Chess book recommendations - Chess and Board Game Strategy

DaMaGor · 03-08-2009, 08:27 PM

Post chess books which you are reading or have read and think would be helpful to the people here in improving their game, or which are just plain interesting.

My System by Aron Nimzowitsch -- LDO. This book has so much to teach about positional play and is packed full of instructive annotated games.

Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master -- combines a biography of the second world champion with a selection of 102 of his games. The annotation quality is mixed, but the good ones (some by Lasker himself, others by various top players of the time including Tarrasch and Reti) are very good, and the biography sections are interesting in themselves. Out of print, but not terribly expensive to buy used online, and may well be available at your local library or possibly chess club.

**RoundTower** · 03-08-2009, 10:17 PM

I'm working through the Kasparov My Great Predecessors, have "finished" volume 2. I say "finished" because like most good chess books even when you have read everything there is so much more to take in.

Very good books, will give you a sense of the history of the World Chess Championship and the evolution of opening theory/chess theory. Very thorough/good attention to detail on the chess side: I'm not sure how much is Kasparov's own work but there has been a lot of work put into researching the comments of previous annotators.

One of my favourite books of all time: Mikhail Tal's Life and Games of Mikhail Tal. Probably the most interesting style of any of the world champions, and definitely the best writer. Instructive and very entertaining.

swingdoc · 03-08-2009, 11:12 PM

A book I've mentioned before is Michael Stean's Simple Chess. It is so, so good that it should really be required reading alongside Nimzovich, Kotov, etc. Plus it's small, cheap and super easy to read through. I know strong players who read through this before every major tournament.

Dire · 03-09-2009, 01:33 AM

Zurich 1953 by David Bronstein. It goes over every single game from the Zurich 1953 tournament, which was the strongest tournament ever played at the time. The thing that makes it a jewel is Bronstein's insight and casual language used to bring down extremely sophisticated play to a level that anybody can understand.

bigpooch · 03-09-2009, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoundTower

I'm working through the Kasparov My Great Predecessors, have "finished" volume 2. I say "finished" because like most good chess books even when you have read everything there is so much more to take in.

Very good books, will give you a sense of the history of the World Chess Championship and the evolution of opening theory/chess theory. Very thorough/good attention to detail on the chess side: I'm not sure how much is Kasparov's own work but there has been a lot of work put into researching the comments of previous annotators.

One of my favourite books of all time: Mikhail Tal's Life and Games of Mikhail Tal. Probably the most interesting style of any of the world champions, and definitely the best writer. Instructive and very entertaining.

Kasparov's My Great Predecessors is an excellent collection of books,
but as stated, it takes a lot of time to go through every game (unless you're
Anand!).

garcia1000 · 03-31-2009, 01:15 PM

I just finished reading How to Reassess your Chess. Compared to a similar book I previously read, Winning Chess Strategies, I would say this book is superior, but maybe at a more advanced level.

Don't read this until your tactics are pretty sweet, though! This means never walking into one-move forks or skewers in slower time controls. And not leaving pieces en prise, that goes without saying.

lastcardcharlie · 03-31-2009, 01:24 PM

I'm rubbish at Chess (BCF 134 six years ago) so I have little idea what's good to learn from. However, Reti's Modern Ideas in Chess is unlike any other Chess book I've seen and quite a few great players have recommended it, I think.

RolldUpTrips · 04-01-2009, 06:04 AM

Understanding Chess Move by Move by Nunn is great IMO...On the Attack by I believe Timman I like a lot...also I like what I've read of the Winning Chess series

thunderchicken · 04-01-2009, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garcia1000

I just finished reading How to Reassess your Chess. Compared to a similar book I previously read, Winning Chess Strategies, I would say this book is superior, but maybe at a more advanced level.

Don't read this until your tactics are pretty sweet, though! This means never walking into one-move forks or skewers in slower time controls. And not leaving pieces en prise, that goes without saying.

Thumbs up For Reassess your chess.

swingdoc · 04-01-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garcia1000

I just finished reading How to Reassess your Chess. Compared to a similar book I previously read, Winning Chess Strategies, I would say this book is superior, but maybe at a more advanced level.

Don't read this until your tactics are pretty sweet, though! This means never walking into one-move forks or skewers in slower time controls. And not leaving pieces en prise, that goes without saying.

The best thing about RYC is that it is good enough to be read multiple times. I've read it probably 4 times now, all at least 1 year apart, and gotten something new out of it each time. What was initially terribly confusing became simple or obvious as I got stronger. It's okay if you don't completely understand everything. Take whatever you can from it and come back a little later.

En Passant · 04-01-2009, 04:16 PM

RYC is my favorite book. Not only does it teach you what to look for when examining a position, but also how to go about doing so.

**RoundTower** · 04-01-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swingdoc

The best thing about RYC is that it is good enough to be read multiple times. I've read it probably 4 times now, all at least 1 year apart, and gotten something new out of it each time. What was initially terribly confusing became simple or obvious as I got stronger. It's okay if you don't completely understand everything. Take whatever you can from it and come back a little later.

yeah I definitely wish I didn't lend that book to someone, or at least that I got it back, or at least that I remembered who I lent it to.

**BobJoeJim** · 04-01-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoundTower

yeah I definitely wish I didn't lend that book to someone, or at least that I got it back, or at least that I remembered who I lent it to.

This, except that I do remember who I lent it to but it would be massively bad form to ask for it back right now.

JayTeeMe · 04-01-2009, 10:45 PM

I like Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur. First book I ever read. Also, Silman's endgame book and "The Amateur's Mind" are great.

swingdoc · 04-01-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobJoeJim

This, except that I do remember who I lent it to but it would be massively bad form to ask for it back right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoundTower

yeah I definitely wish I didn't lend that book to someone, or at least that I got it back, or at least that I remembered who I lent it to.

Hmm, this probably explains why I inexplicably have 5 or 6 copies of this book. Wormhole to my bookcase I guess.