Best books to improve as amateur player

Hello,

I've been playing chess for long time, but 80% of them was pure casual like even once per week/month. My highest rating was 1400, but I'm stuck in somewhere around 1100-1200. Now I would like to spend more time and take it more "seriously".

My problem is the fact that I was selective knowledge about the game, I know few openings, the very basics about early/mid/end game and so on. I'm trying to play often the puzzle rush, analyze games etc but I feel like it's not enough.

Could you please recommend any books for 1100 player?

I would greatly appreciate any answers.

GOOD CHESS BOOKS FOR BEGINNERS AND BEYOND

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

Take the time to read through this blog it is really worth it! Helped me alot personally although I have just started reading these books but the blog has really helped me structure the order in which I want to read my books as per my level. .. he also has other very helpful blogs and be sure to read them as well

While IM Jeremy Silman's "How to Reassess Your Chess 4th edition may be written for players a little bit better than you, if you really study it, it could help you improve a lot

Tips for young players by Matthey Sadler, Everyman Chess

I think this is quite a good book covering all phases of the game. A little bit of everything. It's never overwhelming. I also like the exercises he gives to increase your ability to spot all the necessary interactions on the board. I think this is a prerequisite before you even start practicing tactics.

You can borrow the book for free at the archives. Apart from that you can't go wrong with one of the books from RussBell's list.

I personal favorite of mine is Discovering Chess Openings by John Emms which goes into basic chess principles that are important regardless of the openings you play.

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a respected  chess coach and chess YouTuber based in California: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5SPSG_sWSYPjqJYMNwL_Q

I recommend IM Jeremy Silman's "The Amateur's Mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions Into Chess Mastery"

I also recommend Amateur's Mind. It's aimed at roughly your rating. How to Reassess... is aimed at 1600-1800 players, so it makes sense to start with AM.

"Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" - Fischer

:tdown

As a beginner, I've found the series Winning Chess series very helpful, starting with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1857443314/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a very instructive first chess book for beginners.  Not so much for IM's who know it all.

And it teaches more than back rank mates...

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess...a book review...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/bobby-fischer-teaches-chessa-book-review

If it didn't make a list of 220 books and it's supposedly Fischer stuff, somethings off about the book

Yeah I got the part it wasn't written by Fischer, but he approved of it? Probably for the money. 

According to a quick google search the book was first published in 1966 which was way before his WCC match. If I remember correctly from a book about's Fischer's life money was always an issue in his life. He probably needed the money back then.

Personally, I can say there are better books out there for beginners. The only thing I enjoyed about the book were that in the translation to my language they added all the games from the WCC with annotations. That was an enjoyable read.

Personally, the instructional content was way too one-sided for me. There are better books out there about checkmating patterns.

@pfren -

I didn't claim that "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" is the best book for every chess player.  I said it was an instructive first chess book for a beginner.  I stand by that statement.  There are many who agree with that assessment.   

5969 reviews of the book on Amazon.  The overwhelming majority of which are positive...

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

I Would not reccomend reading books and spending money on them because of 2 reasons

1. there is alot of free content on youtube

2.if u r not experienced chess book reader then u will easily get bored and i doubt u will finish that book or even quit chess saying it is too hard

watch levy rozman ,chess talk, agadmator and many other youtubers for improving ur chess 

thats how i studied when i was 1000

I'm going to say this- and you can disagree- but I think books may be a more sure way to improvement.