Five Chess Books you must have on your shelf!

1. Silman's complete endgame course - Got it last christmas and it's brilliant, now endgames have gone from being a source of dread to pleasure

2. Logical chess, move by move - have worked my way through 4 games in the last fortnight or so and have loved the clear cut analysis and explanations. Capablanca - Mattison was particularly well explained I thought ( Capa was good too : D )

3. Silman's complete book of chess strategy - Does what it says on the tin

4. My 60 memorable games - Written by you-know-who. Nuff 'said ( voldemort was a great player )

5. An Idiot Abroad diaries - What?! ... It's for when I'm relaxing!

A lot of people talk about books for begginers, intermediate, and advancex.

Like what ratings are they talking about when they say interediate and advanced

i'd say intermediate is like 1500+ and advanced is 2000+

so 1900 would be intermediate?

These books enabled me to reach a USCF rating of 1920. Notice that there are NO opening books.

1.) 1001 Brilliant Ways to Checkmate - Fred Reinfeld.

TACTICS will win the majority of your games. I've gone through all 1001 positions at least four times.

http://www.amazon.com/Brilliant-Checkmate-Chess-lovers-library/dp/0879801107/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374604033&sr=8-1&keywords=1001+ways+to+checkmate

2.) My System: 21st Century Edition -Aron Nimzowitch

I like this edition. Almost everyone knows that this is a great book, so no is comment needed here. I've read this book at least twice.

http://www.amazon.com/My-System-Century-Aron-Nimzowitsch/dp/1880673851/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374604229&sr=1-2&keywords=my+system+21st+century+edition

3.) Judgment and Planning in Chess - Max Euwe

This is an AWESOME book. It taught me to evaluate a position and come up with a plan based on the characteristics of the position. This is the one book that has helped me to UNDERSTAND chess the most. I started to look at chess at a higher level after reading this book. I agree with Victor-Servranckx's comment, Euwe is a great teacher. I've read this book at least three times.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Judgement%20and%20planning%20in%20chess

4. Chess Endings Essential Knowledge - Yuri Averbakh

This book is only 112 pages. It has been my tournament playing experience that, after tactics, the endgame is the area where most chess games are won. I've read this book at least three times.

http://www.amazon.com/Chess-Endings-Essential-Iuri-Averbakh/dp/1857440226/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374605359&sr=1-1&keywords=chess+endings+essential+knowledge

5.) The King: Chess Pieces - J. H. Donner

This is a collection of Donner's chess columns. This is THE BOOK for you if you like reading chess anecdotes. Donner is a great writer; the book is comedy, philosophy, psychology, human interest, gossip, etc. I'm on my second reading of this book.

Book Description - "J.H.Donner (1927 - 1988) was a Dutch Grandmaster and one of the greatest writers about chess of all time. He was a chess reporter and a chess columnist, as well as an annotator of the game, but above all he was a witty and unpredictable commentator of everything and everybody, both inside and outside the chess world. Donner's favorite themes are: Bobby Fischer, the blunder, chess as a game of luck, why women can't play chess, madness, and poor Lodewijk Prins, his rival for the Dutch National Championship for many years, who, according to Donner, couldn't tell a bishop from a knight. A book full of insults and ironies, but Donner wouldn't be Donner without a considerable amount of self-mockery."

http://www.amazon.com/King-Pieces-J-H-Donner/dp/9056911716/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374605740&sr=1-1&keywords=the+king+donner

1. Chess openings for black, Explained

2. Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual

3. Bobby Fischer Teaches chess

4. John Nunn Learn Chess

5. Queens Gambit Declined 

 I like the 4th book.

Since i'm a Beginner i'll list the books i've read and found most helpful.

1. Elemental Chess Vasili Panov

2. Logical Chess Irving Chernev

3. Play Winning Chess Yasser Seirawan

4. Winning Chess Tactics Yasser Seirawan

5. Bobby Fischer teaches Chess

can you say something about Harding better chess for average players? Something about the content? thanks

Here is a list I created of books intended for the beginner/novice/non-expert player.  Though the list contains more than 5 books, I believe any of the books would prove helpful to the target audience.  Chess on!

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

Bobby Fischer was asked once what books are essential for a chess library.  He replied that first a player have everythings he could get his hands on by the Australian chess writer Cecil Purdy.

How about this for the 5 books:

5 books that you currently comprehend at your own level of play. Those 5 chess books that a 2100 rated tournament player vehemently recommends are probably not going to have the same impact on you, the guy with a much lower rating who hasn't played a tournament and approaches the game in a different manner/mindset. Those books above a person's level will just go in one ear and out the other. Create a solid foundation before trying to erect the rest of the house, right? And then learn how to use a nail gun before putting up the walls, lest ye nail thy hand into the drywall! 

Winning Chess by Irving Chernev

The Art of Chess by James Mason

The Principles of Chess in Theory and Practice by James Mason

The Basis of Combination in Chess by J.Dumont

Laskers Manual by Emmanuel Lasker

Logical Move (Chernev)

Modern Strategy (Eduard Lasker)

A chess tactic book

1. The Soviet Chess Primer by Maizelis
2. Point Count Chess by Horowitz
3. My System by Nimzowitsch
4. Simple Chess by Stean
5. Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge by Averbakh
5. Chess Tactics for Advanced Players by Averbakh

How to Reassess Your Chess by Silman

The Amateur's Mind by Silman

Simple Chess by Stean

Modern Chess Strategy by Pachman

100 Selected Games by Botvinnik

I've heard of '100 selected games' by Botvinnik. is that one for strong players only? I saw that the book got 5/5 stars on amazon with 14 reviews. Looks like a very good deal for only a few dollars. Thanks for the tip candy4ever.

That is an excellent book. I would recommend it to anyone who can read descriptive notation.

One book to cover the opening theory, one to cover endings, one to provide tactics workout, one on general strategy and one for fun, so:

1. NCO by Nunn et al.

2. 100 Endgames You Must Know by de la Villa

3. Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games by Polgar

4. My System by Nimzowitsch

5. The Even More Complete Chess Addict by Fox and James

Fundamental Chess Endings - Müller/Lamprecht

Chess Middlegames - Polgar

The inner game of chess - Soltis

Chess training for post beginners - Srorovski

Understanding Chess Move by Move - Nunn