Hi,
I've been looking at this book for awhile now. I just picked chess up again and have been doing a bunch of stuff with the Chessmaster 10th edition software and I kinda want to look into getting a book too. I'm not sure of my rating but I'm sure it's under like 1200.

Is this book going to benefit me? Will it be too hard for me to get anything out of? Is it an enjoyable read....kinda...for being a chess book? I heard that instead of getting the Reassess your chess beginners should look into this book so that's how I got here. I also like it because it isn't very expensive. 13 dollars off of Amazon.

Also, what about Silman's Endgame book. I've heard great things about this book as well. I think this might actually be a more direct approach (obviously) when it comes to improving my game. Either way, let me know your thoughts.

Should I get both? That's like 30 some dollars almost and I'm still not sure how serious I am about chess yet to spend that much on books.

But I do want one. The endgame does seem to be more of my problem. I tend to throw games away, usually when I'm up on an opponent 200 or more points than me. Thanks for any advice or thoughts!


p.s. I have a .pdf version of Bobby Fischer's 60 Memorable Games if anyone is interested in it. Let me know. It's with descriptive annotation of course.

Have you listened to the annotated games of Josh Waitzkin with your Chessmaster yet? And here is a FREE link to an annotated game move-by-move by Irving Chernev(I think member Malbase first posted the link for us)-
Logical Chess.

Here is a link to FREE great chess articles by Dan Heisman("Novice Nook")and
many other people- The Chess Cafe Archives

I'm just saying before you start down the road of buying Chess Books, I suggest perhaps you should study some free stuff and test if your really ready to do some hard work before spending $$$

Yes, I have done the whole Waitzkin academy thing and I have checked out some of that stuff. Which is why I've decided to post these questions on this forum.

Another book that I kept forgetting to mention is Logical Chess: Move by Move. It seems to be one of the most popular books. I've heard that it is outdated though, but I doubt that is that much of a problem. Should I give that a try? I did look at that one game you sent me the link too and I don't know how much I would be able to get out of a book with 32 other games like that. One of the books by Silman sounds like it would keep my interest more and perhaps be more beneficial. Any ideas?

Thanks a lot, and that chesscafe site is really helpful!

You may just want to burn up some gas and go to the Library and/or bookstores and take a look at some of the Chess Books and feel free to report back here what books looked interesting and helpful to you. From that information, perhaps we can recommend even other books. I'm a little surprised that the Logical Chess link didn't inspire you to want to get the book, but there are plenty of Chess Books to chose from out there, that's for sure. If you didn't see this yet on this forum, you can click on this link and get some more ideas for possible Chess Books that might interest you- chess books
(there are plenty of other book suggestions floating around on the forum, but the above link can get some possible book ideas going for you right away). The Silman books you mentioned might be your best bet. I don't know. I have way over $1,500.00 in chess books I've bought over the years but until I seriously read them and stop daydreaming about reading them...they don't help my rating much!

How would you use Logical Chess? Or how is it meant to be used or helpful? With my Chessmaster 10th Edition after my games I'll analyze them and it does what Logical Chess does, break down each move, move by move. I can't say that it hasn't helped me immensely but I can't say how much it has. Whereas the Endgame book or the Amatuer's mind seems to me at least to instill theory and a thought process in you which you take to each game you play.

Along with my questions above, what do you think would be better? The endgame theory book or the Amatuer's Mind book? The endgame theory (being a beginner) I would only read so much of whereas the amatuer's mind to me seems like a book that I would read all the way through. There also seems to be a lot of endgame theory for free online and such. I don't know. I"m up in the air.

p.s. do you have any info or opinion on Pandolfini's book "Weapons of Chess"? that was also recommended by someone else. Thanks again!

Chessmaster is great for pointing out missed tactics when you review your games. "Logical Chess" is great for getting you thinking like a chessplayer and why players are making the moves (and why they are NOT making certain moves) during a game. I never really thought about a plan busting down the the pawn barrier on my opponents King but when I saw it explained to me...I know for a fact I started winning games because of this book. I've seen "Weapon's of Chess" at a bookstore once and it really did look quite good. I *almost* bought it, but I was burned out on buying chess books at the time(but I still couldn't resist searching around bookstores, I guess!). I think Amazon has it for just over $10.00, not too shabby a deal. A great book with a stupid title but is a big seller and is also priced great at only 10 bucks or so is
Amazon.com: How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit Chess): Books: Murray Chandler

I think I've narrowed it down to Amatuer's Mind and Weapons of chess. I think i'm definitely going to get logical chess. I actually went back to the website and read everything and went all the way through and I actually liked it more than I thought I would. Thanks for all your help. So you don't now much about Weapons of Chess or Amatuer's mind?

.....and nevermind.

I'm going to get Logical Chess: Move by Move and The Amateur's Mind. I think these will be two great solid books that will benefit me for years to come. And not that expensive either.

Thanks a lot for all your help!

Cool, those two books are excellent choices in my opinion. (I do also own "The Amateur's Mind" but haven't taken the time yet to enjoy it...life goes by so fast!). And, by the way, welcome to the Forum!

I just finished reading the ametures mind. I have read it three times. The first two times I don't think that I got much out of it but this time I think I learned (very very very very) a lot. You are right that is a solid book. I just want to warn you because I have made this mistake: even if you really like chess don't by a bunch of books, its great to have good chess books but reading one book over and over again in way better in my opionion than reading three books (the book has to be good of course and with the ametures mind you are assured of that). If you only read a book once than in my opionion it is not worth owning. Nowadays (although I dont find time to read chess much) I have tried hard to get rid of crap books or books that I won't read again and I only get books one at a time and then I read them. Only get a book if you have time to read it, a classic is no good on the shelf. Of course it is common sense but it is easy to suddenly find yourself with 15 books which is already streaching yourself thin (depending on how much time you have). At least for me I know the limit is about 15. I have about 35 books so the rest are 'worthless' so to speak, I just dont look at them enough for them to be worth it and I learn less two.