10 of the Best Chess Books for Beginners Getting better at chess can seem like a really daunting task especially since the game itself has so many different aspects to it from the opening all the way to checkmate. Fear not, however, as these awesome chess books for beginners can transform any beginner into a lethal weapon in the world of chess (as long as you put what you learned into practice). Here are 10 of the best chess books for beginners that are guaranteed to improve your game!
1. Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess
Bobby Fischer is one of the greatest chess players this world has ever seen, if not the greatest, so it makes sense to want to learn from him. One of the best chess books for beginners, this interesting one focuses the most on endgame play rather than the opening or midgame. This method of teaching chess gives the player an understanding of what they should be looking for when it is time to finish your opponent off and take the victory. His book teaches through "programmed learning" which involves asking the readers questions and then giving the answer to that question later on. While archaic, it does serve its purpose and really delivers to its readers. Check out the book here on Amazon!
2. Pandolfini’s Ultimate Guide to Chess
Written by Bruce Pandolfini, the personal trainer of world renowned chess player Josh Waitzkin, this chess book is another fantastic read for any beginning chess player. The book narrates itself through conversation as it analyzes a single game from starttofinish. The book features indepth coverage of many things that you will encounter as you play chess with an opponent from opening theory to checkmate and all things in between. Here's the book if you want to see it.
3. Logical Chess: Move by Move
Ever wondered what it's like to be a master in chess or to see a game through their eyes? Well, in this incredibly awesome book, you can. In this awesome book for all levels of play from beginner to uppertier you will be guided through 33 games played at the master's level with every single move explained in detail and why the choices were made. You will find moves that you thought were filler actually turn out to be gamechanging when you read this masterpiece. This definitely deserves to be on the list of one of the best chess books for beginners. Check out the chess book on Amazon now!
4. Weapons of Chess
Ever wondered if there was an encyclopedia of chess? Neither have we, but this book is just that and it is absolutely fantastic. This awesome chess book has everything from chess strategies to strategic dilemmas that will enhance your game seven fold. The best part is, the entire book is alphabetized for viewing and referencing ease (it is an encyclopedia after all) so you can come back at anytime to brush over a new strategy. This awesome chess book is great for beginners and intermediate players. Here's the chess book for anyone that wants to check it out.
5. The Amateur’s Mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions into Chess Mastery
One of the best chess books for beginners, this book will greatly enhance your chess game by explaining errors commonly found committed by novice chess players. He bases his book around the errors he found that most of his students were committing and he actively tries to explain and correct these mistakes that surprisingly, many chess players carry with them for their entire chess career. The writing of the book feels like the author is speaking with you, guiding you to become a better chess player overall than when you first picked up the book. I would suggest reading other books or at least gain a basic understanding of the game before you pick this one up. Here's the chess book if you want to consider buying it.
6. Winning Chess
Another one of the best chess books for beginners, this book will teach you how to develop a tactical mind when playing chess. After reading this great chess book for beginners, you will easily be able to detect patterns on the chess board and exploit them for your own benefit. You will develop a creative mind that can be considered a lethal weapon as you begin to draw up scenarios and game plans within your mind just by looking at your surroundings. You will find it easy to sacrifice pieces and place yourself in situations that will put you ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds. Find the book here on Amazon.
7. How to Reassess Your Chess
This awesome chess book for beginners focuses on the middlegame and will also help you determine and dissect your situation on the board. Silman will discuss what course of action you need to take in different situations you may find yourself in with great detail. He also takes you into the mind of a chess master and reveals how they go about choosing their moves. After reading this book you will begin to notice incredible moves that you wouldn't have before and may even start to seem obvious to you from then on. Check the book out here on Amazon.
8. How to Choose a Chess Move
Getting lost thinking about a move will be a thing of the past after checking out this awesome chess book. Chess Grandmaster Andrew Soltis, takes you into his mind and reveals how he determines what chess move to make in a sea of endless possibilities. He discusses how chess masters use "shortcuts" in order to make faster and more efficient moves that leave spectators in awe. You will be able to determine the consequences of moves you make and detect specific criteria needed in order to make spectacular moves with ease. If you're interested, feel free to check out the book on that link.
9. My System
A classic chess book, "My System" goes in depth on the concept of positional play and how to take advantage of the nature of the board itself. For example, the book teaches that it is better to control the center using higher level pieces rather than pawns to control the center for a stronger position on the board. As one of the best chess books for beginners, this book is a must for any player that wants to take their chess game to the next level as any good strategist needs to understand the different strategic positions available to them on the field of battle. Also, make sure to get the "21st Century Edition" as it can be harder to read the original (don't worry it's all the same great content). Check out this amazing book on Amazon
10. The Complete Book of Chess Strategy
Another great encyclopedia of chess, this one covers everything from the opening to the endgame and a special section dedicated to tournament play! This awesome chess book is filled with an insane amount of content making it one of the best chess books for beginners. As the last encyclopedia mentioned on this list, this one is also organized alphabetically and split into different sections for reading and referencing ease. Although this chess book is great for beginners/novices, I would recommend becoming familiar with the game before taking in this fantastic book to really appreciate it. Don't miss out on this awesome chess book on Amazon! Source: http://coolchesssets.net/2016/03/08/10ofthebestchessbooksforbeginners/