Which book helped you the most in your chess improvement?

Which book and why?

Before I read "Common Sense In Chess" by Lasker, I was very poor at Chess. All of my friends were beating me.

After reading the book, I realized that my friends did not understand the basics of opening and development. They were no longer able to beat me. One friends said, "You just got really good, really fast." All I was doing was controling the center, developing, moving no piece twice and maintaining material equality. They were hanging pieces all over the place. I taught it to a friend of mine and he started killing the people he played against at work. He said, "It's like, okay...i'll take this, then that, then this, then that." He suddenly realized how people were always leaving pieces hanging. He never really noticed that before.

The other book that helped me get better was "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess." It's full of a lot of great mating and attacking ideas.

New Ideas in Chess by Reti (although they are old ideas by now, a century later).

Pawn Power in Chess by Kmoch.

My System by Nimzovich.

John Bain - Chess Tactics for Students

Without it, and my study method, I never would've accomplished anything in chess.

art of defence in chess By Andy Soltis

Have you actually read this entire book?

I purchased it the other day for $7 because of this post. The author has attempted to give a name to every possible pawn scenario in chess. To absorb what the author is offering, you have to make a huge committment to his words by thoroughly understanding every term and definition he provides. It's also written in descriptive notation which is annoying.

Will I get anything out of this book if I choose not to commit to memory all of his definitions?

There is an algebraic version. You have to look for a specific publisher, cant remember which one...Georgia something. I will look at mine when i get home

Ludek Pachman 'Complete Chess Strategy' 3 vols. made my middle game much more cogent and incisive. Not widely read now in English because only in descriptive notation.

I just had to review my amazon order....here it is. disregard peoples reviews that it is in descriptive notation. This is in algebraic, the dover edition is in descriptive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0939298791/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

having never even come close to really studying a chess book, I will say that the first book i bought is the one that really got me interested in chess, and wanting to improve. 

Gligoric's book on the Fischer vs. Spassky Match.

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess was my second chess book, and helped me a lot with some basic ending mates.  My first book was a Brazilian book, Xadrez Basico, which teached me a lot in the beginning also. This book, at that time, was considered as a "bible" to those who wanted to learn chess.  Now I am reading (slow reading) Silman's Complete Endgame Course and Chernev's Logical Chess Move by Move.  Slow reading, because of my work, 

Pawn Power in Chess is a good book, despite it's goofy terminology "the rim pawn has no lee!"

That said, I really wish chess players would stop thinking stupid things like this are true: " I have talked with one person who was rated 1800 and his rating jumped to over 2000 almost overnight after reading this book." 

Just stop with this nonsense.

5334 Chess Problems by Laszlo Polgar.

People want a quick fix, they want a "magic pill" for success.  Just keep in mind that the inventor of the pet rock made millions.  

I should sell a book on chess success, and fill it full of "testimonials" on how my book took people from a rating of 100 to Master in 2 weeks.  Guaranteed I could make money on this.

Yeah, but I'll just come out with a book about how you can go from 100 to Master in 10 days and take all of your sales.

How much are you going to charge?

i first read, teach yourself chess, then fischer teaches chess and now i have steans simple chess, the amateurs mind, begin chess, how to play good opening moves. i am currently reading through simple chess.

Alfonso Romero's Creative Chess Strategy. It's a bit advanced and has tons of variations, but they're also well explained. In the introduction, he explains Petrosian's view that chess technique should never be mechanical, but full of creativity. Romero covers IQP positions, color complexes, exchange sacrifices and so much more. For his first book, it's very well written. Again, it's a little advanced, so I wouldn't recommend it for beginning players. But for intermediate players and up, it's a gold mine of knowledge.

Silman's books The Amateur's Mind and HTRYC also helped me a lot and are very original. They explain a lot more in words instead of countless variations. Much better for lower-rated players.

thats the first book i read..i recall  that their is 1 problem  in that in which the king can escape,been along time since i read that,i wouldn't mind skimming through that again. 

Laskers chessmagazine volume2

        For a chessmagazine that was printed in 1905, its way ahead of its time. A must read for the ADVANCED player that seeks entertainment!! 

              requires a chesset!! unless you have crazy visualization skills.