Here are the 6 classics of the chess world which every beginner must know.
The basics always remain the same no matter how much the game advances. To improve the basics one must take the help of books. There is a sea of chess books out there, thus the question that arises is which ones should we read and which ones not? Though no doubt all of them are good, some are considered as “classics” and have been recommended by many veterans as a “must.” First, let us summarize the importance of reading books in chess.
The Importance of Reading Chess Books
To keep improving as a player, it is crucial to read chess books. They help one improve all areas of chess, for example:- Tactics, Strategy, Theory, etc. These books, some of them written by the greatest players of all time, tell us how a grandmaster thinks, his do’s and don’ts, and his advice.
- The Chess Course- Praful Zaveri
The Chess Course by Praful Zaveri is one of the most famous books in the chess world. It consists of one main book followed by 6 training books. One learns from the main book and practices from the workbooks. Praful Zaveri’s peak rating is 1941 and he is the founder of Chess School Academy.
- The Woodpecker Method-Axel Smith and Hans Tikkannen
The “woodpecker method” is a name given to a training system developed by GM Axel Smith and his co-author GM Hans Tikkanen. It consists of solving a large number of puzzles in a limited period of time and then the same number of puzzles in a lesser period of time. The detailed instructions are given in the book along with 1128 puzzles that one has to solve using this method. Gm Hans Tikkanen achieved 3 GM norms in a seven-week period using the “Woodpecker Method”.
- Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess- Robert James Fischer and Stuart Margulies
This is one of the best selling books of all time with over one million copies sold. It is a puzzle book and anyone with a basic knowledge of chess can go through it. Bobby Fischer has written in the intro, “ My book presents material as a tutor would and requires you to actively use the new ideas immediately by answering questions.” Ending sentence has to be included
- Encyclopedia of Chess Endings- Chess Informant
Chess Informant is a publishing company of chess books, its board consists of many great players. Though this series is out of print, all the books can be found in online pdfs. It consists of 5 volumes focusing thoroughly on the endgame. It is regarded as one of the best books to improve the endgame and has all the areas of it covered.
5. Silman’s Complete Endgame Course- Jeremy Silman
We all know the importance of endgame. This book tells us all we need to know about it in a simple and easy manner. The book is divided into parts depending on the players rating though one can disregard that and can read the entire book.
6. My 60 Memorable Games- Robert James Fischer
This book gives us a glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest players of history. Bobby has annotated 60 games in this book played by him from 1957 to 1967. It consists of his analysis, honest remarks, and personal commentaries on the games.
Bottom Line
It is not necessary the player has to read all of the books mentioned above but, reading a minimum 3 is encouraged. It is guaranteed that after going through these books the reader will see a drastic change in his performance. No doubt that lots of hard work will be required but, in the end, the result will be worth it.
Let us end with a quote –
“Practice, Practice, Practice! Consistency is key to success!”