Originally posted by dsmichelThis most instructive books will depend on many factors
Which chess books for you were the most instructive? In my experience, the game collections of Botvinnik and Smyslov did more for me than Fischer's 60MG.
Your
* rating
* current state of your opening, middlegame and endgame
* How much effort/time you are willing to invest
When I was about 1700 I read through My System by Nimzovitch. This and some extra general work on my game saw me improve about 200 point in a year.
Most of the ideas are antiquated now and sometime incorrect but it definitely made me think.
Originally posted by kingshillMy System is a good choice and well worth reading. I'd be interested to know which parts did you thought were outdated.
When I was about 1700 I read through My System by Nimzovitch. This and some extra general work on my game saw me improve about 200 point in a year.
Most of the ideas are antiquated now and sometime incorrect but it definitely made me think.
When I first started studying chess I found Irving Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move" really helpful. It annotates almost every move, even mulling over why a player might favour e4 as opposed to d4. My favourites were the rapid attacks by Pillsbury and the slow squeezes by Capablanca.
Also "Blunders and Brilliancies" is a great book as well if you can get a copy. I may self-publish my own book one day - and name it "Blunders" ;-)
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Originally posted by kingshillSimilarly, I've mentioned before that I really got a lot out of Watson's "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy - Advances since Nimzowitsch" and its follow-up, but some players have complained that they found this book very opaque. I'm sure this is a good example of a book for "somewhat advanced players".
This most instructive books will depend on many factors
Your
* rating
* current state of your opening, middlegame and endgame
* How much effort/time you are willing to invest
When I was about 1700 I read through My System by Nimzovitch. This and some extra general work on my game saw me improve about 200 point in a year.
Most of the ideas are antiquated now and sometime incorrect but it definitely made me think.
I also really like Shirov's Fire on the Board books - I got a lot out of these, too. I've also heard a lot of players say some version of "They are great games, but I didn't really understand them", so its probably another set of books that what you get out of it really depends on your overall chess development.
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Originally posted by dsmichelBefore one dives in chess games collections, they should go through some books about strategy and endings. Most think endings are boring and they prefer games from data bases, but that is what makes the difference between a patzer and a decent player: good play in endings and knowing some principles of positional chess.
Which chess books for you were the most instructive? In my experience, the game collections of Botvinnik and Smyslov did more for me than Fischer's 60MG.
There are myriads of books on that subjects, but I will recommend
Averbach´s books about endings
Vukovic´s book "Art of Attack in Chess"
Vukovic´s "Chess Sacrfice"
and about positional play
Drazen Marovic´s "Secret of Positional Chess".
Regarding chess games collections, Anatoly Karpov's book from 1980 and something "My best games" (in Russian) is very useful for positional play.
No use (only) in fast replay grandmasters' games
As was already said, it all depends on your level of play.
For players who are not absolute beginners but still have a lot to learn, I would say that The Amateur's Mind by Jeremy Silman is a good starting point.
The Art of Logical Thinking by Neil McDonald is another book I found very instructive. It is a move by move study of 30 grandmaster games. Though the comments for the very first moves get a little repetitive.
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Originally posted by w0lver1neI found this a lot more enlightening than Silman's other books. I don't think it made me a better chess player, but at least it explained why I'm not a better chess player.
For players who are not absolute beginners but still have a lot to learn, I would say that The Amateur's Mind by Jeremy Silman is a good starting point.
Richard
(older) -- John Nunn: Chess Move by Move (Amazon for $7. or $8. U.S. used)
(newer) -- Colin Crouch: Modern Chess Move by Move
Both are very good. Still working my way through Colin's, but Nunn's book was memorable: well-written and good production values.
I would also recommend one of many good tomes out on endgames. Glenn Flear's series is a good read. That is, the layout is fun. Endgame reading needs to be fun, eh?