The single best book for beginners?

I'm a math Ph.D student, and want to be able to enjoy playing chess. Now I only know the game rules, nothing else. I have 3 months of free time during the summer, and I want to buy a good chess book and learn by myself. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks!

From what I hear Yasser Seirawan's "Winning Chess..." series is very nice.

I think these books are all in that series

Winning Chess Tactics
Winning Chess Openings
Winning Chess Endings
Etc.

An amazon search for Seirawan should probably bring up the entire series.

Originally posted by cmsMaster
From what I hear Yasser Seirawan's "Winning Chess..." series is very nice.

I think these books are all in that series

Winning Chess Tactics
Winning Chess Openings
Winning Chess Endings
Etc.

An amazon search for Seirawan should probably bring up the entire series.

You might also just go to the library, they seem to have a good selection which includes Yasser's. Are you going to get married after the summer Morphy?

You have to know a little chess history if you wish to understand the last part.

chernev: logical chess move by move.

33 classical games explained move by move, from the first move to the last one. very clear, to the point and never assumes anything.

Originally posted by wormwood
chernev: logical chess move by move.

33 classical games explained move by move, from the first move to the last one. very clear, to the point and never assumes anything.

YES! That happens to be one of the books I took out, and the one I like best!
Every move is explained with variations. Most of the games, at least the first few, are only around 20 moves long so it is quick and not so boring to go through.

Originally posted by wormwood
chernev: logical chess move by move.

33 classical games explained move by move, from the first move to the last one. very clear, to the point and never assumes anything.

I would get this book for sure. That will help with all the phases of the game, but I also recommend CT-ART 3.0 (software) or Reinfelds 1001 Winning Chess Combinations and Sacrifices (that might not be the exact title). The last two suggestions will help with finding tactics and calculating variations more than Chernev's book.

Thank you for your recommendations. I've ordered "Logical Chess" by Irving Chernev and "Play Winning Chess" by Yasser Seirawan from amazon. Hope they'll provide me a joyful chess learning experience in the summer. Thanks again for your help!