Definitely agree with recommending Neil McDonald as an author, even though I've never read any of his books of this type.

I have a couple of his opening books, and I like the way he explains the ideas, not just the moves and variations. And he doesn't just stop with the openings - he shows the entire games, so readers can get a feel for the types of middle games and endgames that tend to come from those openings. Definitely the appropriate level of opening study for a patzer like me, though probably not in depth enough for the regulars here.

kylemeister wrote on 12/24/20 at 22:51:04:

There is also a full three-volume edition called Complete Chess Strategy 1-3. But they were published in the 70s, so may not be easy to get hold of now. I picked them up used a few years ago.


dfan wrote on 12/24/20 at 16:29:10:

Good recommendations. Neil McDonald really is underrated as a modern instructional writer. Maybe that's because he's written so many books and is better known for his opening work, but he really has a knack for clear writing on strategy at the right level for the intended audience (usually improvers and/or club players).

I admit I have only dipped into these books and borrowed some examples here and there for lessons. but based on what I've seen I have no qualms about recommending other similar books by McDonald:

The Art of Planning in Chess
Break The Rules!
Your Chess Battle Plan

Jupp53 wrote on 12/24/20 at 21:30:30:

This must be the one that's called Chess Strategy for Club Players in English.

Ludek Pachman wrote a three book series about strategy. I don't know the english title. These are great games and they bring you on top to the wisdom of the 50th. This may sound first like a bad joke. It isn't. Going on from that there are Kasparov's books about the development in the 70th and later the controversy between Watson and Aagaard about rules and exceptions.

Hermann Grooten - Schachstrategie für Vereinsspieler is no games collection. It is published in english too and has many complete games. So maybe a look into it to decide what you want to study is worth the time spent.

Bibs wrote on 12/24/20 at 04:10:04:


This may be my favorite review ever.

While focused on an individual player, "Capablanca's Best Chess Endings" by Chernev is a book of complete games, but focusing specifically on those with the best endgames.

Thank you! It looks good.

Appreciated,

Andrew

Greetings & Happy Thanksgiving (early),

Recently, I was able to pick up two books that might be over my head in some ways but were too good a deal to pass up. They were: "Test of Time," and "Sorcerer's Apprentice." $800+ on Amazon but both were had at <$30 each & shipped via E-Bay and in excellent used shape. (Interestingly, both from chess clubs divesting themselves of their libraries it seems ). Anyway, it seems a lot of "great games" books by famous player "X" are kind of a historical list of the ones they liked best or were best remembered for. I wanted to ask the forum this:

Are there books on great games that deal with themes instead of a individual? Tactics is my main study right now so I could give a wished-for example; "Greatest Tacticians of Chess: See how Fischer, Tal, Bronstein and Others Found Their Greatest Motifs."

Well, you get the idea. A book(s) that focuses on the different solutions found by past masters to focused topics like tactics, endgame play, etc. One that examines the style of different players when faced with a common problem in OTB play. I admit I am looking towards a future in which I'll be able to properly appreciate and study them, but still,...

TIA,
Andrew