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| kangoldemancha 5/02/2004 13:43:52 [ report this post ] |
 Subject: Good Opening book?Message: Is there any one book that you would say is the best book for advanced openings? |
| pebbles 5/02/2004 14:36:17 [ report this post ] | No, Message: every book on the openings is outdated as soon as it is printed. An old (and outdated) book from which I have derived much pleasure is Suetin's Lehrbuch der Schachtheorie (1975). I consider this the best single-volume book for "advanced" openings, though I can't recommend it to anyone, in view of its antiquity. Another good work is the likewise antiquated openings course by Panov and Estrin, which was published in English as three volumes, many many years ago. An advanced study of the openings cannot be undertaken without working through monographs on particular openings or variations. I don't think that an advanced book on the Sicilian (the "compleat Sicilian") exists, but there exist many on the Najdorf variation (such as John Nunn's classic, outdated), and even books dealing with subvariations of the Najdorf. There is no end to it... so I think it's better to do away with all those openings books and study endings instead. |
| cairo 5/03/2004 02:35:39 [ report this post ] | I Message: agree very much with pebbles above statements. I'd like to add, that as long as you understand the principles in developing your pawns and pieces in the opening, don't spend any money on opening books. Spend them on endgames study and the deeper understanding of planning a game, execute plans in games and pure endgames principles. Many points will "drop in your basket" by knowing these principles. I'll make two book recommendations: Reuben Fine's Basic Chess Endings and Aron Nimzowitsch's My System. Enjoy your onwards "scull hunting" Best wishes Cairo |
| mrendgame 5/03/2004 08:16:18 [ report this post ] | Message: Agreed about the endgame and Principles in the above posts I'd recommend you get Tactical Exercise and problem solving books & chess books with lots of annoted games by Gms and Masters ones can write well when one thing when you solve problems don't set them up on a chess board do them directly from the diagram in the book and really try to understand whats happening in the position. Why? when you play on a real chess board your not allowed to move the men you have to visualize all your possibile moves and it's the same when doing problems. Ok I'll recommend these books: Sharpen Your Chess Tactics By Grandmaster Lein and GM Boris Archangelsky Three Hundred Chess Games by Siegbert Tarrasch 1001 ways to Checkmate by Fred Rienfeld My 60 Memorable Games By Bobby Fischer 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games by Laslo Polgar Alekhines Best Games by Alexander Alekhine |
| trond 5/03/2004 12:24:46 [ report this post ] | General books best Message: Forget remembering opening variations. I'd rather buy a general principles book like "The ideas behind the chess openings" by Reuben Fine. That way you'll be able to manage rather well no matter what weird opening your opponent plays. It doesn't help remebering opening variations unless you know how to punish an opponent doing a out-of-book move. If you want to improve, learn positional principles and study some tactics as well. Positional understanding and tactics go hand in hand. With positional understanding you'll have an idea of what to do when there's no tactical shots (which is most of the time). Positional understanding is important in the opening as well (from move 1). Endgame studies are also well worth the time. |
| premium_steve 5/03/2004 12:30:39 [ report this post ] | Message: i have always used just one: "Chess Openings" by I.A. Horowitz it's very outdated like pebbles' lehrbuch, but it serves its purpose for a player of my mediocre skill level :). I use it more as a guide to understanding openings than anything else. It's fairly detailed and I find it helpful, even if it isn't as accurate as it could be. I'll play what I figure I half-way understand, and feel comfortable playing. If i want to find out more about some opening, I'll look for articles or games online. Besides that... there are nice people here who go out of their way to help me, and of course i appreciate that a lot! thanks. |
| tyekanyk 5/03/2004 23:19:35 [ report this post ] | Message: If you want you could combine openings books with NiC so that you can eliminate the drawbacks in both. In that way you get a general understanding of the opening through the book and you can stay up to date by means of the yearbook. Although I would like to reinforce what has been said earlier, try to study endgames first, than tactics and only after you feel you have a minimum knowledge of both start the study of openings in a serious maner. Until then you are just wasting your time. |
| gibo 5/03/2004 23:41:11 [ report this post ] | Message: i believe learning the principles of openings will only get you so far. I know from experience several times i have just been killed in the opening because i didn't know enough theory. Now i have a knowledge of theory far beyond my rating, and find i often come out of the opening with decent positions. But if you really want to improve your openings i would subscribe to New In Chess yearbook, which comes out 4 times a year. But the yearbook wil give lowly rated players nothing as often it will be over their heads. |
| wellhairedbeast 5/08/2004 06:20:52 [ report this post ] | Message: I recommend Modern Chess Openings (14th edition), i got it the other week as my first book and what i like about it is as well as a good variety of openings it explains the concept or purpose behind each type so you can develop your own strategy and play though the opening understanding what you are doing rather than following blind. It doesnt explain in great depth however but i think its a great starting point. |
| baseline 5/08/2004 14:04:04 [ report this post ] | Message: "Nunn's Chess Openings" is another good reference book. "Basic Chess Openings" and "More Basic Chess Openings" by Gabor Kallai From the foreword of the book: "the book contains the main lines of each opening, taking into account modern fashion. The author explains every opening in detail and gives a diagram at the end of each section, sketching the plans for both sides in the middle game." later it says the books will be most useful to players between the ratings of 1700 and 2300' |
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