I am seeking the opinions of chess players, coaches and parents. What do you think are some of the MUST HAVE chess instructional books / DVDs out there? It would also be helpful if you can state why you recommend those books / DVDs. Thank you!
– Beginners: …
– Intermediate: …
– Advanced: …
After a few days, I will add my own recommendation. The final list will be published to help other chess parents, coaches and players of all levels. 
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
For Beginners
videos:
“Chess for Children” by David MacEnulty.
“Chess for Beginners” by Susan Polgar (daughter gave one as birthday present yesterday)
PC Software:
“Fritz and Chesster”
“Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess”
For beginners, I found “Attacking Chess” by Josh Waitzkin (the searching-for-bobby-fischer kid) to be surprising on a couple levels. First, it was a great read (how often can you say that about a chess tutorial?) Second, I thought he did a great job introducing me to the basic tools of trade… pins, forks, skewers, etc. I went from “knowing how the pieces move” to seeing and understanding tactical possibilities. Something to build on and making the game instantly more enjoyable. I highly recommend it for beginners.
For intermediate,I like to use Chessmaster 10th Edition to play against.I know the rankings are probaly not that accurate,using it for training seems to work for me.The training segments have also helped me alot.The chess mentor is another great tool for training that I use the deluxe.
Books
Advanced Tactics- Averbakh
Art of Attack – Vukovic
5334 Chess Puzzles,Combinations and games- L.Polgar
How to think like a Grandmaster- Kotov
Winning Chess Tactics -Searwan
Reasses Your Chess Workbook- silman
Hi Susan,
Beginners: “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess”
“Pandolfini’s Ultimate Guide to Chess”
“Logical Chess, Move by Move”
Yasser’s “Winning Chess” series would also probably be fine for ambitious beginners.
I also found the tutorials within the Chessmaster game to be particularly instructive – I still think Josh Waitzkin provides audio commentary.
I haven’t looked at Tarrasch’s “The Game of Chess” but I think Lasker and Capablanca’s writings are pretty good – particularly the latter’s discussion of the endgame in “Chess Fundamentals.”
For Intermediate and Advanced I find game collections to be helpful, coupled with some tactical books:
“Zurich 1953,” “My 60 Mem. Games,” “Morphy’s Games of Chess,” are my favorites. And there are plenty of tactical books to choose from, notably Reinfeld’s “1001” and your father’s “Chess.” I own a copy of Chess Informant’s Anthology of Chess Combinations, which is also a superb collection of tactics, but they are on the challenging side and I only recommend it to advanced players.
If you’re making a list, check out amazon.com and search “chess” under books because many people have already posted similar lists.
-Dev
the most valuable publication to me (*tusk *tusk – advanced player) was
“secrets of modern chess strategy” by John Watson (2002, ISBN 1 901983757 )
Beginner:
“The Amateur’s Mind”, “Reassess Your Chess”, “Reassess Your Chess Workbook” all by Silman. These books opened my eyes to the world of positional chess.
“1001 Ways to Checkmate” by Reinfeld. This is the book I had, but really any book with mates in 2 or 3 or 4 is good.
Intermediate:
“Improve Your Chess Now” by Tisdall. His chapters on “Fabled Tree of Analysis” is very good. The whole book is a must, but this chapter in particular I learned from.
“The Seven Deadly Sins of Chess” by Rowson. Extremely thought-provoking. Even if you don’t understand half the stuff he’s saying you’ll learn a ton. He explains why we make the mistakes we do and what we can do to prevent it from happening again.
Advanced (Whether you’re really good or want a challenge!)
“Endgame Manual” by Dvoretsky. Endgames are a must, and Dvoretsky is always good. The exercises are extremely challenging. However, if this is too difficult, then he has the must-learn basics you simply have to know in blue print.
“Learn from the Legends – Chess Champions at Their Best” by Marin. Marin takes 8 star players (Rubenstein,Alekhine,Botvinnik,Petrosian,Fischer,Tal,Korchnoi) and focuses on some one aspect that they specialized in (for example: Fischer and his “pet bishop”). Marin has a gift for explanation, and loves his subject. Also, he gives a historical background on how he first came across these players before each chapter. This book is a must for any level, and I only put it in advanced for the long pages of variations.
“Chess for Zebras” by Rowson. In some ways an update of “Seven Deadly Sins”. This time, however, the author has gained in playing strength and has had some years to think upon his last book. The third part of the book ponders on white’s first move advantage.
I’d futher recommend rereading all these books at some point. Three months, six months, a year later…doesn’t matter. However, with Silman I’d say after the fourth rereading or so, to not go back. He doesn’t place a great enough emphasis on tactics and calculating ability in my opinion.
Signed,
Seth Homa
As for DVD’s, these are probably for Intermediate/Advanced from Convekta: Chess Art 3.0 (Tactics) and Strategy 2.0.
As for books:
Beginner: Yasser Seirawan’s Books.
Intermediate: C.J.S. Purdy’s books.
Nimzovitch’s My System
Advanced: My 60 memorable Games by Bobby Fischer.
Tactics for Advanced Players for Tactics for intermediate/advanced.
Beginner:
Chernev, _Logical Chess, Move By Move_
Lasker, _Chess Strategy_ (intermediate too)
Reinfeld, _1001 Combinations_
Intermediate:
Silman, _Reassess your chess_ / _the Amateur’s Mind_
Advanced:
Rowson, _Chess for Zebras_ / _7 Deadly Chess Sins_
Alburt, _Chess Tactics for the Tournament Player_
Any good book of annotated games
I had an interesting thought while picking up Silman’s _Amateur’s Mind_ recently. I think this is a fine book for the intermediate player, but a terrible book for an advanced player. It is very mechanical, very diadactic, yet appropriate for an intermediate player who needs to learn the mechanics of positional play.
An advanced player would learn more from Rowson’s psychological rambings — play dynamically yet with purpose; be flexible and practical and realistic. It’s at this level that moves are justified on the board, not by guidelines. That’s why I would recommend annotated games and books about thinking over books about themes.
I feel like the better I get, the more that annotated grandmaster games are the material that will help me play better.
Kasparov’s The Queens gambit, is also good for inermediate, and advanced players. As one gets better, you start playing all good openings, and defences.
PC software for beginners
My kids (now 4, 7 and 10) have all enjoyed and benifited from:
Chessmaster 10th edition. Working your way up through the first couple dozen “personalities” really teaches the kids to eliminate the most egregious blunders and capitalize on obvious mistakes by their opponents. And really this alone should get most kids up to ~800.
Fritz & Chesster 2: for kids that know anything about chess at all, this seems to be far more useful and relevant than its predecessor. Includes exercises on mating motifs, “rule of the square”, some simple openings, removing the guard and other tactics.
Chess Tactics for Beginners, from Convekta. Easy to use for kids, but they get pretty tricky pretty quickly.
Videos:
My 4 year old is addicted to
“Susan Polgar’s winning chess the easy way, volume 3, essential chess tactics” to the point that he can quote from it verbatim. He correctly labels and identifies tactics and opportunities in his own games.
Intermediate:
The book: 303 Tactical Chess Puzzles by Fred Wilson and Bruce Albertson. With 100 puzzles each in the “beginner”, “intermediate” or “advance” categories, this was the book that help me make the connection between simply finding tactics, and creating tactics (e.g., forcing the queen into a forking opportunity).
I almost hesitate to add this last one, but currently my kids all love the PC program, “Majestic Chess”. I’m not sure how much chess they’re learning, but the graphics are wonderful, and they all enjoy it.
Gotta have what Gata had when he was a brat.
for beginners Reinfelds 1001 brilliant
sacrifices and combinations and 1001 brilliant ways to checkmate. and fundamentals of chess endings.
intermediate. euwes middlegame books 1 and 2. my system nimzowitch
advanced…… i haven’t advanced that far yet
For beginners and intermediates, you need only look at NM Dan Heisman’s website for a thorough listing.
http://www.danheisman.com
As one of his students, I’d have to say that books that fill gaps and voids in one’s chess development and help identify deficiencies are a million times more important that books that merely add to one’s chess knowledge or “attempt” to flood somebody with excess information.
There should be no difference between beginners and advanced. Present advanced concepts early and constantly and eventually they will be learned.
Here’s how I’d break the categories up:
1. Tactics:
1001 Winning sacrafices and combinations – Reinfeld
2. Strategy:
How to Reassess your Chess – Silman. (If you havent read this book you are probably playing checkers)
Reassess your chess workbook (Silman)
Another great book that presents ‘what is the best move’, not ‘white to play and mate in 4 using a bishop pin then a knight fork’.
That and analyze with a strong player but if you have no strong player see what a chess computer recommends and figure out why it recommends that move.
For beginning players I suggest C.J.S. Purdy’s Guide To Good Chess vol. 1. Also, the classic book, The Ideas behind the Chess Openings
by GM Rueben Fine is a must for any club player who wants to advance. Plus, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess belongs in anybody’s chess library. Why is Chess literature so beautiful?
A great book for intermediate players is 40 Lessons for the Club Player by Kostyev. We also use Winning Chess Excercises for Kids by Coakley and Susan’s new book Chess Tactics for Champions.
Congratulations on being named chessgames.com player of the day for June 2 2006!
Your First Move by Alexey Sokolsky, for beginners and intermediate
“Congratulations on being named chessgames.com player of the day for June 2 2006!”
That’s a good joke!
The best all-in-one series that takes a player from beginner to master is the Comprehensive Chess Course Series authored by GM Lev Alburt, called “the grandmaster of all teacher,” and GM Sam Palatnik. This series brings the student the once strictly guarded and time-tested Russian chess training methods, the key to their 50-year dominance of the chess world:
Volume 1: Learn Chess in 12 Lessons
Volume 2: From Beginner to Tournament Player
Volume 3: Chess Tactics for the Tournament Player
Volume 4: The King in Jeopardy
Volume 5: Chess Strategy for the Tournament Player
Volume 6: Chess Training Pocketbook
Sure, software and playing OTB is helpful. Other collections might stress position and combination recognition, but what really separates the master is his or her ability at “putting it all together” from opening through middle-game and end-game. To this end, this set is consistent from beginning to end, unlike putting together a training program piecemeal based upon the mindsets and instructional tendancies of different authors.
The books/software that have helped me the most are:
Strategy:
– Silman’s Reassess your chess
– Botvinnik’s 100 selected games
– Dvoretsky School of chess excellence 3
Endgame:
– Dvoretsky’s endgame manual
– Pandolfini’s Endgame
– Alburt’s “Just the Facts”
Tactics:
– CT Art and Tactics for intermediate player software
Middle game & overall:
– Alekhine’s best games of chess
– Fischer’s 60 memorable games
– Kasparov’s “my great predecessors”
– Logical chess
– Euwe’s – Road to chess mastery