12 Jan 05
Openings: The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings by Fine -or-
Gabor Kallai's Basic Chess Openings and More Basic Chess Openings should steer you straight without getting too deep in analysis.
Endgames: Pandolfini's Endgame Course is a good basic book, but some of the material is completely useless. If you just learn the sections on Kings + Pawns and Kings + Rooks + Pawns you will have a good foundation. Beyond that, I just got a copy of Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, which is rather advanced (well beyond me, which isn't really saying much), but is organized nicely and has highlights that are accessible for even fish like us.
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by arterioesI think he is an excellent chess writer!
HAve any of you used the "Winning Series" books by Y Seirawan. If so I'd like some feed back.How good are they?Are they useful?I was thinking of buying some books for the openings, endings,tactics. Any other recommendations will also be welcome. Thanx
I am half way through the endings book - very useful for a patser like me. I have the openings book which looks well written from a cursory glance, but I have not started to turn the pages yet.
I think his books are very good for beginners or moderately experienced players that are looking to improve their game by getting the basics nailed down (that's me). I would think they are less likely to appeal to the higher rated players though - they probably know it all already. 😉
12 Jan 05
1 edit
Originally posted by BLReidGood choice for opening book!
Openings: The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings by Fine -or-
Gabor Kallai's Basic Chess Openings and More Basic Chess Openings should steer you straight without getting too deep in analysis.
Endgames: Pandolfini's Endgame Course is a go ...[text shortened]... cely and has highlights that are accessible for even fish like us.
Pandolfini's Endgame Course has several errors. There is a chess club website with a corrections list. Here's another site:
http://www.glennwilson.com/chess/books/pec_errata.html
Winning Chess Tactics is a good book. I also found Winning Chess Brilliancies to be pretty good at covering some interesting games.
13 Jan 05
Originally posted by ChessMachine2004i beg to differ, i have a 12.425 reading level and it was quite useless as far as chess goes. basically its a paper wieght. i reccomend "Chess for n00bs" the life story by Timothy A Clark
I found "Winning Chess Tactics" to be an excellently intructive book.
13 Jan 05
1 edit
Originally posted by superubernooberI just had a look at your profile. You are 0-7 so far...maybe you should blow the dust off of that paperweight and give it another look.
i beg to differ, i have a 12.425 reading level and it was quite useless as far as chess goes. basically its a paper wieght. i reccomend "Chess for n00bs" the life story by Timothy A Clark
😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
14 Jan 05
Originally posted by arterioesI have read the first three books in the series. "Play Winning Chess" is a good introductory book, but nothing to particulaly recomend above the Idiot's Guide or Dummies books other than Seirawan's personal anectdotes. "Winning Chess Strategies" is also good as any player will eventually need some introduction to positional play. This may be a good primer for Silman's "The Amatuer's Mind". "Winning Chess Tactics" is the gem of the collection however. Tactics are widely recomended as the primary focus of Chess study up to Class A or Expert level. You need to start with a book like this that explains the tactical motifs. I've re-read my copy so many times the pages are starting to fall out. I find it especially useful to re-read when returning after not playing much for awhile. This should be the second or third Chess book every begginer reads and should be followed with puzzle books. Polgar's "5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games" is a good one, but it only has checkmates. I just got Emms' "The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book" which seems excellent and has both checmates and material winning tactics. Following the suggestion of Dan Heisman and others you should go through these repeatedly until you can solve almost all of them in a few seconds. The idea isn't to test your tactical ability it is to burn patterns into your brain. I say if you want to test your ability, play chess.
HAve any of you used the "Winning Series" books by Y Seirawan. If so I'd like some feed back.How good are they?Are they useful?I was thinking of buying some books for the openings, endings,tactics. Any other recommendations will also be welcome. Thanx