Everyone's read, or at least had recommended to them, classics such as Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move", Nunn's "Understanding Chess Move by Move", Nimzowitsch's "My System", Silman's "Reassess Your Chess", Bronstein's "Zurich International 1953", "Tal Botvinnik 1960" (or pretty much any book by or about a World Champion), etc...
So today I'd like to go a bit off the beaten track and ask for recommendations of lesser known classics. My own favorite along these lines has got to be Mark Buckley's "Practical Chess Analysis". What are yours?
Originally posted by diskamyl kotov's "think like a grandmaster",
dvoretsky's complete set. ("tactical play", "strategic play", vs.)
I don't think Kotov's books could possibly be considered lesser known..these are among the most recommended books in chess. I'll go along with the Dvoretsky recommendations completely!
Here's 3 that not many seem to suggest & I've given approximate difficulty ratings for them.
Chess endings: essential knowledge - Y. Averbakh (0-1600)
All the basic endgames & mating patterns covered in simple terms even I can understand. A lean classic that everone can learn from
A first book of Morphy - F Del Rosario (1400+)
Think Logical chess: move by move for the attacking gambit player. Thoughtful analysis of 60 of Morphy's games categorised into themes such as "don't sacrifice without a clear & adequate reason".
Some knowledge is assumed.
Learn chess tactics - J Nunn (0-1800)
Nunn's approach is the time honoured definition/basic examples/harder examples then tests with a gentle learning curve.
The more important or common the theme, the more tests at the end of each section.
What makes the book better than Winning chess tactics in my opinion is that all the examples are from recentish games & also the lack of waffle.
66 random themed exercises round-off a superb effort, with the solutions which also have much clearer explanations than those in Sierawan's book.
Three Steps to Chess Mastery by A S Suetin. The edition I have is a translation by Kenneth Neat published by Pergamon Press in 1982. It contains lots of ideas of how to work on your game in a pre-computer age.
The search for chess perfection,CJS Purdy
The chess analyst,Jon Edwards
How to become a dealy chess tactician,David LeMoir
Essential chess sacrifices,David LeMoir
No classics,except maybe for Purdy's book,but they ought to be 😉
I have to add Peter Romanovsky's "Chess Middlegame Planning". I am loving this book. It's so clear, and not bogged down by reams of variations as some (ie. Nunn's) books tend to be.
In reading this book, suddenly moves acquire a purpose, and not just a tactical purpose but a clear positional purpose. Simply brilliant. Highly recommended.
Originally posted by synesis Yeah, but Dvorestky's books are very well known. These days you can hardly read an article, and often even a book without hearing his name mentioned.
I was hoping to get suggestions of books that are obscure, but are every bit as good as those which are very well known and loved.
The Art Of The Checkmate By renaud and Khan is a true classic. I brush up on a chapter of this book every few weeks.
I doubt there's been a finer book written on attacking chess and mating patterns.
However, you really neeed to play a few games for any book to have an effect!
Originally posted by synesis I have to add Peter Romanovsky's "Chess Middlegame Planning". I am loving this book. It's so clear, and not bogged down by reams of variations as some (ie. Nunn's) books tend to be.
In reading this book, suddenly moves acquire a purpose, and not just a tactical purpose but a clear positional purpose. Simply brilliant. Highly recommended.
Thanks. i will have to find and read this classic.
Originally posted by zebano Best lessons of a Chess Coach by Sunil Weeramantry (Nakamura's stepfather).
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Lessons-Chess-Coach/dp/0812922654
I second this recommendation. This is a really fine book.
Originally posted by synesis I second this recommendation. This is a really fine book.
Actually, While I love the book as a whole, the quality varies from chapter to chapter. I firmly believe that the chapter on color complexes should be required reading 😵
Lesser known classics
04 Aug '07 20:332 edits
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