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How to Get Better At Chess contains answers from Grandmasters and International Masters about their thoughts on chess improvement, motivation, study methods, etc. I can’t remember how I discovered this book, but I’m glad I did. It was hard to put this book down, and I read it all in a few sittings. Because the interviews … Read more
Read This First! Photo: Sabina Foisor’s Twitter: @Foisor_Sabina First, I believe 1700-2300 is an appropriate range for Sherlock’s Method. Second, the authors are being too modest about what they have created. Having gotten to know them a bit personally, I’m not surprised as they are both very down-to-earth. Also, full disclosure, they sent me a … Read more
After Mihail Marin last week, let’s examine another author who is fortunately still with us. Andrew Soltis Andrew Soltis. Photo: World Chess Hall of Fame Andrew Soltis (1947 – ) was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania but grew up in New York City. By contemporary standards “Andy” started in chess late, not playing tournaments until his … Read more
Basic Chess Endings. 2003 revised edition. After starting his pro career in 1932, Reuben Fine (1914-1993) had a claim to being the best player in the world during the late 1930s. He won a string of elite tournaments including Hastings 1935/36, Zandvoort 1936, Amsterdam 1936 (tied with World Champion Max Euwe), Margate 1937 (tied with … Read more
When I first borrowed Jose Capablanca‘s Chess Fundamentals from the library as a beginner in 1996, I didn’t like it. A few years ago I saw it in Barnes & Noble and purchased a copy; the way you view a book as a beginner is very different from how you see it as an expert! … Read more
I own several hundred chess books, and I’ve given several dozen books away over the years. I don’t buy books nearly as often as I used to, but even now I sometimes cannot help myself! This is the first part in a new series of posts on writers I consider to be Great Chess Authors. … Read more
Pick Simple Chess by English Grandmaster Michael Stean. The original edition of the book was written in 1978, a few years before Stean retired from chess at the age of 29. Fred Wilson edited the book and translated it to algebraic notation for Dover Publications in 2003. Why this book in particular? An argument could … Read more
Read This First! Photo: Sabina Foisor’s Twitter: @Foisor_Sabina First, I believe 1700-2300 is an appropriate range for Sherlock’s Method. Second, the authors are being too modest about what they have created. Having gotten to know them a bit personally, I’m not surprised as they are both very down-to-earth. Also, full disclosure, they sent me a … Read more
Authors: GM Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott 343 Pages. New In Chess, 2021 Get it on Amazon! Note: I may receive a commission on products purchased through Amazon links on this page. Thanks for your support! An Uniquely American Phenomenon There is no chess event quite like the World Open. The first thing that stands … Read more
I started assigning Chess School 1a to students circa 2007, and still recommend it in 2020. There are 719 puzzles in this book, with an intended audience of absolute beginnners up to an approximate rating of 1000. I definitely recommend it as a first tactics book, and it can help a player for awhile. The … Read more