I have just acquired these 4 books. Please tell me which you think would be most helpful to a player rated 1300.
Tactics books alone are not doing it. I need some guidance on which move is best and why - with each move in the game explained.
The 4 books are:
1- Logical Chess Move by Move - Chernev
2- Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking- Neil McDonald
3-Chess Master vs Chess Amateur - Euwe
4-Best Lessons of a Chess Coach - Weeramantry
Which of these would you begin with (especially for strategy), or instead of going through each whole book at a time, would you take the first chapter of each and then move on to the next?
How would you approach these 4 books?
"Tactics - tactics - tactics" is fine, but I needing more than that.
Thanks for your input.
grit
Originally posted by gritPersonally, I think the McDonald book is the best place to start.
I have just acquired these 4 books. Please tell me which you think would be most helpful to a player rated 1300.
Tactics books alone are not doing it. I need some guidance on which move is best and why - with each move in the game explained.
The 4 books are:
1- Logical Chess Move by Move - Chernev
2- Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking- Neil McDonald ...[text shortened]... - tactics - tactics" is fine, but I needing more than that.
Thanks for your input.
grit
I'm sure many people would recommend the Chernev book as a good starting point, but he tends to put a positive spin on the winner's moves and a negative spin on the loser's moves, even if the particular move he is commenting upon had nothing to do with the result of the game.
For a perfect example, look at the comments leading to and after Black's 3rd move in game 3 and game 8. One would be led to think that Black is making positional errors in the first, but making strong strategic moves in the second, BUT AFTER 3 MOVES THE POSITION IS EXACTLY THE SAME. The guy meant well, and he was certainly better than most of us, but some of the stuff he wrote is just dubious.
John Nunn elaborates on this idea in his Grandmaster Chess Move by Move, where he acknowledges the soundness of Chernev's approach even as he identifies some of his annotative miscues.
I do not own the other two books, but they I have read very positive reviews of them.
Paul
Hi
1- Logical Chess Move by Move - Chernev
2- Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking- Neil McDonald
3-Chess Master vs Chess Amateur - Euwe
Read all three (reviewed McDonald's book when it first came out - thumbs up).
All three are good. reading & studying any of them will improve your
understanding of the game. Not read the 4th. so cannot comment.
Use the power of one. Take one book and finish it then move to the next.
I didn't do this and now a few years (and many chess book purchases) down the line...I am
finally going through "Logical Chess Move by Move" and it's worth it.
No need to worry about the odd errata - the principles are all sound and few of the old books
stand up 100% to modern computer analysis.
I know some chess books are more for reference but both McDonalds and Chernevs are books
you can work through and GP's suggested reading order is good.
Originally posted by heinzkatI agree, Chernevs was the first book i read and is the only book i've read cover to cover. It will familiarise you with terms and thematic ideas that lots of books simply presume you already know. The games he uses are excellent as well, he chooses uncomplicated games where the winner has selected a plan and excecuted it without deviation.
From what I hear, you'll need to start off with Chernev. I liked the Dutch version of Euwe's book quite a lot but I'm not sure if it would be beneficial to you (he's quite laconic and condescending towards the "amateur"😉.
'My System' by Aaron Nimzowitsch is probably the most celebrated beginners book. There isn't a Grandmaster alive who hasn't studied that book. Some of the examples in it have been proven to be incorrect but if you're looking for a good guide to the game of chess you'll struggle to find better. 😉
I have 3 of those lying around. Chernev's was one of my first reads. I think it's well worth going through. Euwe's is in old notation and so I found that too be rather annoying. Weeramantry's book is a little bit more advanced since the games are largely modern chess. I haven't read McDonald's but people speak well of it.
At 1300 Chernev's book might be a little better since the games are older and the games will have a character easier to understand.
Thanks to all of you who responded to my question. I now wish I could read all 4 books at once! But that is not possible.
I am leaning toward first reading (with my chess board) Lessons of a Chess Coach. Somehow that seems to speak to me. And then I have Chernev right by me to read next.
The other 2 will have to wait.
Thanks to all of you. What do you think of my decision?
grit