I thought it would be interesting to see what everyones first chess book was and why you got it. Unless your like ex-wc Lasker who said "I never read a chess book until I was a master.", we all have read more then one. What made you decide to take chess from just another board game to something serious?
My first book was "How to play good opening moves" by Edmar Mednis, although it wasn't until two years after I was given the book that I actually figured out how to read what I was thought was code. My brother who gave me the book taught me the game and would beat me very quick, however now he is keeping his perfect record alive and will not play me.
My first Chess book was The Complete Chess Player by Reinfeld. This book is far from a masterpiece, but it did help to encourage my lifelong love for this game, so I am glad that I bought it. If I were to recommend books for someone newly interested in the game, I would say to buy in the following order:
1. The Simon and Schuster Pocket Book of Chess, an excellent primer on the basics of chess.
2. Winning Chess Tactics (Seirawan, not Robertie), It is just a must have beginners book.
3. Logical Chess: Move by Move (Chernev) This should be one of the first few books read by any chess player. I didn't get it until I had been playing for many years, and I still love it.
I'm yet to buy a chess book, so far have just used questionable chess websites, but if anybody has got any good suggestions for a first chess book I am happy to take advice. I have been wondering if I should buy one, it seems the next step to develop my game.
I am getting to the stage now where I am starting to take chess seriously and trying to memorise opening variations, so if anybody can point me in the right direction for an intermediate level book, please do so🙂
EDIT: BLReid has just answered my question
Originally posted by sangfroidI know your question has already been answered but there was a thread that discussed various chess books for various levels of chess players. If yu have the patience to look it up in the chess forum go for it. It had a lot of good books.
I'm yet to buy a chess book, so far have just used questionable chess websites, but if anybody has got any good suggestions for a first chess book I am happy to take advice. I have been wondering if I should buy one, it seems the next step to develop my game.
I am getting to the stage now where I am starting to take chess seriously and trying to memoris ...[text shortened]... on for an intermediate level book, please do so🙂
EDIT: BLReid has just answered my question
Originally posted by Ari Brenin CymruSame for me ('Logical Chess Move By Move' by Irving Chernev.), this book, while some people feel its games are some what outdated, does focus on fundimentals....and seems a good place to start.
My first and only chess book this far is 'Logical Chess Move By Move' by Irving Chernev.
I read 1000 Best Short Games of Chess after I found it in the library, and also looked at all the other chess books in that small library (which may have included Logical Chess, Move by Move). The first I bought was Wijk aan Zee Grandmaster Chess Tournament, 1975 about two years later. About this time a friend loaned me Chess Openings: Theory and Practice, which became my constant source of study alongside the few I came to own in high school--a few tournament books, including the 1978 WCC as soon as it became available, best games of Gligoric, and collected games of Karpov.
My first chess book was "Solitaire Chess," by I.A. Horrowitz, a nice collection of classic games, where the reader was asked to cover up the successive moves and try to guess the next one.
A short time later I bought "Rubinstein's Chess Masterpieces," by Hans Kmoch and I was hooked. By the way, this is still my all time favorite chess book.
Originally posted by Ari Brenin CymruI own around fifty chess books and my very first book was 'Logical Chess Move By Move' by Irving Chernev too.
My first and only chess book this far is 'Logical Chess Move By Move' by Irving Chernev.
The books I own like: My Great Predecesors Vol I,II,III,IV and The Chess games of Tal etc.. are just there in my book shelf just for their ornemental values. I never sat and read them.
I have read all of the Silman's books but I do not think that they add me much.
Chess books are fine but I believe that solving chess tactics is more fun and aids your development as a player much more than books do.
It's just my opinion though.