Jukka Palmu
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re:Need recommendation on book for beginners - 2005/12/28 23:09
Not too long ago, there was a similar discussion under the heading, "opinions best 1 volume chess manual covering
Does anyone have any opinions on the best 1 volume chess manual/book covering the whole game: openings, middlegame, endgame, tactics/combinations, positional play, game analysis/study etc etc the whole shebang?
Somebody else mentioned:
Maybe, give that a try. (It is probably unrealistic to expect "the whole shebang" in one book.)
Books that try to cover everything are usually beginner books.
In the Chess Notes feature at www.chesscafe.com Edward Winter commented:
"From today`s range of chess books for beginners we believe that one stands out as the best: The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff"
Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of something like Lasker`s
Chess Manual, or Capablanca`s similar book, but probably more modern or at least in Algebraic Notation. Though I would`nt mind hearing of older ones as well.
An alternative might be Seirawan`s "Play Winning Chess"
People don`t seem to write books like Lasker`s Manual any more.
I do not think that Capablanca`s book had much on openings. If I remember correctly, he once wrote that he intended to do a separate book on openings. (I do not think that it was ever published.)
Modern Chess Strategy by Edward Lasker and The Game of Chess by Siegbert Tarrasch are similar in spirit to Lasker`s Manual.
How to Win at Chess by Horowitz has a lot in it, but it is old and for beginners.
I have the Burgess Mammoth book and I`d put it about second or third to Em. Lasker`s book, as for as overall coverage and content, but it is in figurine algebraic notation.
My experience is that books like this are not very satisfying. Trying to cover a lot in many different areas tends to mean that no one area is covered very well. here are two more old books:
The Art of Chess by James Mason The Complete Chessplayer by Fred Reinfeld
Maybe 500 Master Games of Chess.
Maybe look at Lev Alberts Comprehensive chess course.
There was a similar discussion under the heading, "Beginner`s
I would like to learn how to play chess. I know no more than the basic rules. I picked up "How to Reassess Your Chess" by Silman the other day. Do you think this book is too advanced?
The most commonly recommended book for beginners is usually "The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Chess". Even if you know the basic rules, it goes into enough depth to teach you plenty.
"How to Reassess Your Chess" is too advanced if you`ve just learned the rules. I would add Capablanca`s Chess Primer as a possible book to try.
even if "How to Reassess Your Chess" is too hard now, it may well become a book that [one] is glad to have in the future. Many have expressed such feelings.
["How to Reassess Your Chess" is] Waaaay too advanced.
I have not seen Silman`s book, but I understand it is meant for the advancing club player, someone on their way to Expert and beyond (maybe that`s why I haven`t seen it  .
When I was very young and learning how to play, my Dad got me "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess," and it was a very good beginner`s guide. Later I found "The Penguin Book of Chess Positions," a small pocket paperback that explains basic tactics and accompanies the ideas with "find the best move" tactics problems. It is a great book to tote around and read one or two pages at a time.
Another similar discussion took place under the heading, "Hello!".
I`ve been playing chess for as long as I can remember (I`m 23 now, so that makes it over 12 years), and have a good grasp of the game, but I`ve never really studied tactics, etc.
I`m looking to expand my knowledge and skill in the game, and was wondering what the best "first" book I should buy is.
The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff"
Excellent book.
You say that you know the basics. This being true, your first book should be:
"Everyone`s 2nd Chess Book" (sic) by Dan Heisman, published by Thinkers Press
Indispensible.
The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff does start with the rules, but it goes well beyond that. I would suggest, at least, looking at the book If I remember correctly, it has useful information about the chess world as well as advice on making good moves.
Anyway, it is hard to suggest a book to someone without knowing details about their abilities. Maybe posting one of your games would make it easier for people to give meaningful advice. The suggestion of someone else, Everyone`s 2nd Chess Book by Dan Heisman sounds reasonable to me, but I have never read the book. A sample of Heisman`s writing can be found at www.chesscafe.com under Novice Nook.
I`ll second the recommendation for Everyone`s 2nd Chess Book. In fact, you may want to go to chesscafe.com and check out Mr. Heisman`s column, the Novice Nook. Go to the archives, where they have all of his past Novice Nook columns archived and specifically look up the articles on a generic study plan and book recommendations.
While you`re there, check out the (in)famous article, "400 Points in 400 Days" by Michael de la Maza. Well worth reading to get a perspective on the importance of tactics, even if you don`t end up following his method of study (most people won`t).
Wolff`s book is not just for complete beginners. It is quite suitable for a person such as you describe yourself. Apart from Wolff, I would take a look at Logical Chess Move by Move, with good material on attacking motifs and the rudiments of positional play, and any good collection of tactics: Either of Reinfeld`s "1001" books, "Combination Challenge" by Hays, Laszlo Polgar`s giant "Chess: 5,334 Problems, Combinations and Games." I also like the series by Fred Wilson, all of which have "303" in the title. The basic message to anyone looking to get past that stage you describe yourself in is to immerse yourself in tactics.
The first chess book I have read was the monstrous-sized Fred Reinfeld book, I forget the name of it. Maybe it`s called "Complete Book of Chess", but I am not sure. It`s still around. I read that whole book, and led me into the eccentric world of chess, which I have never left!
I have "The Complete Chess Player by Fred Reinfeld" and Highly recomend it. It`s 300 pages ($10.00), and covers all the major areas. It`s thorough without being overwhelming.
Perhaps there is a confusion going on here. "Complete Chess Course" [is] a rather large hardback by Reinfeld that is not the same as The Complete Chessplayer.
I have never tried to read the large hardback, but I did read most of The Complete Chessplayer. It seemed to me to be a reasonable beginner book. One problem with it (in my opinion) is that it leaves readers with the impression that they should study all openings. I fear that many may have decided to give up on chess after trying to get through Reinfeld`s five chapter presentation in that book. Other parts of the book seemed okay to me. Modern beginner books are probably better, but also more expensive.
I suspect that the large hardback is similar in quality and faults, except that it is more expensive. For that kind of money, it is probably better to go for a more modern book.
"Complete Chess Course" is probably expensive now. In my day, when I read it (in 1967, I think), it was much cheaper!
I would suggest "Reascess Your Chess" and it`s companion work book, both by IM Jeremy Silman.
Absolutely not!!! "How to Reassess Your Chess" is widely regarded as a great book on positional play, but if you don`t already have a firm grasp of tactics, it`s not going to help you any. First learn to how to avoid getting clobbered by basic tactics, then move on to real strategy.
As I said in an earlier post, go with the recommendations in Dan Heisman`s Novice Nook column. His suggestion of going through John Bain`s "Chess Tactics for Students" over and over to memorize it has helped me immensely.
Yet another similar discussion took place under the heading,
Hi, if you were to buy only one chess book, which one would you choose?
The Mammoth book of Chess, by Graham Burgess.
Yes, I would second that. Good book.
500 Master Games of Chess by Dr.S. Tartakower & J.DuMont EVERYTHING A GROWING BOY NEEDS  ))
And under the heading, "Yet another book question - sorry" there appeared:
I`m very much a beginner player. (I beat my PalmPilot on level 2 out of 9 and my university housemates had to physically restrain me because I was that excited). I`m ..
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