Do not pass Go.

August 5, 2009 7:22 AM

This is Go: A Complete Introduction to the Game. Is there a similar book for chess?

The above book is short, concise, written by a master player and a wealth of information on go tactics and strategy, including how to think about the board overall. I am just getting back into chess after a long hiatus, and I was never a great player to begin with. I'd like a book just like this go book to get me on my feet. I've seen the Chess for Dummies recommendations, etc. from the past, but none of them seem to fit the bill. Recommendations?

posted by adamdschneider to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total)

I recommend Modern Chess Strategy by Edward Lasker. Beginners can use it but it goes in deep too.
posted by vacapinta at 8:08 AM on August 5, 2009

I've bought a lot of chess books over the years, but I haven't found a perfect one book solution. The For Dummies and Idiots Guide books are not ideal. You'd be better off with two or three more specialized books. The Yasser Seirawan books are pretty good. Start with Play Winning Chess and perhaps Winning Chess Tactics.

However, the most useful training tool—until you reach a fairly high level of play—is solving chess problems. There are loads of chess problem books. Sharpen Your Tactics is a pretty good one. Also have a look at the chessproblems.com.
posted by paulg at 8:55 AM on August 5, 2009

Also, in the vein of this is how real chess players think during a game, John Nunn's Understanding Chess Move By Move walks the reader through complete games with detailed analysis. I also recommend the classic Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953, which is the same sort of book, but useful to more experienced players.
posted by paulg at 9:02 AM on August 5, 2009

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess is fantastic.
posted by deadmessenger at 9:05 AM on August 5, 2009