What is the one chess book that helped you most?

For me it is 'Mastering Chess Strategy' by GM Hellsten.

Thanks. I'll try and get that.

Yeah if you mean the GM Preparation one then I already have it. I am still on the first chapter.

Cool. I really appreciate your advice.

Jacob Aagaard's Attacking Manual (2 Vols) are excellent.  Vol 1 was British Chess Federation 2010 Book of the Year...

https://www.amazon.com/Attacking-Manual-1-Jacob-Aagaard/dp/9197600407/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531555225&sr=1-1&keywords=attacking+manual

Yeah I think I had one of the two volumes. I did learn some good stuff from it.

Basically the aagard stuff for me too. though when i was around 1300 Yasser seirawan's winning chess tactics helped me reach 1600

cool.

Pawn Power in Chess by Hans Kmoch.

I started as a serious player (and in a club) last autmn. Before that I only solved the daily tactics on chess.com and managed to drop most Ratings on this side below 1000. Expect of my Tacticsrating, which was already 1300 (and i started at 700  took me about 1500 puzzles and roughly a year).

When I got started playing seriously I viewed chess very 1 Dimensional. I was throwing pieces in position where they caused most tension (for example bishops always went pinning Knights, eventhough this is obv. not always the best play) If my opponent correctly neutralized all my tactical ideas (which usually is not so hard ) and the position dried out, I started moving pieces aimlessly. 

Reading "How to Reasses your Chess" from Jeremy Silman, I slowly cracked the second Dimension  which was understanding that there is more to simply attacking attacking attacking and playing dirty and cheap tricks on your opponent which should result in worse positions for you if refuted. 

Crossing this "2 Dimension" was key to serious improvements. I went from 900 elo playing strength over the board to roughly 1400 in one open tournament. I often still won through tactics since I was really got at the combinations compared to my elo, but I stopped hanging myself and started improving my positions. 

So long story short: "How to Reasses my Chess" from Jeremy Silman was my most impactful book in my short career as a chess player. I technicly did not learn the most because the practical improvements came through Games and Youtube videos on alot of positions, but it was an eye-opener!

Cool. Though I could never understand the enthusiasm about HTRYC. The guy is an IM and thinks everyone else can evaluate like himself.

As i said it was not really about learning the details but seeing the depths of imbalances in chess.

Maybe there could have been a better book for me at this time, on this topic but it did his job just fine, and for stronger players it can provide even more i think.

https://www.amazon.com/Combinations-Heart-Chess-Dover/dp/0486217442

I really enjoyed Pawn Structure Chess by Soltis.

I read that plus an endgame book over the course of maybe 2 months, and went from roughly 1500 to roughly 1700 over the next few months.

yeah my coach recommends it. and he was 2000+FIDE in his prime.

Pawn Power in Chess by Kmoch is like Soltis on steroids.

Wasn't it just yesterday that you told us that you were thinking of getting this book? Anyway:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101726/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review762.pdf
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Mastering-Opening-Strategy-77p3847.htm

I have it on Kindle. I was thinking of getting a hard copy.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708091636/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review869.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092003/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review738.pdf