70
This article showcases our top picks for the Books on Chess Strategy. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below).
We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.
Chess is one of the best games I can use to teach my son critical thinking and strategic thinking. And, this book is the best one I’ve found to teach chess strategy to kids and adults. This book is aimed at 8-year-olds and up, but I’ve found it equally engaging as an adult. The lessons are organized by theme and they do a great job of teaching pattern recognition to new players. The mentality of each lesson is how to beat a stronger opponent and kids find that very motivating in my experience. There is a lesson about how to use a combination and it does a great job teaching a Knight Fork both visually and walking them through the process. If you want to up your game while teaching your kids I recommend this book.
This product was recommended by Rob Greene from Price of Meat
Because it’s a book written by one of the greatest chess grandmasters to have ever played the game. It’s a straightforward, but not always simple-to-follow guide on how to play the game of Kings that’ll change the way that you view, and think about, chess forever.
This product was recommended by Shane Paarman from Awesome Stuff 365
Me and some mates got really into chess last year, after watching the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix (highly recommend watching this series by the way). So I bought this book to learn some of the strategy essentials and found it to be really accessible and easy to navigate. I’d say this book is good for chess enthusiasts of all levels.
This product was recommended by James “Jimmy” Watts from Own The Grill
Because it teaches the would-be player the basic strategies and philosophy of the game and logically and purposefully explains how to master every facet of chess that they’ll need to win time and time again. It’s an indispensable guide to everything that you’ll need to know in order to reign supreme over every possible opponent you’ll face.
This product was recommended by Matthew Osborn from Legionary
This book, suitable for players in the 1400 to 2100 rating bracket, is a great resource for avid chess players, comprehensively explaining author Silberman’s groundbreaking concept of imbalances. You will be guided through a mind-expanding exploration of imbalance in chess, teaching you all the basics, all the way through to imbalance mastery – giving the reader and player a master level positional foundation. It is not all thick theory, though, it is interlaced with humor, instruction rich prose and vivid writing – making it one of the most enjoyable manuals I have ever read.
This product was recommended by Morgan Lilker from Watches of Today
Cherne tears apart thirty-three different games of chess and explains the theory and reasoning behind each and every move, which helps players to understand the how and why of chess. If you’re looking for a way to dramatically improve your game, then you need to read this book. It’s that simple.
This product was recommended by Brian Kaplan from Almost Happy
There are many books on chess TACTICS but this is one of the few on STRATEGY and a road into the mind of a top grandmaster and chess coach. Not for beginners who need to learn tactics and motifs before they can appreciate strategy in chess. I don’t think this book has ever been bettered – not that there are many books on chess strategy.
This product was recommended by Billy Parker from Gift Delivery
I will recommend this book because it completely guides the users to start from the beginning and reach up to the level of the pro. This book illustrates the does and don’ts of playing chess, especially the strengths and weaknesses of the positions relative to the opponents. In addition to this, the author of this book Mr Znosko Botovsky was a Russian chess player, teacher and author.
This product was recommended by Jason Cordes from CocoLoan
This book is for serious chess players who want to improve their openings. This 15th edition copy of the book has been around since 1911 and has been updated with good insights on more recent matches and current hypotheses. It continues to be a vital resource for club and tournament players, providing information on recent encounters and the most up-to-date chess opening theory.
This product was recommended by Iryna Kidyba from simple.app
The book by F. Wilson, an experienced American chess teacher, offers chess players who have already mastered the beginnings of the King’s Game simple recipes for preparing and conducting winning attacks. Their number is minimal, and the effect – at the level of play where understanding chess already matters – won’t be long in coming. The success of this approach is confirmed by long experience of teaching and a large number of students. For chess players who want to learn how to beat amateurs.
This product was recommended by John Webber from Carved
To be a Fischer fan, all you need is a book of Fischer’s best games annotated by him. To those who haven’t yet read the book, the hype is well-founded. Fischer’s commentary on his amazing games is always precise and in-depth. To some extent, this best-selling book serves as a guide for other chess books.
Capablanca was one of the most celebrated chess masters of his day. This book looks at 14 of his games with full annotations and in-depth knowledge, yet it can also be read by a beginner looking for advice on openings, middlegame, and endings. Short as this book is, it really covers all the fundamentals you’d want to know and makes an excellent quick read to gain fast knowledge at any level.
This product was recommended by Leanna Serras from FragranceX
If you got into chess after watching The Queen’s Gambit (like I did!), then you’ll love this easy-to-read book for beginners. Susan Polgar was the world’s first female chess Grandmaster, a feat she accomplished at just 15 years old. Though a world-class expert, Polgar really understands how to break down concepts for an audience that might be new to the game, without skipping over what makes her tactics useful. Every step is explained and you’ll gather a lot of information on openings and strategy along the way. It’s a great resource to have on hand while you practice your chess skills.
This product was recommended by Scott Lieberman from Touchdown Money
This is the ultimate classic chess book; written so well it’s still relevant to the game almost 100 years later.* The author introduces a highly mathematical system, positional chess, with plenty of visuals for references to help readers digest the information. Though this book isn’t for the absolute beginner, it can transform the game for intermediate and stronger players forever.
This excellent chess book was written to fill the gap that trainer Martin Weteschnik kept seeing in his students’ tactical chess play. Weteschnik was dissatisfied with the results his students were getting with puzzle-based learning programs and wrote his book to help them overcome their weak spots. Despite the excellent reviews, Weteschnik was still dissatisfied with the first edition and completely rewrote and restructured the book. The current version is even better than the first, and in addition to top-notch descriptions of when and why to use each tactic, it includes puzzles to practice the application of the tactics.
This comprehensive book contains ultimate chess tactics and strategy. Learn to stay ahead of your rival and know how to control the chaos on the chess board. This book contains winning strategies in the most important moves to level up your chess game. Discover how chess trading works and why losing means winning. Its powerful moves make you competent and a master of the game. It includes insider chess strategies used by famous chess players.
This product was recommended by Lyle Florez from EasyPeopleSearch
Many expert players, including grandmasters, consider this book a chess bible, as it provides a complete reference to the endgame, which can help you improve and strengthen your overall chess game. With that said, there’s a reason intermediate players adore it—a more sophisticated book that isn’t suitable for someone just getting started.
This product was recommended by Karissa Clark from LoansJury
It is a book written by a grandmaster that focuses on pawn play. It offers well-chosen games and intelligent commentary. After reading a few chapters, readers will feel as though they have gained knowledge that can be applied to their own games. To be greater than your current level as a power player, you need to know more about how to play pawn play, which requires a higher level of expertise. This book provides this possibility, allowing you to become a better player. I recommend this book to anybody who wishes to constantly improve themselves.
