Spongey's Blog

Possibly of interest to those wondering about chess titles:
"... the NM title is an honor that only one percent of USCF members attain. ..." - IM John Donaldson (2015)
https://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Reaching-the-Top-77p3905.htm
What It Takes to Become a Chess Master by Andrew Soltis
"... going from good at tactics to great at tactics ... doesn't translate into much greater strength. ... You need a relatively good memory to reach average strength. But a much better memory isn't going to make you a master. ... there's a powerful law of diminishing returns in chess calculation, ... Your rating may have been steadily rising when suddenly it stops. ... One explanation for the wall is that most players got to where they are by learning how to not lose. ... Mastering chess ... requires a new set of skills and traits. ... Many of these attributes are kinds of know-how, such as understanding when to change the pawn structure or what a positionally won game looks like and how to deal with it. Some are habits, like always looking for targets. Others are refined senses, like recognizing a critical middlegame moment or feeling when time is on your side and when it isn't. ..." - GM Andrew Soltis (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093409/https://www.chesscafe.com/text/review857.pdf
100 Chess Master Trade Secrets by Andrew Soltis
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094523/https://www.chesscafe.com/text/review916.pdf
Reaching the Top?! by Peter Kurzdorfer
"... On the one hand, your play needs to be purposeful much of the time; the ability to navigate through many different types of positions needs to be yours; your ability to calculate variations and find candidate moves needs to be present in at least an embryonic stage. On the other hand, it will be heart-warming and perhaps inspiring to realize that you do not need to give up blunders or misconceptions or a poor memory or sloppy calculating habits; that you do not need to know all the latest opening variations, or even know what they are called. You do not have to memorize hundreds of endgame positions or instantly recognize the proper procedure in a variety of pawn structures.
[To play at a master level consistently] is not an easy task, to be sure ..., but it is a possible one. ..." - NM Peter Kurzdorfer (2015)
https://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2015/11/16/book-notice-kurzdorfers-reaching-the-top.html
https://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Reaching-the-Top-77p3905.htm
"Yes, you can easily become a master. All you need to do is some serious, focused work on your play.
That 'chess is 99% tactics and blah-blah' thing is crap. Chess is several things (opening, endgame, middlegame strategy, positional play, tactics, psychology, time management...) which should be treated properly as a whole. getting just one element of lay and working exclusively on it is of very doubtful value, and at worst it may well turn out being a waste of time." - IM pfren (August 21, 2017)
"Every now and then someone advances the idea that one may gain success in chess by using shortcuts. 'Chess is 99% tactics' - proclaims one expert, suggesting that strategic understanding is overrated; 'Improvement in chess is all about opening knowledge' - declares another. A third self-appointed authority asserts that a thorough knowledge of endings is the key to becoming a master; while his expert-friend is puzzled by the mere thought that a player can achieve anything at all without championing pawn structures.
To me, such statements seem futile. You can't hope to gain mastery of any subject by specializing in only parts of it. ..." - FM Amatzia Avni (2008)

https://www.chess.com/blog/EOGuel/so-whats-been-up-with-me

https://www.chess.com/blog/BlakeyBChess/3-signs-that-youll-be-a-chess-master-one-day

"... Though being a chess pro might sound romantic (it certainly did to me when I was young), the romance quickly melts away when you realize that you’re broke, starving, and living in a hovel. Iif you live in America, then you can forgot about health insurance … way, way too expensive. Other than the top 10 or 20 grandmasters, most of the rest will never make a lot of money. As a result, grandmasters usually have to teach chess and write chess books. It wasn’t what they wanted to do when they started out, but when reality hits you in the face, you have to bow to it.

Of course, being a grandmaster and teaching students and writing books isn’t that bad. But you would make far more money and have much more security if you went to university and got a great career. And don’t forget that very few people ever become international masters and grandmasters. Keep in mind that there are 600 million to 800 million chess players in the world and only 1522 grandmasters.

It's not all bad news!

Mr. BeekeeperBob, let’s discuss this in a positive light. I’ve known many very low-rated chess teachers who are absolutely excellent. Teaching is a skill, and even if you’re rated 1500, you might be just what the doctor ordered for children or beginners of any age. …"

https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-anyone-be-an-im-or-gm

https://www.chess.com/blog/BlakeyBChess/5-keys-to-becoming-a-chess-master-as-an-adult
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kids-fight-stereotypes-using-chess-in-rural-mississippi/
https://brooklyncastle.com/
https://www.chess.com/article/view/don-t-worry-about-your-rating
https://www.chess.com/article/view/am-i-too-old-for-chess
https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-can-older-players-improve
Train Like a Grandmaster by Kotov
Becoming a Grandmaster by Keene
What It Takes to Become a Grandmaster by GM Andrew Soltis

https://www.chessmastery.co.uk/chess-books/book-review-what-it-takes-to-become-a-grandmaster-andrew-soltis/

https://www.chess.com/blog/juniortay/what-does-it-take-to-become-a-grandmaster

"BENJAMIN FINEGOLD (born Sep-06-1969 ...) ... Ben became a USCF Life Master at 15, USCF Senior Master at 16, an International Master in 1989, and achieved his final GM norm at the SPICE Cup B Section in September, 2009. ..."
https://www.chessgames.com/player/benjamin_finegold.html

"... born Jan-05-1952, ... GM Leif Øgaard was awarded the IM title in 1974. ... He got his final GM norm in 2007."

https://www.chessgames.com/player/leif_ogaard.html

"MARK IZRAILOVICH DVORETSKY (... died Sep-26-2016 ...) ... He was ... awarded the IM title in 1975. Dvoretsky was also a FIDE Senior Trainer and noted author. ... During the 1970s, Mark was widely regarded by the strongest IM in the world, ..."
https://www.chessgames.com/player/mark_izrailovich_dvoretsky.html
"To become a grandmaster is very difficult and can take quite a long time! ... you need to ... solve many exercises, analyse your games, study classic games, modern games, have an opening repertoire and so on. Basically, it is hard work ... It takes a lot more than just reading books to become a grandmaster I am afraid." - GM Artur Yusupov (2013)
https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/QandAwithArturYusupovQualityChessAugust2013.pdf
https://www.chess.com/blog/smurfo/book-review-insanity-passion-and-addiction
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/26/books/books-of-the-times-when-the-child-chess-genius-becomes-the-pawn.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2017/05/05/making-a-living-in-chess-is-tough-but-the-internet-is-making-it-easier/#4284e4814850

https://www.chess.com/news/view/is-there-good-money-in-chess-1838
"... Many aspiring young chess players dream of one day becoming a grandmaster and a professional. ... But ... a profession must bring in at least a certain regular income even if one is not too demanding. ... The usual prize money in Open tournaments is meagre. ... The higher the prizes, the greater the competition. ... With a possibly not very high and irregular income for several decades the amount of money one can save for old age remains really modest. ... Anyone who wants to reach his maximum must concentrate totally on chess. That involves important compromises with or giving up on his education. ... it is a question of personal life planning and when deciding it is necessary to be fully conscious of the various possibilities, limitations and risks. ... a future professional must really love chess and ... be prepared to work very hard for it. ... It is all too frequent that a wrong evaluation is made of what a talented player can achieve. ... Most players have the potential for a certain level; once they have reached it they can only make further progress with a great effort. ... anyone who is unlikely to attain a high playing strength should on no account turn professional. ... Anyone who does not meet these top criteria can only try to earn his living with public appearances, chess publishing or activity as a trainer. But there is a lack of offers and these are not particularly well paid. For jobs which involve appearing in public, moreover, certain non-chess qualities are required. ... a relevant 'stage presence' and required sociability. ... All these jobs and existences, moreover, have hanging above them the sword of Damocles of general economic conditions. ... around [age] 40 chess players ... find that their performances are noticeably tailing off. ..." - from a 12 page chapter on becoming a chess professional in the book, Luther's Chess Reformation by GM Thomas Luther (2016)
https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/LuthersChessReformation-excerpt.pdf

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/world-chess-championship-inside-the-business-of-chess-magnus-carlsen-maurice-ashley-hikaru-nakamura-154502738.html

Possibilities for middlegame help:

https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-play-positional-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/test-your-positional-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/do-you-really-understand-positional-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/get-ready-to-test-your-positional-chess-again

https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-you-pass-this-positional-chess-test

https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-calculate-long-term-advantages-in-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/learning-basic-pawn-structures

https://www.chess.com/article/view/learning-pawn-structure-for-chess-players-under-2000

https://www.chess.com/article/view/your-pawn-structure-is-your-friend

https://www.chess.com/article/view/more-pawn-structures

The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm
50 Essential Chess Lessons by Steve Giddins
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708100833/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review534.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/50_Essential_Chess_Lessons.pdf

Amateur's Mind by Jeremy Silman
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094419/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/ammind.pdf
https://www.silmanjamespress.com/shop/chess/amateurs-mind-the-2nd-edition/

Simple Chess by Stean

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104258/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review400.pdf

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486424200.html

Chess Secrets: The Giants of Chess Strategy by Neil McDonald
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092313/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review620.pdf
Chess Strategy for Club Players by Herman Grooten
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101926/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review696.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9042.pdf
Understanding Chess Middlegames by GM John Nunn
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627012322/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen154.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Understanding_Chess_Middlegames.pdf
Attacking Chess for Club Players by Herman Grooten
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9032.pdf

Chess for Hawks

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9041.pdf

The Chess Attacker’s Handbook

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7754.pdf

Chess Strategy: Move by Move by Adam Hunt

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093249/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review890.pdf

How to Reassess Your Chess (4th ed.) by Jeremy Silman

"How to Reassess Your Chess, 4th Edition was designed for players in the 1400 to 2100 range." - IM Jeremy Silman (2010)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708095832/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review769.pdf
https://www.silmanjamespress.com/shop/chess/how-to-reassess-your-chess-4th-edition/
The Art of the Middlegame
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Art-of-the-Middlegame-The-77p3554.htm
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486261549.html
The Power of Pawns by GM Jörg Hickl (2016)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/the-power-of-pawns/
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9034.pdf

"... Chess structures: A Grandmaster Guide is not a primer of positional play; for that, try Michael Stean's Simple Chess, Herman Grooten's Chess Strategy for Club Players, or Silman's ... How to Reassess Your Chess. Instead, you might think of Chess Structures as positional chess 'finishing school.' ..." - John Hartmann

https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-structures-a-grandmaster-guide/

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7495.pdf

Masters of the Chessboard by Richard Reti

http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2012/4/1/book-notice-richard-retis-masters-of-the-chessboard.html
Modern Chess Strategy by Pachman
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486202909.html
Zurich 1953 by Bronstein
http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/review-zurich-1953-bronstein
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-106-zurich-1953-by-najdorf
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486238008.html

In a previous discussion, someone reported a passage from Pawn Power in Chess by Kmoch: "The lengthening of the rearspan is often favorable, inasmuch as the expansion of territory behind the pawn increases the freedom of the pieces. By the same token, the shortening of the frontspan limits the freedom of the opposing pieces."
I'm not exactly a big fan of that sort of writing, but there nevertheless seems to be a widespread opinion that the Kmoch book is worthwhile.
"... [Pawn Power in Chess] should be on everyone's list [of favourites]. ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2010)
Another point of view:
"... Hans Kmoch’s Pawn Power in Chess is considered a classic by many. Nonetheless, most people found it daunting and confusing, given its weird terminology. Also the scope of the book was more theoretical than practical; not an easy book to read and study with. ... must be frustrating to read and study from for those rated below 1700. ..." - Stephen Ham (2000)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110136/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review249.pdf

One can see a sample at:

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486264866.html

Mastering the Chess Openings

"… Note that Watson's series does not attempt to provide coverage of every opening, although it does treat the vast majority, in varying degrees. And of the openings it does deal with, there is no attempt to provide complete or comprehensive coverage. This series is more concerned with explicating ideas, themes and plans of the openings in general, and the analysis is impressive (IMO) for its depth and clarity. The author's point is not to cover the same ground that is detailed adequately and ad nauseum in the hundreds of other openings books which are concerned primarily with the 'theory' (i.e., the variations and lines) of specific openings. ..." - RussBell (June 5, 2018)

http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Mastering-the-Chess-Openings-Volume-1-p3569.htm

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_1.pdf

"... I can strongly recommend Mastering The Chess Openings: Volume 2 to all chess players from 1800 on up." - IM John Donaldson

http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Mastering-the-Chess-Openings-Volume-2-76p3570.htm

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_2.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627115737/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen99.pdf

http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Mastering-the-Chess-Openings-Volume-3-76p3571.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626220240/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen117.pdf

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_3.pdf

http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Mastering-the-Chess-Openings-Volume-4-76p3572.htm

"... This series is written in such a way that anyone rated from 1500 to 2400 will be able to benefit from it. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627070808/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen137.pdf

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_4.pdf

A History of chess by H.J.R. Murray

"... Part I. Here Murray reviews the evidence for the presumed beginnings of chess in India, and its subsequent spread throughout neighboring countries. …"

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090911/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review883.pdf

A world of chess

"... The authors take issue with Murray’s Indian origins model; however, they are also prone to using equivocal phrases such as 'it is possible,' 'with scant evidence,' and 'may have been.' With regard to the true origin of chess, they state 'we can only assume that the cradle of chess and its primordial history still lie hidden somewhere in Asia,' but that 'the exact birth of the royal game remains clouded in mystery.' …"

https://chesscafe.com/book-reviews/a-world-of-chess/

A History of Chess

"... Averbakh traces the history of chess's forebears from its murky roots in India ... In the first chapter Averbakh argues that the path to chess began with a race game that turned into a military game, and eventually - perhaps under the cultural influence of the Greeks - went from a game of dice and chance to one of pure skill. There is much more, of course, as he then follows the game to Iran and subsequently …"

http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2012/12/20/book-notice-yuri-averbakhs-a-history-of-chess.html

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/2770.pdf

The Big Book of World Chess Championships by Andre Schulz

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-115-kings-of-chess

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9030.pdf

The Genius and the Misery of Chess
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101906/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review661.pdf
The Psychology of the Chess Player by Reuben Fine
Modern Ideas in Chess by Richard Reti
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233433/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review317.pdf

Masters of The Chessboard by Richard Reti

http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2012/4/1/book-notice-richard-retis-masters-of-the-chessboard.html

A Short History of Chess by H. J. R. Murray
Grandmasters of Chess by Harold C. Schonberg
The Development of Chess Style by Dr. Max Euwe
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708095110/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/chestyle.txt
The Great Chess Masters and Their Games by Fred Reinfeld
The World's Great Chess Games by Reuben Fine
Kings of Chess by William Winter
Golden Treasury of Chess by Francis J. Wellmuth

My Great Predecessors Volume 1 by Kasparov

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110300/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review385.pdf

Decisive Games in Chess History

https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever

Great Games by Chess Legends, vol 1
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708112104/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review711.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104818/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review697.pdf
Great Games by Chess Legends, Volume 2
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708234322/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review734.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092313/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review620.pdf
Great Games by Chess Legends, Volume 3
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090408/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review831.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708100445/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review933.pdf

The History of Chess in Fifty Moves by Bill Price

Mannheim 1914

https://chesscafe.com/the-skittles-room/mannheim-1914-and-the-interned-russians/
https://web.archive.org/web/20140709013943/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/mannheim.pdf

Pal Benko

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233359/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review420.pdf

Mikhail Chigorin: Creative Genius by Jimmy Adams

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9022.pdf

The Immortal Capablanca

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486263339.html

Examples of chess history articles can be seen at:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/key-moments-in-time-lasker-s-last-stand
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-man-who-was-ahead-of-his-time
https://worldchess.com/2016/11/27/the-mighty-pen-of-howard-staunton/
https://www.chess.com/article/view/staunton-could-see-the-future

https://www.chess.com/article/view/were-players-in-the-1800s-terrible

https://www.chess.com/blog/simaginfan/carl-schechter-some-games-chosen-just-because-i-like-them-part-three

https://www.chess.com/article/view/most-underrated-chess-player

https://www.chess.com/article/view/reshevskys-prime-years

https://www.chess.com/article/view/19th-century-chess-from-sarratt-to-morphy

https://www.chess.com/blog/kamalakanta/the-zukertort-paulsen-connection-kh7

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-analysis/morphy-the-terrible

And here are some chess history videos:
https://www.chess.com/video/player/philidor-s-pawn-mastery-1

https://www.chess.com/video/player/mcdonnell-vs-la-bourdonnais-the-1st-world-chess-championship

"... Both Anderssen and Morphy were fervent adherents of the Evans Gambit. ..." - GM Mihail Marin (2005)

Those with interest might want to see how many examples can be found of Morphy using the Evans in his important matches against Paulsen, Loewenthal, Harrwitz, and Anderssen.

"... Morphy became to millions ... the greatest chess master of all time. But if we examine Morphy's record and games critically, we cannot justify such extravaganza. And we are compelled to speak of it as the Morphy myth. ... [Of the 55 tournament and match games, few] can by any stretch be called brilliant. ... He could combine as well as anybody, but he also knew under what circumstances combinations were possible - and in that respect he was twenty years ahead of his time. ... [Morphy's] real abilities were hardly able to be tested. ... We do not see sustained masterpieces; rather flashes of genius. The titanic struggles of the kind we see today [Morphy] could not produce because he lacked the opposition. ... Andersson could attack brilliantly but had an inadequate understanding of its positional basis. Morphy knew not only how to attack but also when - and that is why he won. ... Even if the myth has been destroyed, Morphy remains one of the giants of chess history. ..." - GM Reuben Fine

"... I believe that a careful analysis of the following game will give us some answers about the true balance of forces between these two outstanding figures of the 19th century. [Anderssen-Morphy 1.a3 e5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e3 Be6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.Be2 O-O 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 e4 10.Nd2 f5 11.f4 g5 12.Bc4 Bxc4 13.Nxc4 gxf4 14.exf4 Qe8 15.O-O Qc6 16.Qb3 Qd5 17.Rb1 b6 18.Qa2 c6 19.Qe2 Nd7 20.Ne3 Qe6 21.c4 Nf6 22.Rb3 Kf7 23.Bb2 Rac8 24.Kh1 Rg8 25.d5 cxd5 26.cxd5 Qd7 27.Nc4 Ke7 28.Bxf6+ Kxf6 29.Qb2+ Kf7 30.Rh3 Rg7 31.Qd4 Kg8 32.Rh6 Bf8 33.d6 Rf7 34.Rh3 Qa4 35.Rc1 Rc5 36.Rg3+ Bg7 37.h3 Kh8 38.Rxg7 Rxg7 39.Rc3 e3 40.Rxe3 Rxc4 41.Qf6 Rc1+ 42.Kh2 Qxf4+ 0-1] A fantastic struggle! And yet, it offers an entirely different picture from the officially approved one. It appears that Anderssen's positional feeling was considerably better than Morphy's, but, at least by the time the match was played, this was not sufficient compensation for the fact that his concrete handling of the game (or, to quote Neishtadt, his tactical skills) was worse than that of his brilliant opponent. ..." - GM Mihail Marin (2005)

"... Despite the great confusion and unpredictability of events, Morphy's victory was well-deserved because he was able to stay in control during the critical moments, especially between moves 38 and 40. ... My analysis of Paul Morphy's games is now complete. ... In a famous series of articles published [in] 1885, Steinitz ... stated his opinion that 'Morphy was stronger than anyone he played with, including Anderssen and Paulsen.' And that had Morphy continued playing 'he would of necessity cultivate and extend the system which has been developed since his time' ... Morphy's best games ... stand as convincing examples of 'dynamic chess.' It wasn't until Capablanca appeared that someone showed such a harmonic understanding of the coordination of the pieces at his level. ..." - GM Valeri Beim (2005)

"... [Morphy] profoundly changed the nature of chess and pointed the way for future generations of chess-players ... In My Great Predecessors, Volume 1, Kasparov quotes Botvinnik, who said a century after Morphy retired: 'To this day Morphy is an unsurpassed master of the open games. Just how great was his significance is evident from the fact that after Morphy nothing substantially new has been created in this field. Every player - from beginner to master - should in his praxis return again and again to the games of the American genius.' ... when studying Morphy's games ... I liked [the match against Daniel Harrwitz] better than that against Anderssen ... In my opinion, the first few games of this match were played on a higher level than the subsequent one against Anderssen. ... Especially in the first [Morphy] was positionally outplayed by Harrwitz and looked utterly helpless. ... [Harrwitz] won the next game too. However, then something happened. ... Morphy showed his ability to learn and adapt! ... [The next four games] were positional victories [for Morphy]. Morphy learned from Harrwitz, adapted his game and won convincingly, having raised his game to yet another level. ..." - GM Lars Bo Hansen (2009)

"Building a repertoire ... we will take the idealized situation of someone starting from square one ... The first step is to think about your personal style. Do you prefer open, tactical positions or closed, strategic positions? Does an attack on your king make you nervous, or are you happy so long as you have a counter-attack? Do you prefer main lines, or something slightly offbeat? Next, look at the various openings available, and see which ones fit in with your personal style. ..." - GM John Nunn (1998)

"... you must choose what openings you will be using. This choice depends on your taste and also on the character and style of your game. If you like to attack and you are not afraid of sacrificing and taking risks choose sharp gambit openings. If you prefer a quiet game, then there are relatively calm openings for you. ..." - Journey to the Chess Kingdom by Yuri Averbakh and Mikhail Beilin

Has there been an ECO revision since 2010?

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627063241/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen145.pdf

"... For new players, I cannot recommend books that use [an encyclopedic] type of presentation [of opening theory], because the explanatory prose that elaborates typical plans and ideas is usually absent, thus leaving the student without any clear idea why certain moves are played or even preferred over other apparently equivalent moves. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)

The table at

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/modern-chess-openings-tables

is (I think) not an actual ECO table, but I think it gives some idea of what it is like to try to use ECO information.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/eco-classifications

It might be of interest to look at the table of contents of A COMPLETE CHESS COURSE by Antonio Gude: "... 1 The Basic Rules of Chess 7 ... 2 Your First Chess Games 23 … 3 Openings and Basic Principles 33 ... 4 Putting Your Pieces to Work 52 ... 5 Strategy and Tactics 76 ... 6 Endgame Play and Further Openings 106 … 7 Combinations and Tactical Themes 128 ... 8 Attacking Play 163 ... 9 Your First Opening Repertoire 194 …"
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/A_Complete_Chess_Course.pdf

I think that a variety of topics are discussed by nearly all modern introductory books. I imagine that most discuss some endgame stuff before getting to specific openings.

"... The game might be divided into three parts, i.e.:- 1. The opening. 2. The middle-game. 3. The end-game. There is one thing you must strive for, to be equally efficient in the three parts. Whether you are a strong or a weak player, you should try to be of equal strength in the three parts. ..." - Capablanca

"... Apart from openings and middlegames, the student is commonly advised to study the endgame, sometimes with an admonition to stay away from serious opening preparation untl an unspecified 'later'. When I was beginning to play chess four decades ago, this advice was ubiquitous, accompanied by the 'fact' that all the Soviet children learned endings in depth before they were allowed to play any games.That turned out to be an utter myth, but there's no doubt that learning a limited set of basic endings is absolutely essential for your development as a player. ..." - IM John Watson (2010)

Notice the word, "simplest", in this quote from Averbakh's Chess Endings Essential Knowledge:

"... the study of the simplest endings should precede the analysis of the openings and the middlegame."

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101138/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review373.pdf

Also:

"I conceived the idea of writing a popular booklet devoted to the endgame back in the early 1950s, when I was working on an encyclopaedic reference work intended for players of high standard. Out of the mass of information on the endgame, I thought it was important to select the minimum which any chess enthusiast should know in order to handle competently the concluding phase of the game. It turned out that it was not necessary to know such a great deal."

"It is important for club players to build up a suitable opening repertoire." - GM Artur Yusupov (2010)

It might be of interest to look at:

https://www.chess.com/blog/IM_Kgwm/my-favourite-reads-this-quarter-tons-of-openings-part-1-1-e4

Notice comments like:

"... most suited to players who are at least of 2000 strength, …"

and

"... After going through the series, I have no qualms in recommending it highly to a wide range of players, say from 1500 amateur players up to the professional, Grandmaster. …"

Around that level, I suspect that Silman's advice is very appropriate:

"... If you’re looking for an opening book, you should seek out well-known opening theoreticians. …"

https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever

"... how many chess games can you replay (till the end) ..." - VimalKumarK

"I couldn't replay any although I could recognise quite a lot." - CM JamesColeman

"Good point. I could have replayed that one. Also Reti-Tartakower where White sacrifices his Q on d8 and then forces mate with a double check. So maybe 2. Both of those are rather short though." - CM JamesColeman

"Oh yeah, that one. Maybe 3 then " - CM JamesColeman

"There are many many must-know games for general ideas and themes but not sure of the practical value of having all of them memorised move by move all the way through to resignation?" - CM JamesColeman

"I don't think you have to have them memorized. Just playing them over, even fairly quickly will help put the patterns and ideas into your head." - Morphysrevenges

"Yes, agree with you entirely Morphysrevenges, but the OP was asking about memorised games that you can replay out at will. For me at least, that's not many." - CM JamesColeman

Games mentioned in the January 7, 2017 discussion:

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1233404

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1250654

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1259009

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1224575

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1132699

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1132581

Memorizing is a very regular topic around here. Roughly, I think the two common positions are:

(1) Memorization should have no role in one's chess study.

(2) Memorizing should have little role in one's chess study.

To some degree, I think disagreements have been the result of different conceptions of what is meant by memorizing, but, in any event, I think that there has been much general sympathy with this sentiment, expressed nearly a century ago:

"... Memory is too valuable to be stocked with trifles. Of my fifty-seven years I have applied at least thirty to forgetting most of what I had learned or read, and since I succeeded in this I have acquired a certain ease and cheer which I should never again like to be without. If need be, I can increase my skill in Chess, if need be I can do that of which I have no idea at present. I have stored little in my memory, but I can apply that little, and it is of good use in many and varied emergencies. I keep it in order, but resist every attempt to increase its dead weight. ..." — Emanuel Lasker, Lasker’s Manual of Chess

If you are having trouble trying to decide what to remember or learn from a chess book, I would say that the best guess is that you are spending time on a book that is not intended for your level.

"... Just because a book contains lots of information that you don’t know, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be extremely helpful in making you better at this point in your chess development. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2001)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626180930/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf

"... If it’s instruction, you look for an author that addresses players at your level (buying something that’s too advanced won’t help you at all). This means that a classic book that is revered by many people might not be useful for you. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2015)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever

Some people will tell you that you are probably not working hard enough on the book's material and I suppose that might be the problem, but it could also be that it is simply not a realistic expectation for you to learn much from the particular book at this time. Another common problem is that chess learning does not go well unless study is combined with frequent slow games.

"... In order to maximize the benefits of [theory and practice], these two should be approached in a balanced manner. ... Play as many slow games (60 5 or preferably slower) as possible, ... The other side of improvement is theory. ... This can be reading books, taking lessons, watching videos, doing problems on software, etc. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627084053/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf

"... In my experience the majority of books on the openings are concerned more with giving numberless variations than with giving such explanations of the game as would lead the beginner really to understand the why and the wherefore of the moves he sees made; and in this way encourage the development of his Chess sense, thus enabling him to think his own thoughts in Chess, based as they will then be on the wide principles underlying the game. As it is, the reader, after wading through these endless variations, has probably really understood but a very small number of the moves given. He sets out to memorise the variations. And what will be the result? There can be only one. In a couple of weeks most of these variations will have been entirely forgotten; the moves which he does succeed in remembering will have probably got into their wrong order, or otherwise be confused in his mind. As he never really understood them, he remembers only that such-and-such moves are made in a given opening, and the odds are on his making them at the wrong moment, or in the wrong variation. ..."

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486209202.html

https://www.chess.com/blog/BlakeyBChess/how-to-play-25-moves-of-opening-theory

https://www.chess.com/blog/BlakeyBChess/opening-myth-i-cant-memorize-long-lines

Coakley books:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094112/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review332.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110137/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review570.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708234342/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review754.pdf

One can see some discussion of the pros and cons of Chernev's Logical Chess at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132019/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman118.pdf
http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/logical-chernev
http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2013/01/logical-chess-book-review.html
http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2013/02/chernevs-errors.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/assorted-recent-books
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708091057/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review465.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092945/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review269.pdf

Here is a review that was, at one time, available online.

Logical Chess Move by Move Author: Irving Chernev

256 pages Batsford (2002, reprint)

Reviewed by Randy Bauer  Randy's Rating: 9

  In the search for understanding in chess, this book has been a beacon for aspiring players for decades, and Batsford's reprint provides an opportunity for another generation to learn from the author. Perhaps the best testament to its greatness is the fact that Grandmaster John Nunn's outstanding book UNDERSTANDING CHESS MOVE BY MOVE (Click to see Donaldson's and Watson's reviews of Nunn's book.) is recognized as patterned after Chernev's work.

For those who didn't grow up in the era of descriptive notation, Irving Chernev wrote books that mostly appealed to the mainstream player. One of the first books I owned, Chernev's THE FIRESIDE BOOK OF CHESS guided me through the many facets of chess during my formative years. Even though he wrote many other good books (for example, every aspiring player should also own THE MOST INSTRUCTIVE GAMES OF CHESS EVER PLAYED), this is widely recognized as his best.

In this book, Chernev annotates 33 games and comments on each move for both players.  His goal is to explain what each player was thinking while making his move. In this way, the reader gets an insight into the rationale behind the moves of and the thought processes of a master player. The author splits the games into three chapters, dealing with kingside attacks (16 games), queen's pawn openings (7 games), and other concepts (10 games).  Given the book's original 1957 copyright, it is not surprising that the earliest game is from 1889 and the latest was played in 1952.

The author does a great job of connecting with the reader - one feels that they really are inside the head of the players and that Chernev is explaining what they were thinking while deciding upon their moves. As a result, the games are absorbing and the lessons learned (at least in my case) tend to stick with the player.

I first came across this book at an early stage in my chess career, and I believe that it helped form my understanding of what chess mastery is all about. In fact, one of the games, Blackburne-Blanchard, probably gained me 100 rating points in my class days. I used the structure and natural kingside attack from that game in many, many of my own encounters.

While not a world-class player, Chernev was a prolific writer, and that combination serves the reader well in this book. The author can better relate to the reader and provide them the sort of insight that may be lost on stronger players.

While this is a great book, there are some areas where it is showing its age (having first been issued nearly a half century ago). It is notable, for example, that by far the most popular opening represented is the Queen's Gambit Declined; by contrast, today's favorite Sicilian Defense is found in just one game. There is just one Queen's Indian and one Nimzo-Indian included; there are no games featuring the popular King's Indian, Grunfeld, or Benoni Defenses. The players you will encounter are Capablanca, Tarrasch, and Rubinstein rather than Karpov, Kasparov, and Kramnik.

I had a few quibbles not related to the age of the book as well. I found the print in this reprint to be a little light for my taste, and the diagrams a bit too small. Finally, why oh why are the Chapter headers for each game the site where the game was played rather than the players? "Lodz 1908" doesn't really tell me as much as "Rubinstein-Salwe."

Regardless of these types of issues, this is a very good book. Perhaps it isn't as timeless as it once appeared to me, but it should prove useful to any aspiring player wanting to better understand how to develop logical plans, moves, and thought processes in chess.

"... for those that want to be as good as they can be, they'll have to work hard.
Play opponents who are better than you … Learn basic endgames. Create a simple opening repertoire (understanding the moves are far more important than memorizing them). Study tactics. And pick up tons of patterns. That’s the drumbeat of success. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (December 27, 2018) (Emphasis added.)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/little-things-that-help-your-game

"... Everyman Chess has started a new series aimed at those who want to understand the basics of an opening, i.e., the not-yet-so-strong players. ... I imagine [there] will be a long series based on the premise of bringing the basic ideas of an opening to the reader through plenty of introductory text, game annotations, hints, plans and much more. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627055734/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen38.pdf

"... most of the books put out of late by Cadogan, Batsford and Gambit are of really terrific quality, and they offer original material and writing which just can't be found elsewhere. …" - IM John Watson (1999)

https://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/odds-and-ends-2-improvement-and-the-openings

"... Once you identify an opening you really like and wish to learn in more depth, then should you pick up a book on a particular opening or variation. Start with ones that explain the opening variations and are not just meant for advanced players. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2001)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626180930/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf

"... The 'Starting Out' series takes a new and appealing approach to the task of presenting openings to the average (but not beginning) player. … They are what a player would want who desires to get a good taste of an opening without learning the gory details. Of course I have always preferred the more thorough and systematic opening books, and I feel that it is through the study of details and subtle differences that we come to really understand chess. But that's simply not realistic for many players, and in my opinion the series is as good an alternative as I've seen, since it will give players confidence and stimulate them to take the next step by investigating more 'serious' works. …" - IM John Watson (2003)

https://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/by-publisher-part-2

"... I hope that this book will stimulate you into buying further books that are more specific about the openings and defenses that you might enjoy." - GM Yasser Seirawan (~1999)

"... Try to learn as much as possible about the openings you have chosen. Check through their main variations several times, using an openings manual. …" - The Soviet Chess Primer by Ilya Maizelis

"... Play over recent games of masters in books and magazines. …" - GM Larry Evans (1974)

"... numerous books on the French Defence have appeared, most of them written by very competent and insightful authors. As is the wont with modern opening works, these books usually centre their recommended variations around an instructive and/or entertaining game, without great depth but with sufficient detail to show the main branches and explain basic ideas. This is absolutely legitimate and is in fact the direction towards which I have gravitated in some of my own works ..." - IM John Watson (2012)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627015516/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen163.pdf

"... the 2000+ player for which 100 Endgames You Must Know is really intended ..."

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105702/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review645.pdf

"... Players from 2000 up to International Master will find 100 ENDGAMES YOU MUST KNOW quite useful." - IM John Donaldson

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/100-Endgames-You-Must-Know-78p3863.htm

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9026.pdf

"... one will not learn the basics from [Shereshevsky's 'Endgame Strategy'] at all; ... I like this book a lot, but it has more to do with transitions from the middlegame than with endings themselves." - IM John Watson (2000)

https://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/endings-endings-endings

https://www.chess.com/article/view/quotendgame-strategyquot-by-mikhail-shereshevsky
"... The second part of [The Shereshevsky Method] is a concentrated version of Endgame Strategy, ..."
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9056.pdf

https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/mikhail-shereshevsky/

A Practical Guide to Rook Endgames - Minev

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708084935/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review539.pdf

Nunn's Chess Endings Volume I and II - John Nunn

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708100009/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review759.pdf

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Nunn's_Chess_Endings_volume_1.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708234017/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review792.pdf

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Nunn's_Chess_Endings_volume_2.pdf

Secrets of Rook Endings - John Nunn

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708111727/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/secrook.pdf

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Secrets_of_Rook_Endings.pdf

Secrets of Pawn Endings - Muller

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093728/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/secpawnendings.pdf

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Secrets-of-Pawn-Endings-78p3748.htm

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Secrets_of_Pawn_Endings.pdf

Capablanca's Best Chess Endings - Chernev

https://store.doverpublications.com/0486242498.html

Endgame Virtuoso - Smyslov

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110926/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/virt.pdf

"... The only real problems with [Basic Chess Endings] are the errors and the fact that it is now very dated. ... the book is now in algebraic notation and the layout has in some ways been improved. ... Perhaps the greatest disappointment ... lay in the failure to correct many of the errors in Fine's book. ... I don't think it is acceptable in the 21st century to produce an endgame book without computer- and database-checking. ... the book can be recommended for Fine's groundbreaking general explanations. Just don't expect complete accuracy or up-to-date endgame theory." - GM John Nunn (2006)

If one decides to go for this, one might want to make sure that one gets the algebraic version, but beware: It is close to 600 pages

"... there is no ‘best’ choice in a (strategic) position ... It is not enough to evaluate material, initiative, pawn ­structure and other structural considerations generically – these considerations should be held up against the characteristics of the two players. The style and personality of the com­batants should be included in the decision pro­cess as well. This means that we should give up the assumption that in a given strategic position there is one best way to play which should be chosen by any player in the given position against any opponent sitting on the other side of the board. The assumption that chess is played on a board and against pieces should be aban­doned and replaced by an approach which acknowledges that chess is played between opponents and that the aim is to win the game against this particular opponent ..." - GM Lars Bo Hansen (2005)

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Foundations_of_Chess_Strategy.pdf

"... I can unequivocally recommend Foundations of Chess Strategy to all mid-level players and above." - IM John Watson

https://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/favorites-part-2-and-recommended-products

"... A game of chess, after all, is a fight in which all possible factors must be made use of, and in which a knowledge of the opponent's good and bad qualities is of the greatest importance. …" - Emanuel Lasker (~1925)

"... there are major advantages to studying older games rather than those of today. The ideas expressed in a Rubinstein or Capablanca game are generally easier to understand. They are usually carried out to their logical end, often in a memorable way, ... In today's chess, the defense is much better. That may sound good. But it means that the defender's counterplay will muddy the waters and dilute the instructional value of the game. For this reason the games of Rubinstein, Capablanca, Morphy, Siegbert Tarrasch, Harry Pillsbury and Paul Keres are strongly recommended - as well as those of more recent players who have a somewhat classical style, like Fischer, Karpov, Viswanathan Anand and Michael Adams. ..." - GM Andrew Soltis (2010)

https://www.chess.com/article/view/questions-from-chess-players

"... we can see from the above that players who are happy as White to play for a small edge in a queenless middlegame have a number of lines where they can achieve the sort of position they want. Even in other variations, the willingness to settle for a near-equal endgame, rather than trying to obtain an objective opening advantage, makes one's whole job of opening repertoire management very much easier. ... With his superb intuition and depth of positional understanding, [Petrosian] was accustomed to treating the opening relatively flippantly, and did not normally strive very hard to gain a theoretical advantage. ... it seems to me that for many players below master level, having a repertoire where there is minimal need to prepare could in fact be quite attractive. It must be remembered that, despite its shortcomings, Petrosian's approach proved good enough to wrest the world title out of the hands of Botvinnik, one of the best-prepared players ever. ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2003)

Possibly of interest:
How Ulf Beats Black
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9062a.pdf
https://www.chess.com/video/player/ulf-anderssons-3-most-instructive-chess-endgames
Grandmaster Chess Strategy by Jürgen Kaufeld & Guido Kern
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093410/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review812.pdf

Carlsen-2961 Kramnik-2868 Kasparov-2816 Fischer-2775 Anand-2759 Karpov-2698 Capablanca-2664 Tal-2636 Spassky-2619 Smyslov-2618 Botvinnik-2602 Euwe-2547 Alekhine-2547 Petrosian-2543 Lasker-2498 Morphy-2409 Steinitz-2323

https://www.chess.com/article/view/who-was-the-best-world-chess-champion-in-history

https://www.chess.com/article/view/should-we-trust-computers

https://www.chess.com/article/view/were-players-in-the-1800s-terrible

https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-5-most-dangerous-chess-players-ever

https://www.chess.com/article/view/best-chess-players-of-all-time

https://www.chess.com/article/view/chess-quotes

https://www.chess.com/article/view/adolf-anderssen-mr-slice-and-dice

https://www.chess.com/article/view/adolf-anderssen-more-slicing-and-dicing

https://www.chess.com/blog/SamCopeland/anderssens-evergreen-game-every-move-explained-for-chess-beginners

https://www.chess.com/article/view/behold-steinitz-the-austrian-morphy

https://www.chess.com/blog/janwerle/finishing-touch-from-the-world-champions-2

https://www.chess.com/article/view/steinitz-changes-the-chess-world

https://www.chess.com/article/view/steinitz-the-official-world-chess-champion

https://www.chess.com/video/player/games-that-changed-chess-history-part-4

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-players/wilhelm-steinitz

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/william-steinitz-the-first-world-chess-champion

https://www.chess.com/video/player/world-chess-championship-steinitz-vs-zukertort

https://www.chess.com/blog/SamCopeland/1st-world-chess-champion-wilhelm-steinitz-immortal-game-every-move-explained

https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-great-mikhail-chigorin-chess

Possibly of interest:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/has-the-king-s-indian-attack-been-forgotten
The King's Indian Attack is sometimes suggested as a sort of quick-fix opening solution for near-beginners, but notice the reservations that IM Watson had while mentioning the idea.
"... For players with very limited experience, I recommend using openings in which the play can be clarified at an early stage, often with a degree of simplification. To accomplish this safely will take a little study, because you will have to get used to playing wiith open lines for both sides' pieces, but you can't eliminate risk entirely in the opening anyway. ... teachers all over the world suggest that inexperienced players begin with 1 e4. ... You will undoubtedly see the reply 1 ... e5 most often when playing at or near a beginner's level, ... After 2 Nf3, 2 ... Nc6 will occur in the bulk of your games. ... I recommend taking up the classical and instructive move 3 Bc4 at an early stage. Then, against 3 ... Bc5, it's thematic to try to establish the ideal centre by 4 c3 and 5 d4; after that, things can get complicated enough that you need to take a look at some theory and learn the basics; ... Of course, you can also play 1 d4 ... A solid and more-or-less universal set-up is 2 Nf3 and 3 Bf4, followed in most cases by 4 e3, 5 Be2 and 6 0-0. I'd rather see my students fight their way through open positions instead; however, if you're not getting out of the opening alive after 1 e4, this method of playing 1 d4 deserves consideration. ... a commonly suggested 'easy' repertoire for White with 1 Nf3 and the King's indian Attack ... doesn't lead to an open game or one with a clear plan for White. Furthermore, it encourages mechanical play. Similarly, teachers sometimes recommend the Colle System ..., which can also be played too automatically, and usually doesn't lead to an open position. For true beginners, the King's Indian Attack and Colle System have the benefit of offering a safe position that nearly guarantees passage to some kind of playable middlegame; they may be a reasonable alternative if other openings are too intimidating. But having gained even a small amount of experience, you really should switch to more open and less automatic play. ..." - IM John Watson in a section of his 2010 book, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4
The KIA is discussed in Winning Chess Openings by GM Yasser Seirawan (1999).

https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-openings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
For more on the KIA, one could try The King's Indian Attack: Move by Move by Grandmaster Neil McDonald (2014).
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7277.pdf

Also, The King's Indian Attack... Properly Played by Jerzy Konikowski.

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7874.pdf
Perhaps, it would be of interest to look at The Fianchetto Solution by Emmanuel Neiman and Samy Shoker (2016)
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9029.pdf
and Starting Out: King's Indian Attack by John Emms (2005).
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627034051/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen81.pdf

"'Black proclaims by his symmetrical reply 1...e5 his firm decision to cross swords as quickly as possible with his adversary and (in spite of 'the move') to meet him on an equal footing in the centre of the board, whereas a passive reply such as King's or Queen's Fianchetto (1...g6 or 1...b6) would allow White to occupy the centre immediately and for good by 2 d4.'
'After the typical moves 1 e4 e5 we frequently see a lively struggle, seeking in particular to gain the mastery in the centre.'
'Each move in the initial stage must be telling, in other words, it must contain some threat of an immediate nature (attack on a pawn, an effective pin of a piece, unpinning, counter-attack, etc.), and a game of chess of this type resembles an encounter between two fencers where thrust and parry follow and offset each other.'
Savielly Tartakower (A Breviary of Chesss)
1...e5 is arguably the simplest and most logical reply to 1 e4, taking space in the centre and opening diagonals for the queen and bishop. It has been played by every world champion in the history of the game, and many of them played nothing else. ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2005)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627031152/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/ebcafe10.pdf

"... As Black, I think that [players with very limited experience] would do well … playing 1...e5 versus 1 e4 and 1...d5 versus 1 d4. … [After 1 d4 d5, if] White plays the most important move, 2 c4, inexperienced players might want to begin classically with 2...e6 followed by ...Nf6 and ...Be7 …" - IM John Watson (2010)

Learn from the Legends by Marin

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233457/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review500.pdf

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/LearnfromtheLegends10thAnniversary-excerpt.pdf

Masters of the Chessboard by Richard Reti
http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2012/4/1/book-notice-richard-retis-masters-of-the-chessboard.html

Modern Ideas in Chess by Richard Reti

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233433/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review317.pdf

Silman's Complete Endgame Course

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/theres-an-end-to-it-all
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708103149/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review594.pdf

https://www.silmanjamespress.com/shop/chess/silmans-complete-endgame-course/

Starting Out: The Sicilian
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627122350/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen123.pdf

"Remember, if you like books--like reading them and owning them--there's no such thing as 'one chess book.' ... as you acquire one or two and read them through--even if you don't--you'll find yourself drawn to the chess section every time you walk into Walden's or Barnes and Noble or Borders. If you leaf through the books and compare their contents to what you need, you'll soon find yourself dedicating a shelf or two of your bookcase to chess books. You'll want to have all of Sierawan's books (as soon as they're back in print). You'll yearn to complete your collection of Alburt's series. You'll start haunting used book shops for old copies of Fischer's 'My 60 Memorable Games.' Your hair will gradually grow unkempt, and a distracted wild look will creep into your eyes. If you're separated from your books for too long, your hands will begin to twitch and you'll start plotting knight moves across the checkered tablecloth at the Italian restaurant where you're supposed to be wooing your wife / girlfriend. You've entered a perilous zone ... 'Chessbibliomania' is not a condition to be easily dismissed, and research has shown it isn't curable. Maybe you'll be better off just buying a gin rummy program for your computer and avoiding this chess book madness altogether. Happy reading!!"
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.misc/msg/d96eccf5ddec3c33