Very strong players say to study endgames first because that is what most shapes the way they think about the game. IMO, that's a mistake, because lower-rated players don't think about the game that way, and don't need to think about the game that way because their games seldom reach that phase in any meaningful way. They might when they get stronger, but knowing the ins and outs of the Vancura position is not going to help you if you're losing pieces and getting blown off the board before you ever get to a close endgame.
I used to have a set of five books I recommended to a beginner, with the prescribed order:
1) Any tactics book, such as the Reinfeld 1001 series. You will read this concurrently with all the rest -- essentially these are puzzles to strengthen your tactical vision.
2) My System, Aron Nimzowitsch. Read Part I, and then put it down. This gives you the very basics of strategy in all phases.
3) Ideas Behind the Chess Openings, by Reuben Fine. The analysis is somewhat dated, but this will teach you how to think about the opening phase. This is also pretty much all the opening study you need until you're 1800 or so.
4) Capablanca's Best Chess Endings, Irving Chernev. Not a comprehensive treatment of the endgame; you'll need something better later. But it's an easily-digestable introduction that, like Fine's book, gives you a good idea of how to think about the endgame.
5) How to Reassess Your Chess, Jeremy Silman. The definitive middlegame book for non-masters.
So essentially, you should study tactics -- which really never stops -- as well as a little bit of openings, then focus on middlegame strategy and elementary endgames until you have your "legs under you", so to speak. THEN you can focus on becoming an endgame wizard. That's my two cents.
Hey All,
I searched for "Best Book" and was rewarded with a list of "Best Books on Openings" and "Best Books on Middle Game" and "Best Books on Sicilian" and "Best Books on End Game"etc, etc, etc
My question centerd around the order that I should tackle these categories of books in. I have read that I should start with the study of endgame --> Middle --> Opening. Is this a general consensus?
I think that this is an important question and that it would be nice to end up with a single thread to which newcombers (or anyone) can refer to when this oft ask question is raised. Thanks!
CLIFF NOTES: What type (end, middle, tactic, opening) of book should be read first AND which helped your game the most of each given category.