Recommended Chess Books

by NM Dan Heisman (updated 06/09/2009 )

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Links to other pages on my website: Main Chess Page - Dan's Books Page - Articles Page - Award-Winning Novice Nook Columns - Autographed Books

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Quick links to parts of this page: Learning the Rules - Fundamentals - Other Basic Books - Intermediate - Advanced - Silman - Aagaard - Tactics - 2000 Basic Tactics - Game Collections - Instructive Anthologies

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A GOOD CHESS BOOK IS A MATTER OF OPINION. There are thousands and more out each day!  Pick ones that suit your style.  Consider also other media like web pages, CDs, chess videos, chess audios to play in the car, etc.  Below are some recommendations.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE! - If there is a book link on this page, that generally means the book is NOT in general distribution and that link goes to a site where the book is available. If there is no link, then the book is generally available from most chess book sellers, plus Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc.

 

SOURCES: Books are available from the US Chess Federation (1-800-388-KING), Chess Cafe (1-866-301-CAFE), and other chess book sellers. Take my Equipment Link for many more booksellers. Most books can be found at Amazon.com (take the link below to give me referral credit, thanks!):

Read Dan's Novice Nook articles about books: Chess Books and Prerequisites; An Improvement Plan, The Four Homeworks, and Reviewing Chess Games (pdf required)

Books about learning the moves and rules:

• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess– GM Patrick Wolff - Don’t let the title fool you!  This is an excellent book for beginners over the age of 10 (youngsters would have to be helped by an older reader – it written for adult-level readers).  It covers not only how to play, but many of the same tips I give my students.  Good for students up to the 1400 level! The final third of the book is more advanced and can be put away for later (after doing books in Fundamentals) This book is widely distributed.
  

• Chess Workbook for Children - Todd Bardwick - excellent workbook at a young beginner level. (read the Chessville review)

• Winning Chess Puzzles for Kids - Jeff Coakley - I would think that if a youngster went through Bardwick's book and then this one, it would be about as good a start as could be imagined.

• Square One – Bruce Pandolfini – A book to teach young beginners how to play.

• Comprehensive Chess Course, Vol I - GM Lev Alburt - Teaches you how to play with some great basic problems and concepts. Alburt's series is based on the official Soviet training method! Can sometimes be purchased with Vol II.

Fundamentals For students of all ages. The following four books form a great "set" of basics:

• Chess Tactics for Students (Student Edition; 10th anniversary edition) – by John Bain – Recommended for learning motifs (pins, removal of guard, double attacks, back-rank mates, etc.) 
  Notes: 1) This book is NOT widely distributed - quickest is to click on this link and order it directly from Bain 2) In the new edition, problem 180, it is White to move 3) In problem 255 White's King is on h1, not h2!. 
  Guide to using Chess Tactics for Students (Best is to do the book multiple times, so don't write in the book!): 

1) Do not look at anything more than “White to Play” or “Black to Play” – use a 3x5 card to cover up any additional information

2) You do not have to do just 5 problems per section first as Bain suggests. You can go thru the book in any order. Some do it front to back; others cut out the problems and use them like flash cards, etc.

3)  Set a limit of 5-6 minutes per problem the first time thru the book; if you don’t get the answer in your time limit, look it up

4)  Each time thru the book cut the time limit in half so it does not take forever to go thru multiple times. By the 5th time thru the time limit would be about 20 seconds per problem and you can do the entire book in a couple of hours

5) Repeat going thru the book faster and faster until you can get 85%+ within 10-15 seconds

You will be amazed how much this helps your chess.

6) Doing the set gets boring? Make it into a game! Can you get a higher percentage the next time in half the time limit?

=>BONUS! Online websites with basic tactics explained: Predator at the Chessboard or the more advanced, interactive Chess Tactics Server. Here is an email from a student about the Chess Tactics Server: "I've worked nearly 7,000 tactics problems on the [chess.emrald.net] website and have achieved a rating of 1451 max.  This seems to help my tactical vision a great deal. Remember the tournament I've been playing in since August?  The official results are finally on USCF.  My rating went from 1306 --> 1457.  I have you to thank for this.  The training and Novice Nooks have helped tremendously!  Tonight I'm getting my first trophy for first place under 1400 :-)"

• Logical Chess Move by Move - Chernev - A classic which explains each move in excruciating detail! A good first book of annotated games. It is important to read books of games, especially books written just for instruction. (After this, try del Rosario's A First Book of Morphy, The Art of Logical Chess Thinking by McDonald, or Chernev's The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played; see complete list below). This book was widely distributed but apparently recently went out of print.

• Everyone’s Second Chess Book – Heisman – (you can find similar - and much more - improvement advice in my Novice Nook columns!) Board Vision, Tips, Etiquette, Rules, etc. This is the book that has all my recommendations for both beginning and intermediate adults and younger students all rolled into one place!  How to obtain an Autographed copy.

• Winning Chess Strategy for Kids - Coakley - Highly recommended for basic tactics AND strategy- don't be fooled by the "...for Kids". For example, check out the advanced "Steinitzian" concepts on pages 202-204. Also, don't confuse this with the also excellent (and more advanced) 2nd work, "Winning Chess Exercises for Kids" or his newer (and much more basic) "Winning Chess Puzzles for Kids" You can click on this link and order it directly from Canada.

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TACTICS SETS: What makes for a great tactics set to form the basis for all later play? I claim:

1. All of the problems have to be easy enough to eventually be solved on recognition, within reason. They also have to be basic enough to either be single motif, or very easy double motif.         They should be building blocks for more difficult problems.

2. Most of the problems are to win material not checkmate. In chess most games are won by attrition, not checkmates with equal material (what percentage of the games has the reader won with checkmate from a position of even material?). So a problem set that is 75% or more material wins ("X to play and win") and less than 25% checkmates seems about right.

3. Most of the problems are from normal looking positions that may occur frequently in games. No crazy positions; instead lots of problems featuring trapped pieces, removal of the guards, double attacks - normal stuff - not too many queen sacrifices, etc.

Obviously, great sets can come in the form of books, CD's, DVD's, flashcards - the form is not important for content. However, interactive hints, scoring, timing, etc. by software can add effectiveness to any grade of content. Link to books with basic tactics 

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OTHER RECOMMENDED BOOKS:

Basic Books (ratings under 1300 USCF; 1500 ICC standard):

• Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess - Margulies - a programmed study of back rank and related mates; good for studying after Bain's Chess Tactics for Students

• Pandolfini's Endgame Course - Pandolfini - straightforward examples of basic ideas, lots of typos (before reading use online errata list to correct!) but substantial information.

• The Winning Way - Pandolfini (basic opening patterns, traps) - this book is similar to another recommended classic where I learned quite a bit, "Winning Chess Traps" by Irving Chernev

• Comprehensive Chess Course, Vol II - Alburt (Vol I primarily just teaches you how to play) - Youngsters can use this in conjunction with Bain's book for a real good basis for later improvement.

• The Chess Tactics Workbook - Woolum - Somewhat similar to Bain's book but with more problems overall and more mate problems, but less single motif problems.  Some "Board Vision" puzzles at the back! By Chess in Education - Steve Eddin's errata list

• Scholastic Chess Instruction Material - a large set is downloadable from Chessville or Professor Chess

• A First Book of Morphy - Del Rosario - a great beginner game book showing many basic principles via Morphy games.

• Good Problem Books:

  •  Winning Chess Exercises for Kids - Coakley - a 2004 addition to the Bain/Woolum type book. A follow-up to his more basic "Chess Strategy for Kids." Much harder than Bain but even more well-rounded (has defensive  and "best move" problems) than Woolum. Possibly the best "intermediate" book to test your tactics! Over 900 problems! Highly recommended - don't be fooled by the "...for Kids" part of the title. Errata: #87-1: Put White Bishop at d5. #94-8: White King at h1, not g1.

  • Practical Chess Exercises - Cheng - An interesting idea with 600 positions from games where all you know is that there is a best move. It could be the only saving defensive tactic, or play and win, or a positional idea.

  • The Chess Training Pocket Book - Alburt - the 300 most instructive positions needed to get to a rating of 1800.  To get to 1400, I would start with positions 5, 15, 18, 26, 27, 39, 63, 68, 75, 80, 82, 105, 109, 118, 125, 128, 129, 133, 163, 203, 206, 238, 242, 247, 265, 280.

  • Chess Exam and Training Guide - IM Khmelnitsky - 2005 Chess Cafe Book of the Year. A book of excellent test problems; good for taking after doing Alburt's Chess Training Pocket Book. Problems good for all levels of difficulty and not just tactics. 2005 Book of the Year!

  • The Art of the Checkmate - Renaud and Kahn - mostly a great book about checkmate pattern but lots of problems, too.

• Chess Visualization Course, Book 1: General Tactics - Ian Anderson - a book on practicing board vision, counting, and other problems not normally found in other books.

• Rapid Chess Improvement - de la Maza - An expanded version of the popular "400 Points in 400 Days"  article (Parts 1 and 2.) on using tactics to improve your game. For ages 12+.

• Nunn’s Chess Openings (NCO) – John Nunn - Every intermediate can use a one-volume encyclopedia covering all the openings. This 1999 book is up to date and written by Dr. John Nunn, one of the best chess writers today.  Modern Chess Openings-14 is also very good but they are similar so you don't need both. Here is a discount source!

• Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge – Averbach – This small book contains all the basics for chess endgames.

• Practical Chess Endings - Chernev - An excellent collection of endgame problems covering most practical ideas

• Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played – Chernev – a book of games, each with an individual idea – written at a good intermediate level.  Older version is in descriptive notation. A second book with this same idea, if you like this one, is Grandmaster meets Chess Amateur by Davis and Norwood

• 50 Essential Chess Lessons - Giddins - positioned as a more modern, slightly more advanced "Most Instructive Games"!

• The Amateur’s Mind – Silman – Great book goes through many of the faulty thinking processes. Silman's book order recommendation. Need a basis in positional theory as a prerequisite.

• Pawn Power in Chess – Kmoch (or, on a more macro scale, Andrew Soltis’ Pawn Structure Chess) – How to use pawns in chess.  This subject is a must for any serious player. Don't worry about the arcane definitions or the descriptive notation! It's a great book!

• Elements of Positional Evaluation – Heisman – explains some of the most basic ideas underlining how pieces get their value – written for those above age 12.  A CULT Classic. Currently out of print but the fourth edition should be out in 2009.

• The Logical Approach to Chess - Euwe, Blaine, Rumble - similar in some ways to Elements - very logical (!) and somewhat basic, but also lots of good general knowledge/principles for beginner/intermediates. Very underrated.

• The Improving Annotator - Heisman - Teaches you how to annotate your own games and then gives examples as I do this from beginner (rating 1400) up to master. Only electronic copies available - hardcopy sold out (see Dan's book page).

• Improver's It's Your Move - Ward - 50 problems on finding the right plan (a more basic book than the also good and older It's Your Move)

• The Wisest Things ever said about chess - Soltis - 288 principles with examples. Just terrific stuff and very practical.

• Chess Rules of Thumb - Alburt and Lawrence - 230+ Guidelines and principles, but not quite as good as Soltis' Another cute but effective pocket book by Alburt. Well recommended for teenagers and above; not for kids. These ideas are so important they are part of my "Big Five" things you should learn first.

• Inside The Chess Mind - Aagaard - A collection of "think out loud" protocols from players of different levels over 12 positions. A practical de Groot. Good for intermediate and advanced players who want to know how good players think.

• Learn Chess Tactics - Nunn - Superb descriptions of how each tactic works. This can almost be viewed as a successor book to my Back to Basics: Tactics since the problems are on the average much more difficult

• The Art of Planning in Chess - Neil McDonald - even better (and more advanced) than his good anthology The Art of Logical Chess Thinking - the third book in this new series is Chess Success: Planning after the Opening

• How To Reassess Your Chess and the How to Reassess Your Chess Workbook– Jeremy Silman – The books I would recommend after reading Amateur’s Mind.  See Silman's recommendations on book order. The first 52 pages of HTRYC is much more basic than the remainder.

• Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO) –  Five volumes to cover in more detail than NCO; of course, if you play a particular opening, get a book on that opening!

• Understanding Chess Move by Move - Nunn - sort of a modern MUCH more advanced version of Chernev's Logical Chess Move by Move - another good one by Nunn.

• The World’s Greatest Chess Games – Nunn, Burgess, and Emms – The 100 best games of all-time, as analyzed by computer and authors down through the ages - new version has, I believe, 112 games.

• Secrets of Grandmaster Endings – Andrew Soltis – a gem of a book – covers most everything you need to know that is above the Averbach “Essential Knowledge” level

• The Art of Attack – Vukovic – covers advanced attacking techniques, e.g., the classical Bishop Sacrifice.

• Judgement and Planning in Chess –  Euwe - Chess planning is a difficult subject.  This is one of the few advanced books on the subject.

• Thought and Choice in Chess - deGroot (now back in print) - The definitive book analyzing how strong chessplayers think. For how players of all levels think check out my book The Improving Chess Thinker.

• The Seven Deadly Chess Sins - Rowson - a book on thinking - psychological aspects - avoiding time trouble, etc. - The follow up is the similar Chess for Zebras

• Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy - Watson - The most advanced positional book - great.

• Rethinking the Chess Pieces - Soltis - An advanced book about the changing value of the pieces, how to play imbalances, when to trade, etc. Read my award-winning review at Chessville
• How to Choose a Chess Move - Soltis - another good general book, this time on thought process, by the GM
• The Method in Chess - Dorfman - not a well-written book, but some important ideas about planning
• The Advantage in Black and White - Kaufman - Probably the best repertoire book - based on Larry's computer evaluation; helped him win World Senior Championship!
• Transpo Tricks in Chess - Soltis - Some really great practical advice about how to get the most out of many openings. Another Soltis winner.

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Aagaard Book Reading Order (*best of the series)

1) Excelling at Chess

2) Excelling at Chess Calculation

3) Excelling at Technical Chess

4) Excelling at Combinational Play*

5) Excelling at Positional Chess*

6) Practical Chess Defence*

 

I also recommend my two DVDs on the attack from ChessBase.

- IM Jacob Aagaard in an e-mail to Dan 8/18/2006

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• Anthology of Chess Combinations - Matanovic
• Chess Combinations of the World Champions - Tangborn
• Combination Challenge - Hays and Hall
• John Nunn's Chess Puzzle Book - Nunn - each problem checked by computer. - Excellent but very difficult.
• Sharpen Your Tactics - Lein and Archangelsky
• Tactical Chess Training - Shamkovich and Cartier
• Tactical Targets in Chess - Vol I - Pongo
• Test Your Chess IQ, First Challenge - Livshitz

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The 7 tactics books which (together) contain 97% of the ~2,000 basic tactics patterns:

• Chess Tactics for Students - John Bain
• The Chess Tactics Workbook - Al Woolum
• Winning Chess Strategy for Kids - Jeff Coakley
• Back to Basic: Tactics - Dan Heisman
• The Winning Way - Bruce andolfini
• Winning Chess Traps - Irving Chernev
• Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess - Bobby Fischer and Margulies

Need more mating patterns? Throw in "The Art of the Checkmate" by Renaud and Kahn

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