I just started learning chess about a year ago, played for about 2 months, and then dropped it. I've recently picked it up again and I'm interested in finding some good books. I bought the "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" book and it's not bad. It doesn't, however, really go much into starting and developing strategies; mainly it focuses on mating and escaping mate. So, does anyone have any suggestions for reading material to improve my openings? Any advice (even non-book related) would be appreciated.
"Discovering Chess Openings" by John Emms
"Winning Chess Endings" by Yasser Seirawan
"Winning Chess Tactics" by Yasser Seirawan
"Play Winning Chess" by Yassser Seirawan covers all areas of the game.
With all chess books be prepared to "study" them as opposed to just reading them.
Also, as with learning a language, you'll do well to avoid buying books that are too advanced. It's worth a trip to a stockist if at all possible to take a peek inside before you buy.
"The Art of Attack" by Vuckovich. "The Art of the Checkmate," by Renaud and Kahn. "Capablanca's Best Chess Endings," by Chernev. "Tactics of Endgames," by Ban. "Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge," by Averbakh. "The Immortal Games of Capablanca," Reinfeld. "Capablanca's 100 Best Games," by Golombek. "Rubinstein's Chess master pieces: 100 selected games," by Kmoch. "My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937," by Alekhine. "Rook Endings," by Smyslov. "Chess Tactics for Advanced Players," Averbakh.
Originally posted by The Emperor I just started learning chess about a year ago, played for about 2 months, and then dropped it. I've recently picked it up again and I'm interested in finding some good books. I bought the "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" book and it's not bad. It doesn't, however, really go much into starting and developing strategies; mainly it focuses on mating and es ...[text shortened]... material to improve my openings? Any advice (even non-book related) would be appreciated.
Mahout is offering good advice. The Seirawan books are especially excellent. Most of the books that Der Schwarze Ritter recommends are fairly advanced.
Originally posted by The Emperor Great, thanks for the recommendations. I'll check out the Seirawan books first and move on from there.
I have several of these
Do buy the Sierawan books in this order:
1)Play Winning Chess
2)Winning Chess Tactics
& maybe only after going through these
3)Winning Chess Openings
4)Winning Chess Strategy
& the others are really padding for a beginner.
There are more succinct beginners endgame books than the one in this series ie Averbakh's "Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge" & in fact in my opinion there are clearer tactics books too.
I bought Dan Heisman's "Back to Basics: Chess Tactics" & I think this is a much better book than the Sierawan one. Full of common sense nuggets of info in blue text boxes & a great learning curve.
Nunn's "Learn Chess Tactics" is also a great book, though perhaps more for beginner/intermediate players.
Originally posted by Squelchbelch I bought Dan Heisman's [b]"Back to Basics: Chess Tactics" & I think this is a much better book than the Sierawan one. Full of common sense nuggets of info in blue text boxes & a great learning curve.[/b]
I also bought Dan's tactics book, and I like it a lot, too. One of the few tactics books to discuss the overlooked counting issue as a tactic. (Most tactics books just dive straight into the tactics, not even mentioning counting.) A good tactics book for players rated up to 1500 USCF.
Originally posted by Mad Rook I also bought Dan's tactics book, and I like it a lot, too. One of the few tactics books to discuss the overlooked counting issue as a tactic. (Most tactics books just dive straight into the tactics, not even mentioning counting.) A good tactics book for players rated up to 1500 USCF.
ChessCafe review of the book:
http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
what is counting? is it counting the values for materials in a tactical operation?
Originally posted by diskamyl what is counting? is it counting the values for materials in a tactical operation?
Simple counting of the material captured, yes. But counting also covers the order of the material captured, like if a higher valued piece like the queen has to capture first. In some of these cases of high value capturing first, one side can abort the capturing sequence and come out ahead in the count.
Players eventually figure counting tactics out if they play enough games, but it's nice to have the subject formally discussed in Dan's book so that the beginner doesn't have to learn by trial and error.
Originally posted by The Emperor I just started learning chess about a year ago, played for about 2 months, and then dropped it. I've recently picked it up again and I'm interested in finding some good books. I bought the "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" book and it's not bad. It doesn't, however, really go much into starting and developing strategies; mainly it focuses on mating and es ...[text shortened]... material to improve my openings? Any advice (even non-book related) would be appreciated.
you're a beginner, and shouldn't get too hooked on openings anyway...
just find a book with a bajillion puzzles, work them, then we can start talking about openings...
Originally posted by Mad Rook Players eventually figure counting tactics out if they play enough games, but it's nice to have the subject formally discussed in Dan's book so that the beginner doesn't have to learn by trial and error.
that's exactly how I learnt it and was quite painful 🙂
Book recommendations
17 Oct '07 11:56
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