Every time this kind of thing comes up Silman's Complete Endgame book gets mentioned. I have it and I think it is very good. I need to go back and read it, it has been quite some time. I think I'm ready for the next class of end games.
I'm getting the Sierwan Books.
Opening books I don't think are such a good buy for people trying to learn chess. You'd do better just to use a data base and see how certain positions are played. Here's the one I have in my favorites:
http://www.chesslive.de/
Originally posted by jchapmanivGo here and practice tactics and endgames, for as long as you can stand it! better to do it with constancy rather than be sporadic
I bow my head, and ask humbly for advice. What (sustainable) practice routine would you guys recommend to a novice player?
Also if there is a consensus as to a chess book, or practice material I should buy I would much appreciate this help.
http://chesstempo.com/
then buy these five books and read them in this order
Guide to Good Chess: First Steps to Fine Points (Purdy)
Logical Chess Move by Move Irving Chernev
The Search for Chess Perfection (Purdy) - (do not purchase it from Amazon)
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy Irving Chernev
attacking with 1.e4 John Emms - for openings (optional)
these are just my personal preferences but try to understand and assimilate the material and you will be on your way - wish you well regards Robbie
There are some good books mentioned in the posts above. However, if you consider yourself an absolute beginner, start with Seirawan's 'Winning Chess' series. In my opinion, he is the best at putting basic concepts about the game into terms that the beginner can understand. After that, I would recommend Silman. His concepts are a bit more advanced, but like Seirawan, he is excellent at communicating these concepts.
Above all, play. And play someone stronger every chance you get. You'll learn more from your losses than your wins.
Originally posted by jchapmanivDo tactical problems on CTS: Chess Tactics Server: http://chess.emrald.net
I bow my head, and ask humbly for advice. What (sustainable) practice routine would you guys recommend to a novice player?
Also if there is a consensus as to a chess book, or practice material I should buy I would much appreciate this help.
"Discovering Chess Openings" by John Emms covers the basic principles of opening and the reasons behind them. It's aimed at the beginner to under 1500 player. It's clear and instructive and easy to follow so long as you can follow a few moves of notation.
All Seirawans books are good and do what they say on the cover.
No one quite loves Silman as much as Silman himself, but if you can ignore his occasional cloyingly, self congratulatory prose then the endings book mentioned in a previous post is a really good investment.
Also, have a look through the titles by Chris Ward. He's an English GM with great teaching skills.
Always best to look over a book before you buy because it's quite irritating to buy a book that's aimed at a level too high...I have a few of these - highly regarded but incomprehensible to me!
A good tactics puzzle book will while away the waiting time at the doctors surgery or a train journey and help you get to sleep at night...great training but I dare not recommend one because the level has to be just right for you...not to easy not to hard. And this also depends on how hard you wish to work at them.
But I do personally like "The Complete Chess Work Out" by Richard Palliser and "Learn Chess Tactics" by John Nunn.
I also have the impressive "Understanding Chess Tactics" by Martin Weteschnik but found it a bit tough going on the couple of occasions I've dipped into it.
Good luck and no need to bow - you're welcome.
Originally posted by ChessJesterIn addition to my post I'd like to mention that by combining online resources and research with in-progress games on this site I learned a great deal. It has been a fruitful strategy. Since this is Correspondence chess; books, databases and that sort of thing are allowed, just as long as you don't consult a chess computer or another human on the matter. There are too many online resources to shake a stick at really... one strategy I use to help with my opening study is to Google the moves within quotations as they come up in my games such as "1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6" and games/sites come up as well as discussions on this position which not only help me understand why these moves are played but also help me remember the most recommended lines to play.
I've only ever read two books really...
Seirwans winning chess tactics and Pandolfinis weapons of chess...
I did some opening and endgame study online...
And I really don't play everyday or study alot anymore but maintain a 1500 or so rating
This allowed me to play and remember fairly solid openings which got me into mid games. From there, tactics and strategy are learned through experience and practice.
I'd say experience in employing tactics and strategy are the two greatest factors to winning chess games and increasing your rating. So, play play play and couple this with study!
And see this thread for books:
http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=63687
Originally posted by jchapmanivMay I suggest a different route to just buying book after book because it says on the back that they will make you a better player.
I bow my head, and ask humbly for advice. What (sustainable) practice routine would you guys recommend to a novice player?
Also if there is a consensus as to a chess book, or practice material I should buy I would much appreciate this help.
I’m guessing you already have a beginners book on the shelf at home. If you don’t, get one. I’m talking about the kind of book that takes you from how the horsy moves, through basic opening principles, mating patterns, onto king/pawn endgames. Unless you have fully digested that stuff, little point moving on, unless just for the enjoyment of the game.
While your studying this “beginners” book, play, play, play the game. But not so much as your making moves in seconds. You’ll just make the same mistakes time and time again. You got to think about what your doing.
Also study tactics. Plenty of sites online to do that. I’m sure fellow board members have already furnished you with links. If you eliminate almost completely one and two move blunders from your game, your already much better than most players on this site. Certainly better than me!