Chess Books: The List

Alright, I know this has been posted about a few million times over buuuuuut I want a true list. To that end, please don't:

• Post books that you have heard are good. Actual experience with the book is highly preferred.
• Post books that are difficult to find. I am looking to purchase books without the adventure of a treasure hunt.
• Post books that cost enough that the ink better be partially laid in gold.

I am a native English speaker with almost no skill with other languages. If possible, please speak of your experience with the book - don't worry about linking, I can find them myself.

I'll have a budget of around $150-200 (About 112-140ish euro). I am looking to purchase three books by the middle of next month and use the remaining money for other books that happen to be listed - though that would probably be a couple months MORE down the road.

Finally, I apologize for not searching around. I want as up to date information regarding this matter as possible. Also note that I already own a copy of My System: 21st Century Edition.

Thank you!

EDIT: Oh and if possible please explain what the book primarily covers.

EDIT2: My endgame is my weakest area. Just a heads up.

Basic Chess Endings (anything but!) by GM Reuben Fine, revised by GM Pal Benko. It is easily the best chess book in my small collection. An encyclopaedic work that covers all important endings, but needs some dedication and "smart" work to benefit from. It trumps Silman's endgame course in that it covers everything in more detail, especially the "exceptions to the rule". I don't have Dvoretsky's manual, so can't compare to that.

The book itself is heavy and intimidating, and needs careful study to get use out of it. Fine and Benko present the material first by dividing it by pieces remaining (P only, N only, B only, R only, minors, R & minors, Q) then by number of pawns (e.g. K+3P v K+2P, K+R v K+2P) then by pawn position for the complex cases (one side has a passer, isolani or whatnot.)

The book examines "pure" base cases first (e.g. general method for R+P v R) then elaborates into how to convert/simplify to those in messes like R+manyP v R+fewerP. Throughout the book there are many "critical positions" where the outcome depends on the side to move and accurate play, and also many "exceptions to the rule" - problems, compositions and studies (the main reason why I prefer it to Silman, since you can learn the remote dangers to avoid, or the magic you can use to steal 1/2 points from others.) Most of my endgame knowledge comes from there, as well as the occasional puzzle I hijack threads with. :-P

It is setup in something of a reversed scaffolding format. Old-style instructing at it's finest. I'll certainly keep it in mind.

Judit Polgar's book 'How I broke Fischer's record' is excellent. I am halfway through it.

Johan hellstein 'mastering chess strategy' is also awesome

Andy Soltis 'how to choose a chess move' rocks as well.

the mamoth book of chess and amateure to IM.

Quick question... Are books in descriptive notation a deal-breaker? 

To clarify, would you consider a book in descriptive notation if the recommendation was high enough?

I ask this because I'm aware that some people, today, don't know descriptive or aren't as "fluent" with it or simply don't care to learn it.  (Which is a shame, because it's not hard to learn and there are still a lot of classic books that were written in descriptive.)

Joscef Pinter's The Great Book of Chess Combinations

What I like from this advance tactics books. The solution is below the diagram not at the last part of the book. The combinations are very difficult that it's not practical to try solving it first. The puzzles are orderly categorized for pattern recognition. After playing out hundreds from 1000+ puzzles, my tactical instincts have never been better. And all the puzzles are from actual masters' games, no composed puzzles. 

mandy, why don't you ever work hard at visualizing the positions.

Books I've worked with that are excellent:

• Predator at the Chessboard (1-2) - Basic tactics
• Logical Chess Move by Move - Annotated game collection
• Silman's Complete Endgame Course - Basic endgames
• My System - Positional play
• Zurich 1953 - Annotated tournament book

I know how to read all types of notation so it wouldn't be a problem. I do prefer it to be more modern as that is admittingly easier to understand, but it isn't a deal breaker.

It gives me headache :( I quitted otb chess 20 years ago.

Jeremy Silman's How to Reassess Your Chess; one of the best I've ever seen, though I'm no expert. Covers everything. Kind of written with the assumption that you have played quite a bit of chess and have sort of gotten stuck at a level. He points out a lot of misconceptions most decent players have. Begins with basic endgames, goes from there. He focuses on how to create and exploit imbalances in material, position, tempo, etc. I highly recommend it and you could get it on amazon for under $10 probably