I've never read a Silman book that wasn't great! His Reassess Your Chess book was the first chess book I ever read. Although it was definitely a bit over my head at the time it laid down the ground rules for positional play that I still use today. His endgame book...phenomenal. Only endgame book that's been able to keep my attention for more than a few days (a must read). And actually currently I'm reading Amateur's Mind (about half way through) and I must say that I was a bit skeptical about the format; i.e. hearing all the thinking processes of these sub 1000 players, but I've actually learned quite a bit already. Happy chess!
GM SILMAN / GM LEV ALBURT BOOKS
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@ tree beard:
I don't think "How to Reassess Your Chess " was great. It was the style that it was written that I didn't like. Maybe it was over my head at the time. Just like "My System" was when I bought and tried that book, and then shelved it.
I find that just reading a book for myself and many other people is not really applying what is read. Working the book not just in your mind but physically moving the pieces actually reinforces and applies the concepts better.
I know that there are three style of learning people. Some lucky people can learn just by reading something once and they can retain what they read. One of my son's is that way. But applying it is another thing.
Other are visual people and if they can see it they learn it and are able to apply it.
The other people are that that have to apply what they read in other to be learn it. Hands on approach.
Having a book seating on a shelf is just having someone else's ideas and concepts sitting there waiting to be used and learned. I myself have purchased many, many books and taken just ideas here and there, nilly, willy, from each book. If I pick up any book I probably will re-learn something that I had forgotten.
I am taking many of the books in my library to the local used book store where I purchased them and i'm selling them back. Many are written in the old form and I don't seem to be getting any younger. I find many new chess books on their shelves that write about just one subject and as it goes through each game they show variation upon variation unending and that style is too hard to follow without using a board. Even though a book only has 100 pages there is a lot of material in it, to over wellming and useless for me, so I pass on those books.
I will probably will buy some fiction mysteries by Child, Patterson, or others. I will pick up something by Hawkin the cosmologist from England and give some of the money to my grandchildren to go and purchase some books. Four of them are avid readers I am amazed of all the knowledge that they have and they are from 7 through 10 years old. I never give them toys I always give them gift certificates to book stores.
I was bummed out when "BORDERS BOOKS" went out of business.
Sorry I chattered on.
Bye for now. Have a nice day.
@ Denverhigh - thanks for your response. RYC is another book that requires you to really dig in before you can mine its' treasures. It's not like bathroom books like Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess that can be read and assimilated with little effort. Reading and studying are two very different things, and RYC MUST be studied. So take out your board, read Silman's instructive notes and stop when there's something you don't understand and try to answer it even if there are no notes! At your rating level though Amateur's Mind is a fine substitute that teaches many of the same things.
I think a mistake many people make when reading books is that they expect there to be some tangible sign of improvement RIGHT after reading a new book. Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Books read doesn't translate into elo points in a linear fashion, but I do believe that they will help you in the long run. For me I love reading chess books more than playing itself (which is weird?) so my motivation to read is just that I love to do it! Anyways, if you're not trying to implement what you've learned in books each and every game then you probably won't improve much. There's little improvement through osmosis effect, you need to buckle down and try to apply new concepts like a baby learning to walk- and before you know it the baby will be walking and chasing the dog!
Tree Beard:
I failed to sell or give away all the books locally. It seems that the call for chess books is low.
I purchased two of Fisher Teaches Chess and carry it to re-sell to the my students that want them. I find that is a great tool for their learning.
I am sending all the 105 book to one of Chess.com member in Michigan this coming week.
Today I was asked if I would recomend a Silman’s book. Just before I received the request I was holding one in my hand "How to recess your chess." It is the second edition purchased in 1986. In it is also "Amateur’s Mind" I didn't finish the book nor give it enough thought because I didn't like the style. He had the moves were in the middle of the narrative. Yes, they were highlighted darker and stood out.
I wrote the first game moves right next to the diagram and then gave up on the book. I put it on the shelf. So I never re-assed my game.
I just scanned the "Amateur’s Mind" in the book and it is rather interesting. I might just read it tomorrow morning.
I also have "Silman's complete book of Chess Strategy" from 1998 the price was only $10.00 and it is in pristine condition. It starts out with many openings and that’s where I picked up “the Grob.”
When I pulled it on many players, they hated it because they didn't like my first move. G4 They didn't know how to respond. Silman says that the grob is an opening that should not be used because it losses the f4 and h4 squares.
I like that book because it covers about 50 opening in alphabetical order and then moves onto the middle game, which would anyone. The "end" portion is covered as well.
The book is very easy to understand and all examples are short and to the point. I read 175 pages of it then hopped to page 300, as I wanted to cover the endings with few pieces and pawns. I love this book. That one I recommend.
I have another “Silman’s Complete Endgame Course” From beginner to Master 2007. It starts with entries for "unrated to 999." From there it goes to "1000 / 1199" and continuous up in "200" increments until it reaches "2400." I also recomend this one. It will always be good till you get to be a master.
So if you are rated, you can begin at your rating or look back and check what you already should know and learn it if you want to. Then you can improve from your rating.
There is another series by Russian grandmaster "Lev Alburt" it is a series with grandmaster "Nikolay Krogius, "Who the heck is that?" He is the man Spassky insisted as his special coach, he has trained many Russian grand masters. I recomend this set.
"Chess Tactics for the Tournament Player" 2005
"The King in Jeopardy" 2005
"Chess Strategy" 2005
"Just the Facts" 2005
I recommend Lev's series.