Originally posted by Drew LWinning Chess - there are 7 or 8 books in the series, try tactics first.
What is the best chess book to buy for the beginner, that isn't too expensive or too complicated, just some easy reading for the simple minded chess player? and where can I find said book?
How simple-minded, exactly? 😉
I haven't read any of Seirawan's Winning Chess series books, but a lot of people like them. The most basic one of his is "Play Winning Chess".
I have read Patrick Wolff's "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Chess", and I liked it very much. It doesn't get too deep into any one area. It just gives you a starting point in a number of areas. The writing style is geared more towards an adult or maybe an older teenager. A child or young teenager might have a little trouble understanding the somewhat adult style of writing. (Dan Heisman recommends the book for beginners over the age of 10.) Here's a new review of the book -
http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review587.pdf
Edit - Also, if you want to consider more books, here's Dan Heisman's list of recommended books for different skill levels.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/danheisman/Events_Books/General_Book_Guide.htm
If you dont mind descriptive notation, Eugene Znosko Borovsky's "How not to Play Chess" is only about 90 pages and only costs about 5 bucks. Its probably not as easy or as fun to read as Seirawains, but in a lot of ways I think its better in that it deals with planning, while Seirawain leaves that out until his later strategy book, focusing instead on general positional advantages like developing your pieces, playing with bishops in open positions and knights in closed, rooks on open files, and what not. I think the books would complement each other nicely.
Originally posted by Drew LYasser Seirawans books as recommended in other threads are great and "Play Winning Chess" is the title from the series that covers all areas of the game.
What is the best chess book to buy for the beginner, that isn't too expensive or too complicated, just some easy reading for the simple minded chess player? and where can I find said book?
Chess For Dummies is also a good book.
Most books that go beyond the very basics are going to require you to read notation: 1.e4...e5, 2.Nf3 etc. and if you don't all ready then this is worth learning. Once you are comfortable reading notation it opens up a whole world of chess books. You're right to ask for recommendations because it's not much use getting a book that's too advanced (just as if you were learning a language)
I too would love a section for book reviews on this site!
Originally posted by kmac27I was listening to Waitzkin's comments on tactics and his games in Fritz 10. It sounds easy to understand when he talks about it and he gives a lot of good advices. Does anyone has his book in PDF maybe? I'd really like to read it
attacking chess by josh waitzkin. i like this tactics book better. also bruce pandolfinis book weapons of chess shows some simple diagrams that pack a punch with how much knowlidge can come from it.