Chess books
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Oct 13, 2015
0
#2
I don't have as much experience with chess books as other players. You may want to check in sub forum called books and equipment. People there have lots of book advice.
Books I have been using to learn some concepts are basically those that are top selling on Amazon. I prefer books that focus on more or less general ideas if they are older books, and if I want specific knowledge I prefer a newer book.
There is a book by Irving Chernev called Logical Chess Move By Move. I really like that one because the author is very direct and succinct. He selected many known games by chess players. Some from 19th century and most from 20th. He literally describes every game move by move even if it might be repetitive. I think it's good because you can open any game in the book and quickly go over it. In important moves he provides some very good general advice and rules of thumb for chess. For example in the beginning chapter he shows how in some games castling was done too soon, or too late. Later he illustrates how after some players castle right they fall to their opponents tactic to break the King's defenses. If you do look for this book, make sure you get the last edition with the orange cover. It is actually in easy to follow algebraic notation. The original was in descriptive.
Another book of this type that I own and like is Mammoth Book of Great Chess Games. It is the same idea but more complex ideas and more complex variations like "if the player made that move then he'd go...here here...and get a disadvantage or a mate." Maybe too complex. Book is written by three authors. John Nunn is the main one.
Another more easily accessible book for someone like me who is just slightly above novice, is Understanding Chess Move by Move by John Nunn. A very good book of the style of "move by move".
There are books that go more into descriptive concepts and which use more casual language that is more conversational. I know on this site any book by Jeremy Silman is praised. I own his book How to Reassess your Chess 4th edition. It's pretty good based on my limited experience.
Another good author of chess instruction books like those of Silman is Yasser Seirawan. He has written at least four books in a series of books. One for openings, one for general knowledge, another for endings, and probably more. They're also easy to read and fun to read as well.
One book that is popular for openings but which I am not a fan of is Fundamental Chess Openings by Paul van der Sterren. It contains very thorough info on almost every opening there is. But I feel he doesn't describe reasons behind every move in a given opening well enough. The book is also in figurine notation which I think is a very bad and inconvenient thing. I prefer only Algebraic notation.
Oct 13, 2015
0
#3
Sorry that my post appears to be without paragraph breaks. I typed it through the chess app and when I posted it, the spaces between paragraphs do not show.
Here is a guess at the sort of book that might help:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf ,
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf ,
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html ,
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/ ,
Studying Chess Made Easy by Andrew Soltis
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090448/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review750.pdf ,
and A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf .
Jose Capablanca's "Chess Fundamentals" is indispensable for a beginner, it's short and an easy read with lots of great tips. It's downloadable for free online.
A lot of beginners get some huge chess book that ends up gathering dust because it's over their heads and boring as hell to someone starting out.
Drawgood wrote:
... There is a book by Irving Chernev called Logical Chess Move By Move. I really like that one because the author is very direct and succinct. He selected many known games by chess players. Some from 19th century and most from 20th. He literally describes every game move by move even if it might be repetitive. I think it's good because you can open any game in the book and quickly go over it. In important moves he provides some very good general advice and rules of thumb for chess. For example in the beginning chapter he shows how in some games castling was done too soon, or too late. Later he illustrates how after some players castle right they fall to their opponents tactic to break the King's defenses. If you do look for this book, make sure you get the last edition with the orange cover. It is actually in easy to follow algebraic notation. The original was in descriptive.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
Drawgood wrote:
Another book of this type that I own and like is Mammoth Book of Great Chess Games. It is the same idea but more complex ideas and more complex variations like "if the player made that move then he'd go...here here...and get a disadvantage or a mate." Maybe too complex. Book is written by three authors. John Nunn is the main one.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233403/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review782.pdf
Drawgood wrote:
Another more easily accessible book for someone like me who is just slightly above novice, is Understanding Chess Move by Move by John Nunn. A very good book of the style of "move by move". There are books that go more into descriptive concepts and which use more casual language that is more conversational.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092945/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review269.pdf
Drawgood wrote:
I know on this site any book by Jeremy Silman is praised. I own his book How to Reassess your Chess 4th edition. It's pretty good based on my limited experience.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708095832/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review769.pdf
Drawgood wrote:
Another good author of chess instruction books like those of Silman is Yasser Seirawan. He has written at least four books in a series of books. One for openings, one for general knowledge, another for endings, and probably more. They're also easy to read and fun to read as well.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090229/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review492.pdf
Drawgood wrote:
One book that is popular for openings but which I am not a fan of is Fundamental Chess Openings by Paul van der Sterren. It contains very thorough info on almost every opening there is. But I feel he doesn't describe reasons behind every move in a given opening well enough. The book is also in figurine notation which I think is a very bad and inconvenient thing. I prefer only Algebraic notation.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104244/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review339.pdf
Dodger111 wrote:
Jose Capablanca's "Chess Fundamentals" is indispensable for a beginner, it's short and an easy read with lots of great tips. It's downloadable for free online.
A lot of beginners get some huge chess book that ends up gathering dust because it's over their heads and boring as hell to someone starting out.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101418/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review564.pdf
Here's a great book for novices, and it's not just for kids -- I love it and I'm age 55. Many coaches recommend that new players initially focus on tactics and endgames. Detailed study of openings can wait until later (meanwhile, just apply the basic opening principles of development, central control, and king safety).
http://www.amazon.com/Chess-Tactics-Kids-Murray-Chandler/dp/1901983994/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444846548&sr=1-1&keywords=chess+tactics+for+kids
ylblai2 wrote:
Thanks for posting the link to the ChessCafe.com review of the "Chess Tactics for Kids". I was surprised that it states at the end that this book is too difficult for kids to use without constant guidance. This may be true for absolute beginners, but the OP, with 227 completed games at this site, is probably ready to benefit from this book, with or without guidance.
Chess Strategy for Kids By Coakley will help you. Don't let the title fool you as it is a good book.
Oct 14, 2015
0
#13
Dodger111 wrote:
Jose Capablanca's "Chess Fundamentals" is indispensable for a beginner, it's short and an easy read with lots of great tips. It's downloadable for free online.
A lot of beginners get some huge chess book that ends up gathering dust because it's over their heads and boring as hell to someone starting out.
I agree.
Chernev, Logical Chess and Coakley, Strategy are both good choices, too.
Check out this list. Many of the books are well suited for the novice player.
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond
vividpainting wrote:
I am a novice player looking to get better, and would like suggestions on books. I am looking at " The soviet school of chess" 2011 by Kotov. Any suggestions? Thank you
I recommend "The Soviet Chess Primer"
Ziryab wrote:
... Chernev, Logical Chess ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
RasputinTheMad wrote:
Jeremy Silman's The Amateur's Mind ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094419/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/ammind.pdf
RasputinTheMad wrote:
Vladimir Vukovic's Art of Attack in Chess ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708234424/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/aac.pdf
ddmeltzer8 wrote:
... Aron Nimzowitch`s My System ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105648/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review600.pdf
Biotk wrote:
... The Soviet Chess Primer ...
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/06/04/the-soviet-chess-primer/
Oct 15, 2015
0
#17
Looking at your rating you would do well to go through the 'Idiots guide to chess' by GM patrick wolfe. Stupid title but a great book that will push you to 1000+ quickly. Fun read, great diagrams and aimed at the beginner.
Oct 15, 2015
0
#18
ylblai2 wrote:
Ziryab wrote:
... Chernev, Logical Chess ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
Good review with excellent background on Chernev. For more on the book itself, my review might be of interest.
http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2013/01/logical-chess-book-review.html
klimski wrote:
... Idiots guide to chess' by GM patrick wolfe ...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110052/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review587.pdf
I am a novice player looking to get better, and would like suggestions on books. I am looking at " The soviet school of chess" 2011 by Kotov. Any suggestions? Thank you