Board games: Chess Books

1219 products


  • The Real Paul Morphy

    New In Chess The Real Paul Morphy

    20 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    20 in stock

    £21.21

  • Playing 1.e4 e5: A Classical Repertoire

    Quality Chess UK LLP Playing 1.e4 e5: A Classical Repertoire

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisEvery chess player needs a high-quality answer to1.e4, and there is nothing more reliable than 1...e5. Black stakes a claim inthe centre and prepares to deploy his pieces on good squares. The challengenowadays is to build a robust repertoire without being overwhelmed by the volumeof material and continual advances in opening theory.In Playing1.e4 e5 ? A Classical Repertoire, Nikolaos Ntirlis offers the best ofboth worlds: a complete repertoire against 1.e4, built on sound positionalprinciples, which does not require excessive memorization. Against the Spanishthe author recommends the Breyer System, one of the most stable, computer-proofoptions at Black''s disposal. The Scotch, Italian, Four Knights and variousother sidelines and gambits are handled with the same clarity and efficiency.

    5 in stock

    £17.99

  • The Checkmate Patterns Manual: The Killer Moves

    15 in stock

    £29.71

  • Beating Unusual Chess Defences:  1 E4: Dealing

    Everyman Chess Beating Unusual Chess Defences: 1 E4: Dealing

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisAnyone who plays 1 e4 as White must be prepared not only for Black's main defences but also an assortment of less popular lines. These, when taken together, represent a significant percentage of the replies you can expect to meet when opening 1 e4. Dealing with these slightly offbeat variations is often a daunting task, especially since your opponents are likely to be specialists in these lines and therefore know them inside out. This book provides the perfect solution. International Master Andrew Greet gets to grips with each of these tricky openings. He identifies how to exploit their weaknesses whilst avoiding their strengths, thus constructing a practical and dependable repertoire for White. This book covers everything a 1 e4 player needs to know about facing these defences. Written by a renowned opening expert, this book features full of original ideas and analysis. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players.

    3 in stock

    £16.14

  • The Scotch Game

    Everyman Chess The Scotch Game

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisYelena Dembo takes a modern-day look at the Scotch Game, providing thorough coverage of the critical main lines and studying the key tactical and positional ideas for White and Black.Trade Review"Dembo and Palliser each enjoy a reputation for being particularly conscientious authors. This latest tandem effort will only enhance this. Everything Scotch players from club level to Grandmaster need is accurately presented up to the end of 2010. Highly recommended" John Donaldson jeremysilman.com "I recommend it wholeheartedly for serious players who get the Scotch in their games." Glenn Flear New in Chess Yearbook

    1 in stock

    £17.09

  • A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire

    Gambit Publications Ltd A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire

    Book Synopsis

    £12.34

  • Russell Enterprises Learn Chess the Right Way: Book 5: Finding

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £16.96

  • Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition: Key Moves

    New In Chess Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition: Key Moves

    Book SynopsisPattern recognition is one of the most important mechanisms of chess improvement. Realizing that the position on the board has similarities with something you have seen before helps you to quickly grasp the essence of that position and find the most promising continuation. Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition supplies a wealth of essential, yet easy-to-remember building blocks for your chess knowledge. In 40 short, well-defined and practical chapters, experienced chess trainer Arthur van de Oudeweetering presents hundreds of examples of surprising middlegame themes. To test your understanding he provides exercises for every chapter. After working with this book, an increasing number of positions, pawn structures and piece placements will automatically activate your chess knowledge. As a result, you will find the right move more often and more quickly!Trade Review"Many of the chapter titles are very helpful for remembering the theme (..) IM van de Oudeweetering has done a good job identifying and classifying instructive middlegame positions by theme. Club players rated between 1600-2200 will benefit from this book and master level players (2200 and up) are also likely to pick up some new ideas by carefully reviewing the material." -- James Rizzitano, ChessCafe"Very practical and perfect for self-study. The book is written in an entertaining way, working with it is a joy (..) Suitable for beginners as well." -- Uwe Bekemann, German Correspondence Chess Federation"I think it's an excellent book, and while it's not systematic in a way that would turn it into a primer on positional play, there is no question but that this will improve the positional understanding of many club players. I'd highly recommend this to players rated around 1400 to 2100, and I think even masters can (and will) learn something from this book as well." -- Dennis Monokroussos, The Chess Mind"Once the reader has started applying these patterns in their own games, they will find that the post-opening phase of the game becomes easier and they will more often build up a strong position." -- Grandmaster Ian Rogers, Four-time Champion of Australia"Every improving player will learn a lot from this book." -- M Gary Lane, Chess Moves Magazine"Perfect for chess trainers who wish to teach their pupils themes in a way that is easy to remember." -- Max Euwe Centre, AmsterdamIt is an excellent book when it comes to freshen up the arsenal of typical but also unusual positional themes. This book calls for collecting positional ideas just as you collect typical combinations. Normally in a game the positional ideas precede the combinations and that's why this middlegame book is so important. -- IM Thomas Engqvist, SchackSnack

    £18.89

  • Russell Enterprises Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual: Fasttrack Edition

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    5 in stock

    £16.96

  • Secrets of Endgame Technique: School of Future

    Edition Olms Secrets of Endgame Technique: School of Future

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £17.99

  • Mikhail Tal: Tactical Genius

    Everyman Chess Mikhail Tal: Tactical Genius

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisMikhail Tal was simply a chess phenomenon. The "magician from Riga" stunned the chess world when he became the youngest ever World Champion (at that time) in 1960, and he won countless supporters for his scintillating tactical play and his infectious enthusiasm for the game. As former World Champion Vassily Smyslov once noted, "Tal's appearance in chess had the effect of an exploding bomb, since his style of play was distinguished by extraordinary combinative brilliance." In this book Raetsky and Chetverik revisit Tal's brilliant victories. The authors have carefully picked his most famous and instructive games and combinations, ones which set the chess world alight with admiration. A study of this tactical genius is sure to entertain and benefit the aspiring chess student. *Includes Tal's most brilliant sacrificial attacks *Ideal for the attacking-minded chess player *Perfect for sharpening tactical ability

    2 in stock

    £15.19

  • Play the Alekhine

    Gambit Publications Ltd Play the Alekhine

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £12.34

  • Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale How to Win at Chess: The Ultimate Guide for

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £19.00

  • English...E5: the Reversed Sic

    Everyman Chess English...E5: the Reversed Sic

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe 1...e5 variation of the English Opening, sometimes referred to as the reversed Sicilian, leads to a diversity of stimulating positions. From wild tactical melees to slow positional battles, there are variations here to suit all styles. These opening lines provide the battle scene for many top Grandmaster clashes, including those of Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and others belonging to the world's elite. In this book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik explain in detail the positional and tactical possibilities for both White and Black. Using illustrative games, Raetsky and Chetverik outline the current fashions in both the main variations and the tricky sidelines. Whether as Black or White, this book is crucial reading for those wishing to play this opening. *Up-to-date coverage of a fascinating opening *Written by leading openings experts *An ideal battle manual for competitive players

    3 in stock

    £14.24

  • Mastering Chess Exchanges

    Quality Chess Mastering Chess Exchanges

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    3 in stock

    £25.08

  • Chess Imbalances

    Quality Chess Chess Imbalances

    7 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    7 in stock

    £29.99

  • Chess Coach

    New In Chess Chess Coach

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisA LIFE DEDICATED TO CHESS AND ITS PLAYERSThis remarkable book is a tribute to a man who is probably the greatest chess coach of all time. Mark Dvoretsky was a fascinating, intelligent, honest, decent, hard-working and good-natured man who dedicated his life to chess and its players.When Dvoretsky started coaching after a fairly successful career as a player, he became a kind of doctor who could quickly spot what his students needed help with. He made them better chess players but also better people. In this book, not only his most famous students Artur Yusupov and Sergey Dolmatov explain what made Dvoretsky so special, but also former World Champions such as Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand, Veselin Topalov and Magnus Carlsen, and many others.In addition to a wealth of delightful and often touching stories, Chess Coach contains 39 of Dvoretsky''s games, which show what a strong player he was. They have been analysed by Dvoretsky himself and by many o

    5 in stock

    £22.91

  • 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players

    New In Chess 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £15.19

  • Continental Sales 100 Endgames You Must Know

    Book Synopsis

    £19.96

  • Continental Sales 100 Endgame Studies You Must Know

    7 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    7 in stock

    £19.96

  • Understanding the Sicilian

    Gambit Publications Ltd Understanding the Sicilian

    Book Synopsis

    £17.99

  • Zeticula Ltd The World Chess Championship 1963: M.M.Botvinnik v. Tigran Petrosian

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom 1948 until 1963 Mikhail Botvinnik, the iron man of soviet chess and chess board devotee of Josef Stalin, had maintained his grip on the supreme title. Tigran Petrosian was a super subtle strategist.

    15 in stock

    £17.99

  • Complete Chess Player

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £14.24

  • The Magic of Mikhail Tal

    Everyman Chess The Magic of Mikhail Tal

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn this book Grandmaster Joe Gallagher takes a fresh look at Tal's games and career, focusing on the previously neglected period from 1975 to 1992 during which he played some of his most accomplished chess. Despite periodic bouts of ill-health Tal occupied a place in the world's top ten for most of this period, winning many top-class events and securing dozens of wonderful victories, many of which are annotated in detail here.

    15 in stock

    £14.24

  • Everyman Chess The Two Knights Defence

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Two Knights Defence is one of the trickiest tactical openings around. If White initiates complications with either 4 Ng5 or 4 d4, play becomes extremely sharp and gambits and counter gambits abound. Anyone who enters the murky waters of the Two Knights Defence must be well prepared for the mind-boggling complications that ensue. In this book, openings theoretician Jonathan Tait guides the reader through both the well-trodden paths of the main lines plus the less fashionable side variations of this most complex opening. Using illustrative games, Tait studies the key ideas and tactics for both Black and White. *Up-to-date coverage of a controversial opening *Written by a Two Knights Defence expert *Ideal for club and tournament players

    15 in stock

    £14.24

  • Zeticula Ltd Reti's Best Games of Chess

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisRichard Reti (1889-1929) was both a master player and a superb endgame composer. He was also a prominent member of the hyper-modern school and author of two of the greatest chess books ever written, Masters of the Chessboard and Modern Ideas in Chess. His games, which greatly influenced chess strat egy, are known for their many innovations, beautifully developed combinations, and important advances in opening play and strategy. There are 70 games in this book, selected from all stages of Reti's career. Early games show the budding of Reti's almost phenomenal positional skills and his rise to status of great master with first prize wins at Kaschau and the international tournament of Gothenburg, 1920. There are many games from the tournaments of 1922, during the development of the Reti and the English openings including Reti-Rubinstein 1923, Reti-Becker 1923, Reti - Bogolyubov 1924, and his stunning defeat of Capablanca in 1924. The games from 1925 to his premature death in 1929 show his further development and number among them many which made the chess world sit up and take notice. Fifteen of Reti's most interesting composed endgames are also included. There is a short memoir and expert annotation by Harry Golombek. For this edition Raymond Keene has written a new Introduction.

    15 in stock

    £17.99

  • DragonMasters  Volume 1

    Thinkers Publishing DragonMasters Volume 1

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisDragonMasters volume 1 charts the history of the most exciting and dangerous opening known to chess - the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian Defense. Unlike almost all other books on the Dragon, the focus is not purely on theoretical development. Instead, the author has combined the most historically important games, the famous players who chose to fight either side (sometimes both sides!) of the opening, and the most unexpected and interesting stories featuring the Dragon. World Champions, contenders of the crown, code-breakers, revolutionaries in every sense of the world - all feature in this remarkable and entirely unique look into the history of an opening variation. as the ancient may say: Here be Dragons!

    1 in stock

    £34.19

  • Dover Publications Inc. Positional Chess Handbook

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £11.87

  • Caro-Kann Main Line

    Everyman Chess Caro-Kann Main Line

    Book SynopsisAn up-to-date survey of the always popular Main Line Caro-Kann, which remains one of the most dependable ways for Black to meet 1 e4 and plays a key role in the repertoires of such stars as Anatoly Karpov and Jon Speelman. The author looks at the key variations and concepts for both sides and offers plenty of new ideas for those who wish to explore less well-chartered waters.

    £14.24

  • Starting Out: Minor Piece Endgames

    Everyman Chess Starting Out: Minor Piece Endgames

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisEndgames with kings, bishops, knights, and pawns are generally considered among the most complex and can seem quite bewildering to improving players. This is hardly surprising given that even Grandmasters have been known to struggle in some areas of these endgames, with some examples resulting in embarrassing failure to deliver elementary checkmates! In this user-friendly book, Grandmaster and notable endgame authority John Emms begins with the absolute fundamentals of minor piece endings. This slowly but surely arms readers with the essential knowledge and confidence to move onto slightly trickier positions. Using examples from practical play, Emms highlights the correct procedures as well as the typical mistakes made by both attacker and defender. As is normal with the famed Starting Out series, there are an abundance of notes, tips, and warnings throughout the book to help improving players. Starting Out: Minor Piece Endgames is perfect for those who have previously honed their chess skills with the earlier books Starting Out in Chess, Tips for Young Players and Improve Your Endgame Play. Key features: *Covers all crucial minor piece endings *Easy step-by-step guide to better endgame play *Ideal for improving players *User-friendly layout to help readers absorb the key ideas

    7 in stock

    £16.14

  • Chess Secrets: The Great Attackers

    Everyman Chess Chess Secrets: The Great Attackers

    Book SynopsisColin Crouch studies his favorite attacking players, and highlights all the important themes of one of the most crucial elements of the game.Trade Review"Great Attackers is a book that deserves to be in every chess player's library." John Donaldson "It is always a treat to read a book by Colin Crouch...A very enjoyable and instructive work." Lubomir Kavalek, Washington Post

    £15.19

  • The New Old Indian: A Repertoire for Black

    Everyman Chess The New Old Indian: A Repertoire for Black

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Old Indian Defence is considered to be a sound way for Black to meet 1 d4. Some might argue that it is steady rather than spectacular, but is this reputation totally deserved? Grandmaster Alexander Cherniaev strongly disagrees, and in this book he introduces ambitious and aggressive ways for Black to play in the main lines. He constructs an improved version of a repertoire he has himself utilized with great success against grandmaster opposition. Using illustrative games, he studies the fundamental tactical and positional ideas for both sides, and also covers what to do if White avoids the Old Indian. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the New Old Indian. *A Grandmaster's repertoire against 1 d4 *Full of new ideas and critical analysis *Illustrative games highlight key ideasTrade ReviewThis is a fascinating book... ***** (out of 6) Carsten Hansen ChessCafe.com

    3 in stock

    £16.14

  • Russell Enterprises Lasker's Manual of Chess

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £26.96

  • Everyman Chess Semi Slav

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Semi-Slav defence has been one of Black's most reliable defences to the queen's pawn since the 1920's. Now, it is fashionable both at grandmaster level and with club and tournament players. Here, Grandmaster Matthew Sadler explains the strategy and tactics of this dynamic opening. Through the use of model games for both sides, the author provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas.

    15 in stock

    £17.09

  • Everyman Chess King's Indian Attack

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe King's Indian Attack was a firm favorite of the legendary Bobby Fischer, and more recently it has been utilized with great success by world-class Grandmasters such as Alexander Morozevich. The renowned chess coach Mark Dvoretsky regards the King's Indian Attack as a perfect weapon on which to base an opening repertoire. Its great advantage over other openings is that it's a thematic system that can be employed against many different lines, while the emphasis is on the understanding of ideas rather than the dry memorization of moves. The King's Indian Attack leads to rich middlegame positions that are full of dynamic possibilities for both sides. In this easy-to-use guide, King's Indian Attack expert Angus Dunnington goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of this attack and its numerous lines. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips, and warnings to help improving players, while key strategies, ideas, and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated.

    15 in stock

    £14.24

  • Sicilian Sveshnikov

    Everyman Chess Sicilian Sveshnikov

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisNo opening in recent times has captured the imagination of the chess public more than the Sicilian Sveshnikov. Initially popularized in the 1970s, the Sveshnikov has exploded onto the chess scene at the highest levels and is now regarded by many experts as one of Black's most promising answers to 1 e4. One of its major attractions is that more often than not the opening leads to incredibly sharp and complex play. In such situations both sides must play with extreme accuracy just to stay on the board as a single slip may lead to disaster!Trade Review'The ideal opening training manuals.' Grandmaster Glenn Flear reviewing the Starting Out series in New In Chess. 'The first books I browse when I go to the bookstore.' Chess Cafe reviewing the Starting Out series. 'Cox's presentation is refreshing. One of the few authors who makes his writing accessible to the average player.' Award-winning author John Watson reviewing Starting Out: Alekhine's Defence.

    10 in stock

    £15.19

  • Techniques of Positional Play: 45 Practical

    New In Chess Techniques of Positional Play: 45 Practical

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisTechniques of Positional Play, an improved edition of a Russian classic, teaches amateur chess players 45 extremely effective skills in a crystal-clear manner. It is reliving quite heavily and doing very well after a 2023 video by famous YouTube star Andrea Botez. Quite a few of the techniques will be revelations for club players, as they offer solutions for problems amateurs are often only subconsciously aware of. The techniques are easy to understand and memorize. The authors present a wealth of practical examples and do not burden the reader with unnecessary deep analysis. There is a special training section at the end of the book where you can test your newly acquired skills.Trade ReviewOne of the best books on positional play you're ever likely to read. -- Paul Kane Manchester Chess Federation I am absolutely convinced that every (really every!) chess player will learn a whole lot from this book. For me personally it is one of the best chess books on the market today. -- Martin Rieger Schachwelt

    5 in stock

    £20.66

  • Createspace Independent Publishing Platform The HIPPO System: A Universal Chess Opening for White & Black

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £13.22

  • Imagery of Chess

    George Braziller Inc Imagery of Chess

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Imagery of Chess Revisited recovers a celebrated and extraordinary moment in art history: the 1944-45 exhibition The Imagery of Chess, held at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York City. The exhibit was a legend in its own time and has been considered a singular event in the history of art exhibitions ever since. The show''s organisers - the influential art dealer Julien Levy, the Surrealist painter Max Ernst, and Dada leader Marcel Duchamp, himself a serious chess player - invited a virtual ''who''s who'' of artists and members of the cultural avant-garde to redesign the standard chess set or otherwise explore chess imagery and its symbolism in bold new ways.Participants included famous European expatriates and soon-to-be famous American modernists: André Breton, Duchamp, Alexander Calder, Ernst, Man Ray, Isamu Noguchi, and Yves Tanguy are among those who contributed chess sets; John Cage and Vittorio Rieti created original musical scores; and Dorothea Tanning,

    10 in stock

    £34.96

  • Leningrad Dutch

    Quality Chess UK LLP Leningrad Dutch

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £20.25

  • Sharp Endgames

    Quality Chess UK LLP Sharp Endgames

    Book Synopsis

    £17.99

  • Secrets of Creative Thinking: School of Future

    3 in stock

    £17.99

  • Fighting Chess with Magnus Carlsen

    Edition Olms Fighting Chess with Magnus Carlsen

    4 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    4 in stock

    £17.99

  • Chess for Educators: How to Organize and Promote

    New In Chess Chess for Educators: How to Organize and Promote

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisChess has the rare quality that children love it despite the fact that it is good for them. Playing chess is just like life: you have to make plans, take decisions, be creative, deal with challenges, handle disappointments, interact with others and evaluate your actions. In this guide, psychologist and chess teacher Karel van Delft provides access to the underlying scientific research and presents the best didactical methods. Van Delft has created a dependable toolkit for teachers and scholastic chess organizers. What can teachers do to improve their instruction? How (un)important is talent? How do you support a special needs group? How do you deal with parents? What are the best selling points of a chess program? Boys and girls, does it make a difference? How do chess in schools programs fare in different countries? This is not a book on chess rules and moves, but it points the way to where good technical chess improvement content can be found. Van Delft offers a wealth of practical advice on the most effective didactics in order for kids to build critical life skills through learning chess.Trade Review"More than 260 pages of pure motivation and inspiration. While other school chess books focus on concrete lessons, Karel van Delft provides insight into everything else that should be in the chess teacher's school bag (chess and autism, chess and girls, chess as social and therapeutic tool, the role of the parents...). The author strikes a wonderful balance between practical tips and scientific foundation. You can use some pages as a checklist, on the other hand the references to scientific works can make any school headmaster realise that chess really belongs in the classroom. And isn't that exactly what we need to spread chess in schools?" -- Philippe Vukojevic, First Rank Newsletter, ECU Education

    4 in stock

    £20.66

  • Kasparov: How His Predecessors Misled Him About

    Batsford Ltd Kasparov: How His Predecessors Misled Him About

    Book SynopsisOver the past few years the great chess player Garry Kasparov has written five best-selling books praising the contributions to chess made by the previous world champions. The series is called ''My Great Predecessors''. As a reaction to this wonderful series of books, leading chess writer Tibor Károlyi has written this imaginary sixth volume. In gently humorous – but chessically serious – style, the author imagines Kasparov is annotating over 70 of his own lost games, and blaming all these defeats on the bad influence of each of the previous world champions, providing in-depth analysis to show how he was misled by them. The book also serves as a highly instructive, practical chess book – to beat Kasparov, the greatest player of all time, took some pretty special chess, and readers will enjoy learning from this. It is astonishing how the author has managed to find so many games that exhibit uncanny similarities between Kasparov and his predecessors, which makes the content of the book extremely plausible – as if Kasparov himself were writing it. This is a brilliant and totally original chess book that could only have been written by someone with great knowledge of Kasparov and the past world champions.

    £13.49

  • 600 Modern Chess Puzzles

    Gambit Publications Ltd 600 Modern Chess Puzzles

    Book Synopsis

    £16.62

  • The Science of Strategy

    Quality Chess UK LLP The Science of Strategy

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £17.99

  • 15 in stock

    £13.29

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