrote:
I have some trouble believing that it really makes sense to get a book like the ones by IM Sam Collins or GM Paul van der Sterren. Is it realistic to expect to be able read such a book all the way through, plodding through one opening after another? For many of us, I think the best hope is that one might browse through the book and get some help on making choices for more study.
Do I think it makes sense? No, not at all - which is why I said that the OP should read none of the above. I think that the OP does fine in the opening, and until he increases his rating to the point when such knowledge is useful (and I don't feel that I have reached that point rating wise) he should spend no more time on openings.
Nathan0001 wrote:
I must be one of the worst chess players in history of the world: I've been playing 10 minute games since I was around 10, but I still only have a 10 minutes Blitz rating here on Chess.com of about 1100! (I haven't played other time types yet.) I've never played in a tournament, but I'd like to, eventually. Anyway, I am finally getting more motivated again, after more than 20 years of not really trying to get better.
When I was a kid, I read through parts of two of I.A. Horowitz's books on chess openings. Even at that time, they were dated, but I liked them. Now, I want something current, pedagogical, and something that doesn't only concentrate on main lines. I want a book that explains the why's of the various moves with text, not only moves in algebraic notation.
I have a 14th edition MCO, but I find it's more of a reference tool than a coaching one.
I'd be most grateful for any suggestions anyone here can provide. In future posts, I'll ask for suggestions on other aspects of improving one's chess play.
After reviewing some of oyur games. Openings arent your issue, its basic tactics you need to work on. Investing in an opening books isnt going to prevent you from dropping pieces. Study tactics, and the opening principles:
Control the center
Develop toward the center
Castle
Connect your rooks
If you still feel you need an opening book, then you have some good answers on that here.
Biotk wrote:
"Do I think it makes sense [to get a book like the ones by IM Sam Collins or GM Paul van der Sterren]? No, not at all - which is why I said that the OP should read none of the above. ..."
I'm sorry if I inadvertantly gave the impression that Biotk approves of Nathan0001 reading something like the Collins book. I was not intending to express disapproval of the Biotk quote. I just wanted to give my own thoughts about books like the one by Collins.
Thanks, Diakonia. That's good advice. I'm familiar with the principles you listed. You are certainly right that I need to work on tactics, though!
Thank you, ThrillerFan! The Move-by-Move series sounds like a very good one for me.
ylblai2: thank you very much for writing. I'll follow your links.
HoneyBadgerOz wrote:
I'd suggest Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1 by John Watson, as it meets all of the criteria that you've stated. It's true that some of it is advanced but it starts simply with opening principles and works it's way up from there. Highly recommended!
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627115737/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen99.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626220240/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen117.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627070808/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen137.pdf
I must be one of the worst chess players in history of the world: I've been playing 10 minute games since I was around 10, but I still only have a 10 minutes Blitz rating here on Chess.com of about 1100! (I haven't played other time types yet.) I've never played in a tournament, but I'd like to, eventually. Anyway, I am finally getting more motivated again, after more than 20 years of not really trying to get better.
When I was a kid, I read through parts of two of I.A. Horowitz's books on chess openings. Even at that time, they were dated, but I liked them. Now, I want something current, pedagogical, and something that doesn't only concentrate on main lines. I want a book that explains the why's of the various moves with text, not only moves in algebraic notation.
I have a 14th edition MCO, but I find it's more of a reference tool than a coaching one.
I'd be most grateful for any suggestions anyone here can provide. In future posts, I'll ask for suggestions on other aspects of improving one's chess play.