Many professional chess players have written books about playing chess. While this is beneficial to the chess community, it does make it hard to choose between them. Many chess players have favorite books, but where do you begin? The answer is here with our list of the top five classic chess books that every chess player should read.
How to Reassess Your Chess — Jeremy Silman
Positional chess and establishing a strategy in the middle game are concepts that many chess players struggle with. This book discusses the thought process behind middle game plans as well as how to spot positional imbalances. Jeremy Silman, a world-class author, writes with humor and insight into the flaws of amateur chess players. This book is popular for its ease of use and is intended for a wide spectrum of players (1200 to 2000 strength). It’s also a useful tool for anyone who is returning to the game after a break. This timeless classic appeals to a wide range of players.
Think Like a Grandmaster — Alexander Kotov
The book covers the overall mental process in chess, as the title suggests. Kotov explains several vital and practical aspects of chess, such as how to approach the game as a whole and how to make judgments. Kotov provides us with tactical growth analysis trees, computation exercises, and candidate moves. In addition to positional growth, formulating and weaknesses, pawn islands, implementing plans, and tension are all part of the game. It’s clearly aimed at expert players (1600-2200+ strength), but it’s still considered a classic.
My System — Aron Nimzowitsch
The work of Aron Nimzowitsch is a superb example of a classic chess book. Since 1925, it has consistently been ranked among the top five best-selling chess books of all time, and it has been recommended by grandmasters and coaches. This was one of the first publications to be regarded as a positional chess handbook, and it does an excellent job of presenting key positional concepts. My System is geared towards a larger audience (1500-2200 strength), and while some say it reads like a textbook, many players prefer this writing style for learning.
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess — Bobby Fischer
Fischer is one of the all-time great chess players. His best-selling chess book is a classic and should be on every chess player’s bookshelf. It’s an ideal book for beginners looking for an introduction to chess and has already helped an entire generation of players get to grips with the game. Everything from how to assail the opponent and how the pieces move to essential checkmates is covered in the book. Readers will move from not knowing anything about chess to being ready to play the game.
Zurich International Chess Tournament — David Bronstein
A strong contender for the title of the greatest chess tournament book of all time. This classic by David Bronstein analyses the Candidates’ Tournament building up to Mikhail Botvinnik’s 1954 world title match. It’s not only a snapshot of top-level chess at the time, but it’s also a beautifully written and annotated book. This mix is what distinguishes it as a timeless classic. Bronstein’s annotations and writing are intended for the ordinary player, with this book’s target audience being those at 1200-2000+ strength. This wonderful and approachable work of chess history ticks all the boxes for a must-have chess book.
Conclusion
Once thought of as a classic strategy board game, chess can now also be played online on specialized sites. This has made the game more accessible to a much wider audience. Reading the books on this list will give all players, old and new, a better understanding of the game. And perhaps after chess, you can try your luck at Platincasino slots UK for a different style of entertainment.