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Chess related: Chess reading
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scrname 28-Mar-12, 17:07 |
 Chess readingbetween. |
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A good and cheap start for chess books 1) Better Chess for Average Players by Tim Harding an excellent and readable book and cheap with many diagrams. 2) Better Chess by William Hartston 75 bit sized lessons to improve your chess, another underrated one that no one talks about 3) Simple Chess by Michael Stean an excellent short book about positional chess and short and to the point 4) Understanding Chess Tactics by Martin Weteschnik a great book about tactics with lots of diagrams so no board is needed. All of these books are good and instructional and a pleasure to read. Chess players are famous for collecting books and never reading them like....oh never mind... |
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baronderkilt 28-Mar-12, 20:56 |
Depends .... **************** |
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I really liked |
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rockall 29-Mar-12, 17:50 |
My suggestions middle game, endgame, tactics and strategy --for a player with a GK rating at 1225. I suggest: Logical Chess, Move by Move. by Irving Chernev. and The Game of Chess by Siegbert Tarrasch There is a new edition for both of these that gives the moves in Algebraic notation. But I looked at a couple of your games, and my real suggestion for the best way to improve your rating in the fastest time, and with the most fun, is to study tactics, tactics, and more tactics. Play through simple 2 and 3 move tactical exercises again and again until you recognize the solution immediately. Its not enough to be able to work it out; you need to be able to recognize the patterns. It's like learning your ABC's. Improvement is guaranteed. It's something I still work on. I do exercises 15 to 30 minutes per day. Drill, drill, drill -with flash cards that I have cut out of books, so I don't have the clues that the authors usually give (e.g. here is a section in my book about the technique of deflection). A side benefit is that you don't need a big block of time |
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book lore 1) Neil McDonald's Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking; 2) David Bronstein's The Modern chess Self-Tutor 3) John Nunn's Grandmaster Chess Move by Move 4) Euwe & Kramer's Middlegame 5) Renaud & Kahn's Art of the Checkmate 6) Aron Nimzovich's Chess Praxis 7) Evgeny Znosko-Borovsky's the Art of Chess Combination, 8) Andy Soltis's Turning Advantage into Victory in Chess, 9) Irving Chernev's The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played, and finally, I think you would also enjoy The Chess Mind by Gerald Abrahams. |
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GK suggestion After shamash recommended Neil McDonalds book to me, I had a hard time finding a copy here in small town, USA but finally our library was able to get a copy via inter-library loan. From a beginners standpoint, what i liked about the book was it went move by move through the games with white and black, so I could follow the line of thought easier. So often with a chess book I get 2-3 pages into Openings, Tactics, Pawn Structure, etc and get overwhelmed with everything |
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baronderkilt 30-Mar-12, 16:50 |
Any complete Chess Library ... I think the first book I ever borrowed was The Road To Chess Mastery by W. Meiden , which was a similar text to Fischer's, being a selection of fully annotated games. Those are always my favorites. That cover a whole game, and hopefully point out the objectives. |
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rockall 02-Apr-12, 13:44 |
Complete Chess Library shelf of well worn books by Fred Reinfeld, but here is the good part: Most public libraries these days subscribe to a free interlibrary loan system that gives you access to check out books from libraries throughout the US and around the world. This system was mentioned by fr1ar, but I am guessing that many of you don't know about it, so I am providing a fuller explanation. The scope of the collection available is amazing, and lacks only the most very recently published books. I have recently ordered and received books that came from Texas, Cleveland, and Arizona libraries. The search engine gives you a list of libraries with the book you want; You order the book you want. Your local library orders it from the remote library that the system selects. The remote library mails the book to your library. You check it out with your card, then a few weeks later you return it to your local library. The libraries take care of all the mailing and paperwork. Most libraries administer this all online at the local library's web site. You can find books and place orders from your computer. But I understand that some require you to place your order in person. Now on a second, completely independent book topic: Google has been scanning a huge number of old books and putting them online and available for reading or free downloads in pdf format. Old Chess books are no exception. They don't contain the latest analysis or opening theory, but they can be fun. Here is a sample of books authored by W. Steinitz. play.google.com Have fun, enjoy the game. |
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tactical_abyss 02-Apr-12, 14:28 |
Funny though,I find some of the cheaper paperbacks more funny and interesting than all the stuffy informative chess books.One such paperback,published in 1973 was called...."Underhanded Chess"by the late Jerry Sohl.Late at night I would read the 114 pg book and laugh till dawn.All kinds of odd ball tactics to disrupt your opponents game and get away with it!It even has a chapter on Fischers tactics employed against Spassky back in 1972 but was written in a humorous way....especially how he "spooked"the Russians back then. I'm sure you can still get a copy or two on one of the online book stores.I think I got mine from Amazon.For around 5 dollars or so,its worth adding to any collection.I'll read the more informative stuffy chess books later! |
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rockall 02-Apr-12, 15:14 |
personal libraries I have always believed that one is under no obligation to read one book before buying another. This can lead to problems. Not just with chess books, but books of all kinds. Fortunately, after the kids grew up, and moved out; I was able to knock out a wall between two of their rooms. Voila! -- a library. Now if I can persuade my wife to let me knock out another wall. . . I may have enough space to last out my life time of acquisitiveness. |
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rockall 03-Apr-12, 13:54 |
@fr1ar "Book Club" GK doesn't seem to be responding to your forum suggestion, so maybe you should start a GK "club" for the mission you suggest. Book recommendations, trading, selling, etc. If you found the club, I will volunteer help as a moderator, perhaps I could have a title: "Bibliomaniac in Chief." I will also chip in to help with the cost. I don't know what GK clubs cost, but the mini-FAQ for clubs says there is a small annual fee. |
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baronderkilt 03-Apr-12, 16:52 |
rockall ... Maybe someone should start a club (or Website! Anybody want to get rich from running Google Ads!!? ) that scans in ALL the great Chess books that are beyond Copyright age. What is it now, anybody know? I thought it used be 17 years plus a renewal term, or something completely weird like that. But of course, if anyone is cruising the world in their personal yacht with a great Chess library and built in Site Server ... Forget that, Im joking. (On the otherhand, GK-Mike could afford a nice boat now, yes? lol hmmm) |
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blake78613 04-Apr-12, 00:34 |
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rockall 04-Apr-12, 08:01 |
@Baron about copyright copyrights last. One useful generalization to know is that the copyright has expired in the US for anything published before 1923 in the US. The law varies greatly internationally. copyright.cornell.edu BTW, The Hastings 1895 Tournament book is also available on Google Books for a free download. Interesting in part because the participants annotated each others games. |
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I asked GK what is acceptible GameKnot website rules doesn't have any specific provisions prohibiting selling, however we do prohibit advertising products/services/websites. So it would be ok to sell individual items that you previously bought for yourself, but no longer need or have use for (similar to a yard/garage sale), but it wouldn't be ok if you are reselling items you didn't buy for yourself, etc. Please refer to the "Rules and Policies" link located at the bottom of all GameKnot pages for the detailed description of what's unacceptable on GameKnot. Thank you for choosing GameKnot as your premier chess battlefield! Best regards, GameKnot.com |
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rockall 05-Apr-12, 20:01 |
@fr1ar imagine payment disputes that would be a pain. Perhaps we should leave it to ebay. |
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baronderkilt 06-Apr-12, 01:25 |
What would be Cool ... |
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baronderkilt 06-Apr-12, 01:31 |
OH ... This type of set-up would also permit for persons from GK selling that have their own self authored books, etc, such as is not now permitted Here on site (If I understand correctly) . Just a thought. |
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rockall 06-Apr-12, 08:26 |
Back on topic information that the official tournament book for the Hastings 1895 Tournament is available in pdf format online for free at google books. There is also an option to have the book printed "on demand" for a modest price. I tried this on demand option and it worked very well. The original edition of the book and the Centennial edition published in 1995 have been out of print for some time. The best players of the time were at this tournament and in this book they annotate each others games. So for example you have Steinitz v Tarrasch- annotated by Mason; Lasker v Blackburne- annotated by Tarrasch; and so on - with Pillsbury (who won the tournament) Tchigorin, Bird, and others playing and annotating the games. |
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tactical_abyss 22-Apr-12, 13:04 |
New book recommendations.... My chess friend let me borrow them.They appear excellent for amateurs and masters alike,easy to comprehend. The books for both white and black(and are sold as a set)are: The Kaufman Repertoire for black and white. Two books for 29.95 US available from the USCF. I recommend them personally.GM Kaufman goes on to explain through his dialog using tools such as Komodo and Houdini that 1.d4 gives white a better chance for an advantage over 1.e4 and has changed his recommendations accordingly,which means....1.e4 is NOT necessarily "best by test" or statistically advantageous over 1.d4 anymore! Sound,practical lines that contain many improvements in opening theory. I will add them to my collection soon. |
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a book that will make a difference in the joy & understanding of your chess only 3 days ago and have been drinking in ever since, as if I did not know the game before the moment I first turned this volume's pages-- an insightful volume of annotated games -- a book that is not easy to find, and not cheap, and not on e-readers, and whose analysis does Not benefit from a chess engine, and not even about a player whose chess I like, and it is Not written in algebraic notations, and even its cover looks hopelessly old-fashioned : yet. . . like a lady whose beauty you who cannot resist, everything about it is elegant, edifying, entertaining, enlightening, eternal, engaging, lovely, beautiful and (that horrible word: ) compelling. It is P. H. Clarke's extraordinary work on positional chess which goes by the title of "Mikhail Tal's Best Games of Chess." is it good? I own a half of shelf of books on Tal, and they are mostly indistinguishable, as if the Latvian played blitz-like, sacrificial chess and not insightful strategic chess; with Tal's own volume a bit more foundational & useful than the rest -- but this one -- this is the stuff myths of treasure are made of, the kind that seem waiting to be found only by you. Oh did I mention? if you can get your paws on it, highly recommended |
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tactical_abyss 22-Apr-12, 19:15 |
Solid as stone and lasting... Of course,i'm speaking of all the MCO(Modern Chess Openings)series. I have met thousands of players over the last 40 years and rarely did anyone NOT have atleast several different volume's.Without atleast one MCO book,its like not having one of your arms or only having one eye. So,how do I rate the Kaufman Repertoire opening books,one for just the black side and the other just for the white side? Technically on par with the MCO series and another real chess "Bible",but just on a slightly different chess religious plane.In a way,an updated version of the famous MCO series.It may even be possible that this Kaufman series may continue for the next 100 years,if picked up by accending authors. So,how high on my list does these two books by Kaufman go?Take a guess. |
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the Book I missd, jest call me ol' one-armed shamash in my chess, will just have to read that -- what'd you call it? -- MCO -- sometime OK will haf to admit I DO have on My shelf: Reverend Edward Ernest Cunnington's Chess Openings for Beginners, Plus G.H.D. Gossip's "Complete Chess Guide" (which is where I found the Algaier Gambit) the way I learnd chess was by TOTAL ignorance of openings -- not that I would ever glorifie ignorance -- but it got me into such darned disastrous positions (especially facing the Sicilian) that it FORCED me to claw what I could out of Euwe and Nimzovich and build a middlegame so strong it could survive my sorry-a***d openings so the moral is, yes everyone if you don't want to face the problems I had to face, get MCO (or at least Reuben Fine's antiquity, The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings) |
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tactical_abyss 22-Apr-12, 21:26 |
Now,it is a general reference,contains some errors as many chess books actually have and of course,since the last one was written in 2008,it will not be totally kept up with ultramodern razor sharp book openings/mid game as improvements are constantly found.But then again,improvements are not always found either!But for the learning chess player it still remains "THE"book!When you combine this MCO quick referece book with other specific DVD's/books on a particular opening,interweave them and cross check the subvariant lines old and new,with painstaking research,you can find that diamond in the ruff and become a better player.I have used the MCO series since I was 12 years old.I owe alot of my senior master strength to this chess bible which I have memorized a good portion of.Some of the lines,I have personally improved upon,but only after carefully studying the "open to further research lines". The MCO series lacks,for example alot of theory on three of my favorite openings or defenses... the Trompowski Attack,Sokolsky Opening and Basman Defense.But believe it or not,there is not alot of books available on all 3 of these variations anyway.That is why I like to play them,since databases are of little use just a few moves into these types of openings,so it you against me,not some database.Yet,what MCO lacks,it makes up for in the better well known openings,such as the English. Now,I have over 1500 chess books and a few hundred DVDs.My MCO books are first on the left of the shelve and have been used more than reading about Morphy,Tal,Fischer and other famous players.Reading about their games is fantastic,cultural and educational.But have they really improved my game much?Not really.But the old,out of date,sometimes boring MCO's have.Wonder why? |
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baronderkilt 23-Apr-12, 00:09 |
a Must Have ... The best planning book I have seen come out since Kotov's Think Like a Grandmaster. (Which is a classic, and should be had as well). Of course I admit my Chess reading of this Century is limited. IMO a couple others I really could not have done without, The 200 Game collection of Tal and The Open Game collection of Bronstein. The first was a self study for me. The second has full annotations by Bronstein, and his clever humour as well. And some very interesting annecdotes as well. I beleive Bronstein's is the book where I heard how Kotov ruled the Soviet International Team with an iron fist, more or less, during his Captaincy. Telling Bronstein to NOT PLAY the Kings Gambit, but stick with the Ruy in one event. Which Bronstein was not eager to gainsay, after the episode wherein TAL was left at the airport once by Kotov! My favorite book of all time may be GM Larry Evans Modern Chess Brilliancies. |
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tactical_abyss 23-Apr-12, 07:17 |
Some expensive,some not so expensive.Looking at just a few that I have... Susan Polars collection of 14 DVD's,from absolute beginner to "thinking like a GM". She has DVD's on how to avoid opening traps,tactics and combinations and even Bobby Fischers most brilliant games.I gained some decent Trompowski Attack theory from her. (Giving away some secrets here!) GM Roman and IM Kopec,has many excellent DVD sets you might want to check into as well. Many of these DVD sets are set up brilliantly,nice boards,good talk from the GM's or IM's and keeps you interested.I admit that lately,i'd rather pop in a DVD than scroll through a hardcover. Again,just check through the USCF online store,to get an idea of whats out there.Try one or two...it might start a chain reaction to your better learning with a new type of learning tool! USCF link.Once on you can get various DVD and/or book options,including the GM DVD sets. www.uschess.org |
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Just bought two new books and I love them A first hand account of the title match by Tal. A wonderful read. Like being there in one of the front row seats. Tal was not only a great player but could was a first rate chess journalist as well. And on top of everything else I'm finding it very instructive. and Play 1. b3 by LlYA ODESSKY My kind of chess book. This guy writes how I think. A kindred spirit I'm sure. For someone who is just learning this opening I feel I have been given a very helpful hand. A different kind of chess book. Almost like a series of essays but wired together cleverly. The publisher, New in Chess build nice chess books. Not only asthetically pleasing but wonderful entertainment too. |
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Odessky's work For instance, annotating Minasian-Nikolenko (Moscow 1991 [6]), he awards 2 exclamation marks to 18 Nd2-f1 !! and writes: << "Suddenly Minasian opts out of the fight for the square e4. 'You can have the e4-square,' he says to his opponent, and move the knight away from d2. . . . It reminds me of the famous Russian retreat during the Battle of Borodino. Ground is given up, but the soldiers run away and regroup. . . " >> |
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As a follow up...please see link attached www.chessintranslation.com A fine piece about Tal and the use of computers in contemporary chess. |
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