Chess book recommendations

[smilingbill]

Originally Posted by mightytiny

What in the heck is a hotlink?

Site blocking external linking to pictures on said site, in other words the pictures you attempted to post did not display

[KyleJRM82]

Finished My 60 Memorable Games today. It was a blast.

[leofric]

I don't know how easy some of these might be to get hold of since I haven't played much in the last 15 years or so (got married - had kids!)

Paul Motwani's books H.O.T. Chess, C.O.O.L. Chess and S.T.A.R Chess are all pretty entertaining

I used to have a rule of thumb that Karpov books were better than Kasparov's simply because there was much less "crunching" type analysis and more emphasis on explaining strategic ideas.

Finally some of the older game collection books are usually good. Mainly because players who played 50+ years ago tended to win using a particular strategic theme which these days would be spotted and avoided. I used to have books on Tarrasch, Smyslov and Larsen which were particularly good for this.

[KyleJRM82]

Starting on Kotov's "Think Like a Grandmaster," using the time-honored tradition of going with whatever book someone recommended to me most recently upon finishing the last one.

[mightytiny]

The son (or song) of sorrow. It is a benoni opening book...never seen such a detailed book with a ton of pictures...a please to read on an offbeat opening.

[All-inMcLovin]

I feel that "Think like a Grandmaster" is a bit overrated.

[Mtnracer]

Most helpful: HTRYC
Most stylistically influential: Art of Attack
When I used to study chess like a madman (bobjoejim can attest) I began each morning with a downloaded set of Bobby Fischer's 60 on auto-play running on Winboard while I ate breakfast. GL

[dirty banana2007]

I would strongly recommend How to Reassess your Chess to anyone with a limited experience of the game.

Chess for Tigers by Simon Webb is another classic that i really like.

[Mariogs37]

Hey all,

Total newbie here and also interested in novice books on iBooks or Kindle. I literally know how the pieces move and that's basically it.

Also, in a book like "The Amateur's Mind", are you supposed to be able to go through the algebraic notation and just have a mental picture as you go through it? Seems what the lack of diagrams implies but I can't imagine how people do that...

[wlrs]

The lack of diagrams implies you should use a board (or just skip the parts with no diagrams if you are not using one) Novice books is a tough question, I don't know if there is some book considered clearly the best, especially an iBook/Kindle one. Some novice/beginner books that seem interesting:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-your-C.../dp/1906552010
http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-...dp/1889323233/

[Uitje]

Anyone read Endgame Tactics by Van Perlo? It was recommended to me by a GM, curious whether anyone of you have used it.

[wlrs]

It's a nice book, I have used it more as bedside reading than a learning tool though. I guess it could have learning value as well

[wlrs]

Does anyone have "World's Most Instructive Amateur Game Book" (strange title btw): http://www.mongoosepress.com/index.p...-book&catid=38 Heisman seems to be held in high regard around here so I'd expect that to be good.

edit: the excerpt seems very promising, I knew i was going to like it from the first paragraphs

“Well, Dan,” Howard Stern’s familiar bass voice intoned, “now that I am up to 1000, that’s about it. I just can’t seem to beat those 1100’s.”
“But Howard,” I protested, “you’re just giving them free pieces and they are taking some of them. They are giving you free pieces and you aren’t taking as many of them. If you just stop giving them free pieces and take all of theirs, you will beat them every game!”
“It’s not as easy as that. You’re a good player so you can do that but I’m not so good.”
“You’re right, but basically it’s as easy as that.”

[Cadaz]

Originally Posted by wlrs

I have used it more as bedside reading than a learning tool though.

That's dedication

[wlrs]

can't get sleep unless i read/watch something with the right level of boring