Plz help me learn these books.

Hi.

I now have a few chess books which really suit me.

The books are:

Opening:

1.play 1.b4

2.play 1....b6

Middlegame:

1. Chess strategy for kids.

2. Sharpen your tactics in 7 days.

3. The process of decision making in chess

Endgame:

1. Winning chess endings

Please tell me on which one should i start and in the order in which i must continue for maximum efficiency and use.

Thnx

Thnx. Any other views?

Anything else which describes the full order.

None of the three books you listed under middlegame are middlegame books ... they are chess books; their contents apply to all phases of the game.

I'd suggest the following order:

1. Sharpen Your Tactics in 7 Days (you'll want to reread this often)
2. Chess Strategy for Kids
3. The Process of Decision Making in Chess (may just want to do a quick pass through this one, and return to it later)
4. Winning Chess Endings (you'll be spiraling over this one many times)

Notice that neither of your opening books are on that list. That's intentional. Judging by your book selection there, I have to infer that you are a beginner; a beginner should probably not spend time on a book about 1.b4. The one about 1. ... b6 is better, but not by much. Waste no time on these. I know you probably won't listen, but I always say it anyway: play either 1.e4 or 1.d4 as White, and as Black, play 1.e4 e5, 1.d4 d5, and 1.c4 e5. If you must, play 1. ... b6 against anything, but instead of 1.b4, consider 1.b3, which is stronger.

Thnx for the order and advice.

Actually im 14 yrs and ivd been playing chess for the past 4-5 yrs with e4. A switch maybe good for some time. Though my rating here is 1700+, Im a beginner as u said .

Could u get more detailed why those midgame books were not midgame at all.

Anythig else?

Not middlegame in the sense that they apply to all phases. A middlegame book would be something like "How to Play the Middlegame in Chess".

Tactics, strategy, and decision processes apply on every single move. There aren't really divisions in a chess game - these exist in the mind of man only - a chess game is a chess game, and move 1 is exactly the same as move 101; you analyze the position, calculate some concrete variations, evaluate the position, decide on an appropriate plan, then calculate the best way to achieve that plan. Chess is chess. And your three "middlegame" books are books on all of chess.

I also once decided to switch from 1.e4 to 1.b4; I am convinced that 1.b4 is quite a bit weaker than 1.b3, and I did eventually switch to 1.b3. Oddly, I consider 1.g4 a more solid opening than 1.b4, and I bet you will reach the same conclusion when you play against an opponent who meets 1.b4 with something equally odd ... the resulting game is equal, but it seems like a foreign world; interesting at first, but it gets old quickly. You'll see positions where you must play THE correct move like ten times in a row, just to maintain that tenuous equality. Eh. Not for me, and if I may be so bold, not for anyone who actually wants to improve. I used to recommend it to beginners as one of the ten good opening moves, but I have since come to believe that there are only eight good opening moves (1.b3, 1.c4, 1.d4, 1.e4, 1.f4, 1.g3, 1.Nc3, 1.Nf3).

How is 1.f4 good?

Bird's 1.f4 is a perfectly fine opening, just as the Dutch Defense is; it does as much as 1.c4 does, in that it controls a central square and prepares to develop a knight towards the center but behind the pawn.

Here's the most famous game ever played with this opening:

1.f4 also provides some simple strategic ideas (absolute control of a central color complex, in this case the dark squares) that can be taught to beginning intermediate players, and although the ideas are really quite simple and one-dimensional, there isn't anything Black can do to fully prevent them.

Nice game. But i m not famikiar with dutch too

Try playing the OPEN games to start; forget all the strategy and spend the next 18 months on tactics, tactics, tactics,...  I think I mentioned Bobby Fischer's Teaches Chess, Another good starter is Tarrasch - The game of Chess; and if you get through these in 18 months you will probably beat about 90% of everyone under 2000.  But I do not mean just reading them,... You have to KNOW them,... and they should be hard-wired into your ROM... Then worry about the middle game, opening, and endgame.

Hope this is helpful

When I saw the first time this game, I couldn't understand why Lasker opened with f4. Now that I rewiew the game, I understand: he want to attack on black's kingside, so he set up a pawn structure that goes in that direction and place the two bishop against black's castling. That move had strategical meaning.

Suggested and recommended:

Just the Facts by Lev Alburt and Nicolay Krogius

http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Endgame-Knowledge-Comprehensive-Course/dp/1889323063/ref=sr_1_19?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368464528&sr=1-19&keywords=Lev+Alburt

Just the facts and the essential endgames you must know.

100 Endgames you must know by Jesus de Villa

http://www.amazon.com/100-Endgames-You-Must-Know/dp/9056912445/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368464768&sr=1-1&keywords=100+endgames+you+must+know

Good book on the endgame from New in Chess

The Middle Game in Chess by Zonosko Borovosky

http://www.amazon.com/The-Middle-Game-Chess-Dover/dp/0486239314/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368458299&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=the+middle+game+in+chess+by+zonosko+borovosky

This is the Middle Game book I studied when I was first learning chess 32 years ago it's not an 800 page monster that will take you 3-4 years to finish if you master and internalize the principles for conducting the middle game that he teaches you'll never need another one your good for life. This book was recommended by the Dvortseky School in Secrets of Positional Play. For $10-12 you can't beat the price dirt cheap!

These are also good:

Complete Chess Startegy Volumes 1-3 by Ludek Pachman

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chess-Strategy-Planning-Pieces/dp/4871874907/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368459028&sr=8-3&keywords=ludek+pachman

There's an abridged version from Allan S.Russell from Dover Books but it's watered down the one from Pachmans hands origionally in Czech is definitely better.

Thnx

If you want to learn chess:

1. Become a CC member.

2. Get a mentor.

Otherwise, you are lost.

@beanfischer

What is cc member chess club?

@assoluto

Thnx for ur concern.

I have read a lot of them lately. But only a few r good. So all replies r welcome

You have Winning Chess Endings, you don't need another endgame book - ever.

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess is written for people just learning to play, and too lazy to learn chess notation. If you don't know what double attack is, then maybe you should get it. Then again, Sharpen Your Tactics in 7 Days probably has all that and more, so again, just stick with what you have.

If you have money for more books, and like the style of Winning Chess Endings, then I'd suggest you stick to Seirawan's series. You probably don't need Play Winning Chess, but I would round out the collection with Tactics, Brilliancies, Strategies, and Openings. Then you can learn all about chess from one "voice". Treat Seirawan as your personal coach, and commit to his methods.

For you and only for you, this does not apply to anyone else who may be higher rated,  I am convinced the absolute order to improve your chess the fastest is by studying -

1. Sharpen your tactics.

2. Endgame book

3. Strategy

4. Opening.

Now, here is what you should strive for on a weekly schedule:

If you study 1.5 hours every day and only study, not playing, then study on day 1, day 2, day 3.... etc in the following manner:

Day 1 : Tactics 1 hour, end game 30 minutes.

Day 2: Tactics 30 minutes, end game 30 minutes, Strategy 30 minutes.

Day 3: Tactics (preferably puzzles) 15 minutes, Openings 45 minutes, Strategy 30 minutes.

Day 4:  Tactics 30 minutes, Openings 45 minutes, end game 15 minutes.

Day 5: Tactics 1 hour, end game 30 minutes.

Day 6: Tactics 15 minutes (preferably puzzles), Strategy 30 minutes, Openings 45 minutes.

Day 7:  Rest from chess, if you can't help the itch, then do puzzles, tactical or endgame puzzles.  Relax, and distract your mind with something else.  Play if you want but leave studying alone.

I might suggest you take more than just one day off , two days is better.  You don't want to be burned or bored or feel it's a job.  The more days off, the more eager, the more anticipation, the more excitement is built up so when you get to study, you devour the material with much more hunger AND that helps it to STICK in your mind much better.

bladezii's book order is spot on, and that advice on what to study is pretty good, but I wonder where play fits in to that. When does competitive play happen, how many competitive games, and how often, what about casual games, or blitz, etc?

Be sure to heed the advice about the days off. That's very important.