Book!? Something a bit different?

I'm looking for a chess book that's different from the norm. Most chess books are quit technical and in order to get the most out of them it requires you to use a chess board. But it's hard to always have a chess board handy, and yet I'd like to read about chess.

Are their any books out there, excluding auto-biographies that are on chess. I imagine you won't get as much out of the book but it'll be intresting and a fun read. Any suggestions?

Originally posted by estonian3
I'm looking for a chess book that's different from the norm. Most chess books are quit technical and in order to get the most out of them it requires you to use a chess board. But it's hard to always have a chess board handy, and yet I'd like to read about chess.

Are their any books out there, excluding auto-biographies that are on chess. I imagine y ...[text shortened]... on't get as much out of the book but it'll be intresting and a fun read. Any suggestions?

Pandolfini's endgame book has large diagrams every page. That is doable on the run (but only useful say if you're under 1300). Tactics puzzles also work well. Beyond that, you just need to develop your visualization skills.

One other thought. Neil McDonald wrote a Logical chess move by move book . I have only gone through 4 games in it, but they had plenty of diagrams, and since every move has commentary, it's hard to lose the theme. I actually did go through the first 2 games in the car successfully.

take a look at The Inner Game of Chess by Soltis

Originally posted by zebano
I actually did go through the first 2 games in the car successfully.

While you were driving ???

"How to cheat at chess" by Bill Hartston is excellent. He also wrote "Soft pawn", predating the pun of this website by several decades.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
While you were driving ???

It's just that easy to read!

No my brother was driving a bunch of us to a disc golf course (where he promptly threw a disc onto a car =).

No tactics or anything that will improve your chess, but a good read, "Searching for Bobby Fischer." -Waitzkin

Originally posted by zebano
One other thought. Neil McDonald wrote a Logical chess move by move book . I have only gone through 4 games in it, but they had plenty of diagrams, and since every move has commentary, it's hard to lose the theme. I actually did go through the first 2 games in the car successfully.

Chess: the art of logical thinking by Neil Macdonald.

I read this book also and I'm amazed you read the book without a board. Did you go through all the variations etc... or while you just following the main line?

As for the Pand. Endgame book I belive you are talking about Endgame Course. I really like that book but I think it's good for higher rated players over 1300 also. I read a couple of endgames book but I think that one and Winning Chess Endings is good enough to get you to 1700 for endgames.

Try the Weltgeschichte des Schach books on Anderssen, Chigorin, Lasker, Capablanca, Botvinnik, Keres, Petrosian, Tal or Spassky. The books cover most of the careers of the giants of chess and there is a diagram every fifth move, so you can play through each of the games sans board.

Two other excellent books by Pandolfini which you can read without a board are "The Ultimate Guide to Chess" and "Weapons of Chess."

Many good tactical books are intended to be read without a board, two are:

Reinfeld, Fred; 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations; good general combinations and mates.

Polgar, Laszlo; Chess 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games; Mostly two move mate combinations, but also some one and three movers, also a few endgames and complete short games. Great for improving your visualization of mating patterns.