Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Chess Books (Read 7510 times)
Willempie
God Member
*****
Offline


I love ChessPublishing
.com!

Posts: 4312
Location: Holland
Joined: 01/07/05
Re: Chess Books
Reply #14 - 02/14/05 at 08:26:05
Post Tools
My problem with Nunn's book is that when he gets into detail he doesnt mention other alternatives, but only the moves which would be considered by GMs. For example in the Kasparov-Karpov game (I dont have the exact move) where Kasparov sacrifices he doesnt mention reasonable looking alternatives for black. It may very well be that they can be dismissed easily, but it would have been nice to mention that.
Basically my main quible is that his comments seem to be targeted at people like me, but a lot of his analysis seems to be targeted at IM-GM level, especially when it is about combinations.
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
lnn2
God Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 1504
Location: nc
Joined: 09/22/04
Re: Chess Books
Reply #13 - 02/14/05 at 08:01:48
Post Tools
Quote:
This one looks very interesting:
The art of logical thinking. A review here
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_collection/ba_chess_the_art_of_logical_thinking...

Anyone else have read it?


I browsed through it at the bookstore. It's decent, but Nunn's Understanding Chess Move by Move is better in explanation/analysis, bigger in size, and cheaper to boot. I also felt sometimes that Neil's comments were irrelevant and simplistic... a feeling I didn't get when reading Nunn's book. Then again perhaps i'm not neil's target audience?  ??? One reason why Nunn's book is good is that it can appeal to a wide range of players.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Willempie
God Member
*****
Offline


I love ChessPublishing
.com!

Posts: 4312
Location: Holland
Joined: 01/07/05
Re: Chess Books
Reply #12 - 02/14/05 at 04:16:43
Post Tools
This one looks very interesting:
The art of logical thinking. A review here
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_collection/ba_chess_the_art_of_logical_thinking...

Anyone else have read it?
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
alumbrado
God Member
*****
Offline


Esse quam videri bonus
malebo

Posts: 1418
Location: London
Joined: 02/17/03
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #11 - 01/31/05 at 07:38:38
Post Tools
There is the older Michael Stean book, also called Simple Chess - again, a slim volume, but a little gem, imho
  

If sometimes we fly too close to the sun, at least this shows we are spreading our wings.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
HgMan
God Member
*****
Offline


Demand me nothing: What
you know, you know

Posts: 2330
Location: Up on Cripple Creek
Joined: 11/09/04
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #10 - 01/30/05 at 09:01:59
Post Tools
It would have been nice to have them combined into one volume.  Simple Chess is rather simple and I do prefer More Simple Chess, but the second does build off the first.  I would recommend Simple Chess as a first book on positional themes.
  

"Luck favours the prepared mind."  --Louis Pasteur
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
lnn2
God Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 1504
Location: nc
Joined: 09/22/04
Re: Chess Books
Reply #9 - 01/29/05 at 23:29:58
Post Tools
Having browsed through both at the store, I agree about More Simple Chess. But Simple Chess seems a little... too simple to me! Nevertheless I can recommend both to average club players. My only concern is for the price-to-page ratio, if only those two books were combined as one!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
HgMan
God Member
*****
Offline


Demand me nothing: What
you know, you know

Posts: 2330
Location: Up on Cripple Creek
Joined: 11/09/04
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #8 - 01/29/05 at 12:05:23
Post Tools
I was pleasantly surprised by John Emms's Simple Chess and More Simple Chess.  They're thin volumes, but they provide some nice and clear explanations for the kinds of positional factors that are often over novice and intermediate players' heads.  Well worth a look in conjunction with Chernev's Logical Chess Move by Move--or, indeed, Nunn's book, though I would begin with Chernev.  For a good historical perspective on the development of chess, Max Euwe & John Nunn's The Development of Chess Style does a good job of describing how ideas of chess have evolved.  Very instructive.
  

"Luck favours the prepared mind."  --Louis Pasteur
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Benoni
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline


I love ChessPublishing
.com!

Posts: 5
Location: Irvine
Joined: 01/08/05
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #7 - 01/29/05 at 11:53:54
Post Tools
I have no hesitation in recommending John Nunn's "Understanding Chess Move by Move".  It is probably the best chess book I have read.  Nunn uses dialogue to explain positions thereby minimising the use of deep variations.  It is particularly useful if you want to read a chess book without a board to hand.  All <2000 elo players should find nuggets of wisdom in these pages.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
The King
Full Member
***
Offline


Give me convenience or
give me death

Posts: 173
Location: Dublin
Joined: 01/08/05
Re: Chess Books
Reply #6 - 01/11/05 at 10:42:02
Post Tools
I think Logical Chess Move by Move by Irving Chernev would be a good place to start.  It's a long time since I looked at it, but it has about 30 or 40 games with verbal explanations after every move!

After this you could look at John Nunn's book Understanding chess move by move.  This is similiar to the above but on a much higher level.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
MNb
God Member
*****
Offline


Rudolf Spielmann forever

Posts: 10780
Location: Moengo
Joined: 01/05/04
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #5 - 11/12/04 at 18:31:21
Post Tools
If you want verbal explanation on sacrifices, without long and deep analysis: Richtig Opfern by Rudolf Spielmann or the English Translation The art of sacrifice. It gives you confidence to give up some material for concrete compensation.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
AmateurDragoneer
Senior Member
****
Offline



Posts: 387
Location: NY
Joined: 06/17/03
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #4 - 11/12/04 at 17:53:15
Post Tools
If you're looking for just general understanding of how to analyze a chess position, Jeremy Silman's "The Amateur's Mind" and "How to Reassess Your Chess" are the best things out there if you're rated under 2000.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Voprak
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline


I love ChessPublishing
!

Posts: 41
Location: Adams
Joined: 01/29/03
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #3 - 11/12/04 at 17:40:50
Post Tools
James,
Zurich  1953 International Tournament 
   by: Bronstein
is excellent!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
HgMan
God Member
*****
Offline


Demand me nothing: What
you know, you know

Posts: 2330
Location: Up on Cripple Creek
Joined: 11/09/04
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #2 - 11/12/04 at 14:38:11
Post Tools
Also the old chess manuals--Nimzowitsch, Lasker, Staunton...
  

"Luck favours the prepared mind."  --Louis Pasteur
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
HgMan
God Member
*****
Offline


Demand me nothing: What
you know, you know

Posts: 2330
Location: Up on Cripple Creek
Joined: 11/09/04
Gender: Male
Re: Chess Books
Reply #1 - 11/12/04 at 14:37:26
Post Tools
If you like attacking chess, Mikhail Tal's games and books are excellent.  Tal's account of his 1960 World Championship match with Botvinnik is one of the best books out there.  He blends personal recollection with ideas--very little endless variations.  His autobiography also does some of this as well.  I would recommend both highly.  Some instruction books can be very good, but I think you're probably better off playing through whole games.
  

"Luck favours the prepared mind."  --Louis Pasteur
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
James Morton
Guest


Chess Books
11/12/04 at 08:17:25
Post Tools
Could you please help me find a chess book with a lot of verbal explanation, so i can understand what is going on in a given chess position  Roll Eyes. Thanks.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Bookmarks: del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Google+ Linked in reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Yahoo