Do You Have Anyone in Your Life Who Loves Chess and You Want to Nurture His Interest in the Game(2022)? Top Chess Books Every Chess Player Should Read

TV series ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ and online tournaments like ‘PogChamps’ have taken the popularity of chess to new heights. Millions of new players are enjoying chess today. If you love near-perfect intellectual battles fuelled by some tittle-tattle then chess is just perfect for you. The chess journey of 1500 years has brought together people of different ages, backgrounds and cultures together and bonded them over the passion for this game.

So, what are the reasons behind this magnetic appeal and why is chess the greatest game to play? Well, there are several reasons for this. The game has been under the radar since Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer competed against each other in Reykjavik about 50 years ago. Chess is a combination of beauty, logic, style, rigour and even psychology to evaluate your opponent’s move. People love this game as it's played, enjoyed and appreciated at every level. There is entertainment for everyone whether you are a beginner, average player or a Grand Master.

Unlike other games that need a lot of time to set up, chess can be easily set up in moments. It is a mentally challenging and refreshing game. There are many health benefits of playing chess. It develops courage, patience, improves memory, emotional knowledge, critical thinking, reasoning, creativity, self-awareness, problem-solving and is also a good brain exercise. With these endless benefits, chess is definitely the best game to play, especially in these pandemic times when most of us are limited to indoors.

Reading books is one of the best ways to improve your understanding of this game. It gives you the necessary knowledge and skills to improve your game. So, reading books is something that you cannot ignore. Here are a few suggestions to help get started.

Crafted based on the Roman army theme, the chessmen in this beautiful chess set have an antique finish. These copper and golden army figures can be stored in the folding Sheesham-wood chessboard. The chess set is perfect to play a challenging game or as home décor as well. Check out these brass sculpted pieces with the wooden folding board on Amazon. The price of this fascinating chess set is Rs. 4,099.

The intrinsic beauty of these marble chess pieces is ideal as a family room display or for an occasional slow and casual game of chess. The smooth polished handmade pieces have a unique charm of their own. This set is available on vibecity.in for Rs. 1,800.

Chess collectors must definitely own this luxurious-looking chess set that is flawlessly crafted. A combination of stainless steel and wood makes it very attractive. This is completely handcrafted and is available on brownliving.in for Rs. 6,499.

It's pirates vs. royals in this amusing Pirates Chess set. The colourful wooden playing pieces give a quirky twist to this traditional game. The product is kid-friendly and chess pieces also double as your child’s standalone toys. Complete with eye patches, crowns and masks, this is an excellent gift for kids. This exclusive set is available on thenestery.in for Rs. 2,499.

Both young and old are fans of the Lord of the Rings story be it in book form or watching on the big screen. Although there is an array of classic board games based on this theme, the ‘chess game’ is exceptional and a must-have collector’s item. Get ready for that epic battle of good and evil with this intricately crafted playing board available on desertcart.in. The price of this chess set is Rs. 10,559.

One of the elements of success in a chess game is playing regular chess. However, this is not the only one and moreover, quality gains over quantity. So, it is not just how many or how often you play a game, but how well you play is what matters. Reading chess books is one of the best ways to increase your ELO and become a better player. If you want to learn about a chess game and win then get started with ‘Chess Basics Books – Everything’ written by Peter Kurzdofer.

The book provides a great introduction to beginners and helps sharpen their skills. There are clear diagrams with information on types of chess, special moves, scoring, notation and timing, chess ethics and all that you need to know to play the game is mentioned in this book. If you want to hone your fundamentals then purchase this book that is available on sapnaonline.com for Rs. 500.

If you are a complete beginner then this remarkable book by Bobby Fisher, one of the greatest and popular players of all time is what you need. The book helps you understand the basic chess mate patterns and tactics. It introduces key concepts like interposing, back-rank attacks and pinning. There are many fun puzzles in the book that you can solve once you learn the concepts, which gives a better understanding of the ideas behind the tactics used in the game.

It also helps with visualization. As the difficulty level of these puzzles builds, the underlying concept becomes clear to the reader. This is one of the favourite books of beginners. Learn to play chess with this amazing Bobby Fischer’s book, which happens to be one of the best-selling chess books even today. You can purchase the book on sapnaonline.com for Rs. 395.

This is a perfect book for those beginning chess players written by Bruce Pandolfini. Pandolfini is one of the widely read writers of today, who has taught chess to thousands of players in all age groups. The book Beginning Chess: Over 300 Elementary Problems for Players introduces the fundamental tactics of the game of chess with an assortment of moderately challenging puzzles.

Every puzzle in the book can be answered in one single move. The simplicity of this book is what makes it different from others. It is easy to read and understand making it the ideal chess book for beginners. The book features the most common tactical puzzles that give a well-versed introduction and a great problem-solving experience to a beginner. The book is a good mind-stretcher, fun to use and one of the top chess books, especially for beginners. Purchase this book on Amazon for Rs. 1,190.

Learn ‘Winning Chess Tactics’ with Chess Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan, who was a four-time US champion. This book teaches timeless lessons and the finest chess tactics to motivated learners giving them a strong tactical foundation. This is one among the very few chess books that are thought-provoking and interesting. The book not only points out the tactics to learners but also teaches them when to look for one.

The author educates on an array of tactics and combinations such as the pin, double attack, the skewer, the decoy, Windmills, X-Rays and deflection. The book also features several illustrations and is a must-have for aspiring chess players. This well-written book is simply worth the money. The price of the book is Rs. 1,382 and is available on Flipkart.

Hungarian born Susan Polgar became the youngest #1 female chess player at the age of 15. Her combinations, tactics and strategy gave an edge over her opponents that made her the first woman Grandmaster. ‘Chess Tactics for Champions’ authored by Polgar gives insight into the thoughts that champions rely on while playing the game of chess. The book is structured into chapters of about twenty-five puzzles that cover important aspects of tactics used in chess.

The book is very easy to use with excellent explanations. The book also offers good stuff for intermediate to advanced-level chess players. You can purchase the book on Amazon for Rs. 921.

If you are playing chess, you need to have a plan to determine how things are moving and if it works then you can repeat it in your future games as well. Although tactics have their own dynamic advantage, Seirawan states strategies as a way to gain static advantages.

In his book ‘Winning Chess Strategies’, he explains about correct positioning of the pawns, counterplay, creating targets, how to use material advantage etc. You can learn several useful and easy-to-remember strategies from this book that you can use in your chess games. Whether it is for pleasure reading or for reference, reading this book will indeed be a good strategy. You can purchase this book on Amazon for Rs. 450.

If you have already learnt your basic moves, then what’s next to improve your play? If you are in this dilemma then you must definitely read Logical Chess Move by Move by Chernev. The author explains 33 games in this classic. Each game is explained in detail move by move with the reason for each one. The explanations give an insight into the power of the pawns and how to move them effectively. It is one of the best books for chess aficionados. You can purchase this classic book on Amazon for Rs. 1,317.

Edward Lasker was one of the leading players of the early 20th century. He is also well-known for his chess books. The Chess Strategy is one of the best books authored by Edward Lasker that illustrates games to show the strategic principles adapted by masters. According to Lasker, by following these strategic principles one can play good chess and become a master. This book teaches players how to play intelligently and forcefully. The books also consist of 48 chess games played at master tournaments to illustrate these strategic principles. Purchase this book on Flipkart for Rs. 407.

Published in 2008, the book ‘100 Endgames You Must Know’ is authored by GM Jesus de la Villa. The book consists of 14 chapters and the exercises in each chapter are well-organized based on the difficulty level. It is suitable for average to master level players. If you want to master the principles of endgame, then 100 Endgames is a workbook you need, to make this happen. The book consists of 300 practical examples. It improves your visualization and calculation skills that are vital for a deeper understanding of the game. Purchase this book on Amazon for Rs. 1,573.

This is one of the classics written by Mikhail Shereshevsky and was first published in the Russian language. The book is ideal for those who have knowledge of basic principles and core endgames. The book consists of a selection of endgames with classic examples. It mainly focuses on complex endgames, where the topics covered range from pawns to queens.

The book is well-structured and presented at different levels. It is a masterful guide for every aspiring player who wants to master the endgame play. The author elucidates the basic principles of the endgame such as the role of pawns, centralization of King, suppressing counterplay, exchanging pieces and much more. You can purchase this classic book on Flipkart for Rs. 400.

This is one of the interesting books for kids, where they can learn the basic moves of the game. The step-by-step explanation makes it easy for kids to understand the rules of the game even if they do not have any prior knowledge of chess. The author of this book is Murray Chandler and Helen Milligan. Chandler gained the Grandmaster title by winning the events in Amsterdam and New York. Dr. Milligan is the woman master, who represented Scotland and New Zealand in Chess Olympiads. With excellent illustrations, mini games, and puzzles, it is an enjoyable book for kids to learn chess. Check out this book on Flipkart for Rs. 1,642.

This book authored by Murray Chandler is intended for junior chess players. It introduces them to elementary tactics, especially checkmate patterns, which are useful for beginners in the game. The sections in the book are devoted to 50 tactical patterns that are easy to follow. As there are plenty of diagrams on most of the pages, readers can follow every move easily. The book also mentions a few suggestions at the end of the book to further improve and learn the game, as there is much more to learn than just checkmating the king in the chess game. The bottom line is that it is an enjoyable book to read that you can purchase on Amazon for Rs. 1,352.

Kids will learn chess the Polgar way with this book ‘Learn Chess the Right Way’ written by the eminent and award-winning chess player Susan Polgar. The book introduces kids to the important checkmate tactics and defensive techniques that are important if they are new to chess. There are five volumes and Book 1 focuses on one-move checkmate exercises. A well-structured and organized book is a must for beginners. You can purchase this book on Amazon for Rs. 1,313.

Jeff Coakley is known for his books that focus on teaching kids about chess. One of the best among his books is Winning Chess Strategy for Kids, which was published in the year 2000. Children in the age group of 7 to 13 years will absolutely adore this volume. The ideas and strategies explained in the book are easy to grasp and concise all through. In fact, it is one of the best books to read if you want to learn chess regardless of age. The invigorating book will teach them to checkmate their opponents in no time.  You can buy this book on Amazon for Rs. 4,841.