Middle game/ Strategy book

I am rated under 1000 at the moment and I am aware that too best improve at the moment I should be focusing on tactics but for when I do decide I should start learning proper middle game play and strategy what would you reccomend that I read all comments are appreciated

A few great "introductory" journeys on strategy that are easy to read:

- Jeff Coakley's Winning Chess Strategy for Kids (don't be put off by the -for kids" title...this book is a gold mine in terms of introducing strategy)

- Simple Chess by Michael Stean

- All of Dan Heisman's (free) Novice Nooks on chesscafe.com

- Any of the following annotated game books:

       - Logical Chess by Chernev

       - The Most Instructive games of chess by Chernev

       - Chess Master vs. Chess Amatuer by Euwe, Meiden

Two thumbrules I'd suggest while reading any chess books:

a) if what you are reading seems difficult to digest  , put the book away for later and find something easier to read.  Learning is not an ego-trip and don't assume that by speed-reading Silman, Vukovic and Nimzo's My System like all the cool kids at the club, you're going to magically get mad chess skills. Know your limitations and take baby-steps when acquiring complex knowledge.

 Don't EVER "force-read" a book as you are going to forget or misconstrue ALL of what you read unless the concepts are 100% crystal clear to you when you absorb them.

b) In support of a),  do not hesitate to ask a stronger player (or even this forum) when you encounter a position where the author says "Blah-blah-blah" and you just don't "get" it.  Keep a journal and store these "questions" you have with the related diagrams.  Review these later until you can cement this knowledge in your head.

I would recommend to you "Studying Chess Made Easy", "Pawn Structure Chess" and "How to Choose a Chess Move" from GM Andrew Soltis, as well as any other of his books. His writing style is very understandable and straightforward. I think you will enjoy reading his books and you will learn a lot, because he doesn't delve into unnecessary details but concentrates on what's important.

middlegame is the transition point of learning between opening and endgame. there are many recommendation of which to properly start learning, may i suggest that its better to learn endgame skills and tactics to learn the mastery of every che ss pieces involve.,before opening skills and middle game tactical stregnth and weakness and then proceeding to learn opening skills perfection..it iisnt easy to grasp the opening theory without constant practice of play,ones exposure to games with particular opening may lead you to better understanding and finally correct knowledge.

The entire "Winning Chess"series by GM Yasser Seirawan. After that, depending on your playing style, "Modern Chess Strategy" by Ludek Pachman or "The Art of Attack in Chess" by Vladimir Vukovic.

I would suggest all of them.

This is an interesting series of Vid's -reviews about 100 chess books. You have to see the whole series. It wont take that long. This is #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM2tviLmfS0

dvoretsky endgame manual amd karel traxler books of counterattack is highly recommended,avail also of membership in this site as there  are added features for learning.to your advantage.

You could  start reading Pandolfini's Weapon's of Chess right now. That strategy book is good for anyone rated 800 to 1400. Even someone rated 1500 might get one or two extra tidbits out of it. I learned a lot reading it, but the concepts looked pretty familiar and felt more like a review. I'm 1400. The way he writes the book, you don't have to do much calculating to understand it. And the book is cheap.

All of Pandolfini's books are aimed at sub 1200 players, with the goal of bringing them up to class C. This book does not list any variations. All concepts are explained with words only, and every strategy is one or two moves deep, with the exception of a few. He does annotate one full game in there, with every move throughly talked about.

Winning Chess Tactics by  Yasser Seirawan

Simple Chess is relatively more "talky" than most strategy books that only list variation after variation ... not that hard to assimilate, especially after the Coakley book I listed before it.

I am inclined to agree about the Dvoretsky and Stean books not being aimed at under 1000s. Seirawan and Pandolfini are more appropriate, imo.

Other suggestions:

"New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans

"Unbeatable Chess Lessons" by Robert M. Snyder

"Chess Success: Planning After the Opening" by Neil McDonald (perhaps)

"The Complete Book of Chess Strategy" by Jeremy Silman

Dan Heisman's Novice Nook series is excellent, as is his book "A Guide to Chess Improvement: The Best of Novice Nook" (although it covers a lot more than just strategy).

Seirawan has also done a "Winning Chess Strategies".