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Thread: Best books for improving?

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Mallon View Post
    I have a bunch already, but have there been any recent books that are great for people looking to improve from say 1500 to 2000+?

    Thanks.
    Being a master that's not into too heavy study anymore, I don't buy middlegame/improvement books much anymore (not that many tell me anything essentially new to me). However a book that's quite instructively annotated that's fairly recent is 'The Nimzo-Indian move by move' (Emms, Everyman 2011). It may help a player even at that level to improve, at least somewhat, since besides giving notes on whole games, the book's about an opening that just about everyone plays one side or the other of.

    A book that's not recent that is instructional concerning all phases of the game is 'Secrets of Practical Chess' (Nunn, Gambit 1998). Probably helps even that skill level of a reader, again, if you don't have it already.
    Last edited by Kevin Pacey; 09-13-2014 at 10:22 PM. Reason: Spelling
    There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
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  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin Pacey View Post
    Being a master that's not into too heavy study anymore, I don't buy middlegame/improvement books much anymore (not that many tell me anything essentially new to me). However a book that's quite instructively annotated that's fairly recent is 'The Nimzo-Indian move by move' (Emms, Everyman 2011). It may help a player even at that level to improve, at least somewhat, since besides giving notes on whole games, the book's about an opening that just about eveyone plays one side or the other of.

    A book that's not recent that is instructional concerning all phases of the game is 'Secrets of Practical Chess' (Nunn, Gambit 1998). Probably helps even that skill level of a reader, again, if you don't have it already.
    I don't actually have either of those, I'll have to check them out. Thanks!

    I always imagined it was 75% middlegames that get you to expert or master, and then 75% openings/endings that help you improve at that level. With a bunch of exceptions to prove the rule of course
    Christopher Mallon
    FIDE Arbiter

  3. #13
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    'Secrets of Practical Chess' (Nunn, Gambit 1998)
    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Mallon View Post
    I don't actually have either of those, I'll have to check them out.
    There is a newer edition ~2007. With several exceptions J.Nunn books are great.
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  4. #14
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    Bringing up a good thread

    Got an interesting book Move first think later by W.Hendriks. It might be not exactly the book "how to improve" but more "how we play". It is not a new book, when it was released I thought after reading some reviews that it was an entertaining book without much value. However after two chapters I like it. Several chapters are available online to browse and decide if this book is good.
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  5. #15
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    A recent book that may have instructional value as far as a player improving strengths and weaknesses goes is Magnus Force by Crouch (Everyman Chess, 2013). At least it's a book about the world champ.
    There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
    Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.

  6. #16
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    Another book that's relatively recent is The Grandmaster Battle Manual by Kotronias (Quality Chess, 2011). A book that's possibly most useful to players rated 2000+ IMO. The book covers various significant topics that can especially apply to open swisses, but the book isn't a systematic treatment of chess. Some of Kotronias' opinions might be seen as at least slightly controversial. I find his doubts about Black being able to win much of the time at, say, 2600+ level (without taking risks that may be unacceptable) to be perhaps overstated IMO, at least, though this is a largely acedemic (if slightly depressing) controversy for most of us. His views on, say, how to beat lower rated players are also based on certain assumptions about them and ourselves. Otherwise, there is much analysis and explanation provided, besides many games.
    There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
    Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.

  7. #17
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    A relatively recent opening book that's thick, heavy on explanation throughout the many whole games that are presented, and about a somewhat respectable, yet uncommon, White opening that's unavoidable for Black is The Nimzo-Larsen Attack by Lakdawala (Everyman Chess, 2013). A book not even beyond many players that are rated below 2000, IMO.
    Last edited by Kevin Pacey; 02-09-2015 at 12:00 AM. Reason: Spacing
    There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
    Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.

  8. #18
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    One time, Canadian IM Ray Stone passed on to me the advice that, once a player reaches 2300, a way to get to 2400 is to do two things, if one hasn't done so already (or recently). Namely, one of the things is to pick a strong GM or world champion with a style similar to yours, and imitate his repertoire. The other thing is to work on endgame studies. A relatively recent book on endgame studies is The Art of the Endgame by Timman (New in Chess, 2011). Unlike at least one book on endgame studies that I owned (but hardly touched), there is commentary provided, and still plenty of studies to peruse.
    There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
    Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.

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    I just saw Ray Stone's wife Laurie at the library three days ago while I was giving a lesson to one of my students. The last time I saw Ray a couple of months ago he gave me similar advice for improvement but it was not so much with respect to a repertoire but he suggested one way to improve was to look at Bobby Fischer's games move by move. When you don't understand why he made a particular move then you should study the position until you do understand why he made that particular move. No time limit on the study of each position.

  10. #20
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    Another text worth mentioning: GM Lars Bo Hansen's book Secrets of Endgame Strategy (Gambit, 2006). In it he talks all about what he calls Strategic Endgames, or endgames where the result after best play is not yet clear.
    There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
    Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.

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