1. Subscriberptobler
    Patzer
    Canberra
    Joined
    16 Oct '06
    Moves
    12006
    10 Jul '13 04:05
    The Everyman "Starting Out" series is good to start with, or some chess move by move books, or those opening books which follow a tree format (with branches and leaves for the various moves - as long as they also provide some text to help you understand the opening, maybe)
  2. Standard memberChessPraxis
    Cowboy From Hell
    American West
    Joined
    19 Apr '10
    Moves
    55013
    10 Jul '13 04:24
    Originally posted by JBru223
    Played my whole life but just for fun. Never studied chess. Now I want to get better. The first book I should read is...?
    Some version of official rules for chess. 🙂
  3. Standard memberJRoma
    Wannabe Theoretician
    Kansas City
    Joined
    08 Jul '13
    Moves
    10798
    10 Jul '13 07:55
    Chess Fundamentals by Capablanca.
  4. Joined
    10 Apr '13
    Moves
    213
    11 Jul '13 18:31
    Maybe slightly off-topic, but you can read and learn a lot for free at Chess Cafe. Plenty of good articles, and of course, book reviews...
  5. SubscriberPaul Leggett
    Chess Librarian
    The Stacks
    Joined
    21 Aug '09
    Moves
    113547
    11 Jul '13 21:42
    Originally posted by imbalances
    Maybe slightly off-topic, but you can read and learn a lot for free at Chess Cafe. Plenty of good articles, and of course, book reviews...
    I second this. A huge collection of excellent articles, written by great instructors.
  6. e4
    Joined
    06 May '08
    Moves
    42492
    12 Jul '13 16:04
    "The first book I should buy is..."

    A tube of glue.

    Glue down the pawns a2-c2 and f2-h2 so you cannot move them.


    Always amazes me that players can toss the names of books about without
    seeing the strength of the player they are tossing them to.

    The book you need is Improve Your Chess by Fred Reinfeld.
    ISBN 0 571 09393 0

    It shows the 9 most common mistakes made by inexperienced players.
    In the last game you finished on here you broke 6 of them.
    (If the game had lasted more than 15 moves I'm pretty you would have
    bagged all nine.)

    Look at my White games under 25 moves.
    Click the button so you can see the final position.
    You will see how often I end up with the above pawn formation.
    And 95% of the time I am castled.
    Only the d and e-pawns need be moved in the opening.

    Leave the other pawns alone - don't touch them.
    You want three good resons to move any other pawn, if you cannot find
    three good reasons then leave it where it is.

    This is called thinking before you move, it's a secret mysterious trick good players use.

    JBru223 - Jaroslavgeo RHP July 2013

  7. Joined
    02 May '09
    Moves
    6860
    12 Jul '13 17:09
    Openings for Juniors , John walker ,it has a one page explanation for most openings , look up the gambits , just enjoy your self .I must admit it hasn't done my rating any good , more me than the book.
  8. Joined
    12 Jul '08
    Moves
    13814
    12 Jul '13 19:51
    Greenpawn,

    I was reminded of something that I read in a book by Purdy, he said to play chess with your pieces. After that, I quit making so many pawn moves.
  9. e4
    Joined
    06 May '08
    Moves
    42492
    13 Jul '13 02:04
    I got a nice PM from JB thanking me.

    It does look a bit harsh, but you know me, I tell it how I see it.

    I have learned you must cure 'Pawn Move Measles' right from the off
    and a wee pat on the head and better luck next time does not work.

    How do good players beat weaker players.
    Usually they do nothing but simply develop and wait for the pawn moves to appear.
    Then they jump in all the holes these pawn moves have created.

    Experienced players know when to and when not to move a pawn and
    even then they sometimes get it wrong.
    Handle them with care, they cannot move backwards.
  10. Joined
    12 Jul '08
    Moves
    13814
    14 Jul '13 19:12
    I was reading my Purdy book last night and came across something that again agrees with your glue theory Greenpawn (at least in a way). According to Purdy the purpose of advancing your central pawns is to open files for your rooks. He then notes that most people don't understand this fact and that he believed that simply having central pawns in the middle of the board is a bit over rated.

    He went on to say that if you try to find a place for your rooks, you will be doing well. This is because as you find good squares for your rook, you will naturally find good places for your bishop and knights.

    Stean taught me that a good place for your rook is an open file that will allow your to penetrate your opponent's side of the board with the rook. The central files will usually be good bets since the king is usually castled away to safety, which means also unable to protect a central file from an enemy rook taking up residence on the 7th rank (or 2nd if you are black).
  11. e4
    Joined
    06 May '08
    Moves
    42492
    14 Jul '13 19:32
    Hi Eladar

    It's not a theory. It's been known since Philidor that pawns and the
    weakness's they create when they move are to be avoided unless you
    have decided that the plus points out weighs the negative.

    "You gotta give squares to get squares." Fischer.

    Even If your middle game decision is wrong. The fact you have considered
    the holes a pawn moves creates before moving it puts you further up the
    ladder than the average player.

    You can trace your loss to a silly pawn move instead of sitting there
    wondering where you went wrong.
  12. Joined
    12 Jul '08
    Moves
    13814
    14 Jul '13 19:53
    I was commenting on the other part of what you wrote. If you don't move your pawns, you must move other pieces. 😀

    I think I first ran into the idea that every pawn move is a weakening move by watching a youtube of the Romanlab dvd on pawns.
  13. SubscriberRooksandHooks
    rookorbycrook
    Solihull
    Joined
    21 Nov '11
    Moves
    166761
    14 Jul '13 21:05
    thankyou greenpawn looked online got a nice pdf copy i'll enjoy reading this regards ian aka rookorbycrook

    http://www.mediafire.com/download/5zdnnvly905ts6u/I.+A.+Horowitz+%26+F.+Reinfeld+-+How+to+Improve+Your+Chess.pdf
  14. Standard memberRJHinds
    The Near Genius
    Fort Gordon
    Joined
    24 Jan '11
    Moves
    13644
    14 Jul '13 22:221 edit
    Originally posted by rookorbycrook
    thankyou greenpawn looked online got a nice pdf copy i'll enjoy reading this regards ian aka rookorbycrook

    http://www.mediafire.com/download/5zdnnvly905ts6u/I.+A.+Horowitz+%26+F.+Reinfeld+-+How+to+Improve+Your+Chess.pdf
    AL HOROWITZ was a good chess teacher and in the US Chess Hall Of Fame. I don't have that one he wrote with Fred Renfield, but the Chess Self-Teacher that I recommended earlier for beginners is very good.

    http://www.worldchesshof.org/hall-of-fame/us-chess/al-horowitz/

    The Instructor
Back to Top

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.I Agree