Best middlegame book for a beginner ? (1200)

Hi guys,

I started chess in january and I.am.obsessed lol.

I have never red a chess book before and since I have quite alot of opening knowledge for my level and am 1900 puzzles, I really want to enhance my middle game since the lack of positionnal play, pawn play and strategy are my current kryptonite.

I am kind of lost tho on which one to choose considering my situation (similar to a few i presume) between the following : https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/wiki/books#wiki_middlegame_strategy

Any suggestions ?

Thank you for your time

Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

Hi RussBell,

Funny I just finished your article before posting this post :

Soviet Middlegame Technique seems too advanced for my current level. Found some good feedback on Understanding Chess Middlegames by Nunn but seemed too advanced aswell.

Heard some great feedback too on Seirawan and his books but some mixed ones about his last book "Winning Chess Strategies" which is the topic i'm interrested about.

Would you recommand "Play Winning Chess by Seirawan" instead for my level or one of theses instead : 

• Understanding Chess Middlegames
• How to Reassess Your Chess
• Mastering Chess Strategy
• Chess Structures: A Grandmaster Guide
• Soviet Middlegame Technique
• Simple Attacking Plans
• The Art of the Middle Game
• Modern Chess Strategy
• Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy
• Dynamic Chess Strategy
• Positional Decision Making in Chess
• Secrets of Positional Play

Like I said I would really like to focus on strategy, positions and middlegames and not a general approach.

     You would be better served learning endings. You'll win more games you now draw and draw more games you now lose. And knowing when you have a better ending or not lets you know whether to simplify into the ending.

     Siegbert  Tarrasch's "The Game of Chess" starts with endings, then goes on to explain the basics of positional play, then opening principles. It is aimed at beginners. (Be sure to get the algebraic edition.)

Try "The Amateur's Mind" by Jeremy Silman.  You will see how his students (of varying grades) analyse positions and then play them out.  You will see what they got right and what they missed, and how they should have played the positions.  It is also entertaining in places.  Highly recommended.

Im not even sure if there is a middlegame book for 1200 players?

Maybe the closest would be Silmans HTRYC? 

Seirawans Strategy Book?

Apparently there is!

Chess Middlegame for Beginners: The Complete Tactics and Strategy Guide for Beginners
Cory Klein.

Never heard of it or him. 

I suggest to check out my blog article...

Good Positional Chess, Planning & Strategy Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-positional-chess-planning-strategy

where I recommend which books to study, and the order in which to study them.  Many of the books in your list are mentioned in the article, which concerns issues and concepts relevant primarily to middle game play.  The order I suggest for study is because the books tend to build on each other from basic to more "advanced" treatments, if you will.  I am very familiar with each of the books (I own them all) and have taken all of this into consideration in making my recommendations.

By the way, I agree with your perceptions of Soviet Middlegame Technique by Romanovsky and and John Nunn's book.  While very good books, they are also very "advanced" treatments.  

Agreed!

Silman's "How To Reassess Your Chess" is too advanced for a beginner-novice, 1200-rated player.  IMO that book is more accessible to more experienced players, rated 1600+.  A better choice for lower rated players (rated 1200+) would be his book "The Amateur's Mind", prior to embarking on HTRYC.

The backbone of any chess book are annotated grandmaster games.

One of the best books is "Zürich 1953" by Bronstein

Pandolfini's "Weapons of Chess" and "Chess Strategy Workbook - A Blueprint for Developing the Best Plan" by Todd Bardwick fall into that category. Also Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move"

Thank you all for your time.

I ended up ordering "How to Reassess Your Chess" by Silman as it is both on point about the topics I want to adress and aligned to my skill level.

PS : If you want to add me and play me I'd gladly take a smack as long as you can provide me some insights afterwards

Thanks Ips....middlegames always seem to be the part of the game books seem scarce on.  Or it could just be me.

     Middlegames are the part of chess with few if any hard and fast rules, making it difficult to teach technique. A 1200 player is really out of their depth with most of the books dealing with this subject. Better to get a rudimentary knowledge of a handful of openings to avoid getting into terrible positions right away and learning endgame technique. A bit of knowledge of basic mates, fundamental positional theories, and tactical practice will help them improve their middlegame.

Since you are 1900 in tactics and because you are new(relatively) I suggest the art of the middle game. This little book covers defense, analysis, center pawn structure, and planning. I re-read it every five years.