Chess Manuals



A. Nimzowitsch "My System"
level: except beginners
Dimensions (in inches): 0.75 x 8.75 x 6.75; verified: algebraic notation
Contains 419 diagrams
One of the most famous chess manuals in history, an absolute classic book.

A. Nimzowitsch "Chess Praxis"
level: qualified
Dimensions (in inches): 1.00 x 9.00 x 7.00; verified: algebraic notation
The favorite book of Tigran Petrosian. "The book teaches the positional chess play" (Nimzowitsch). It was written after "My System". Consists of the articles (each about a theme of positional play) and detailed commented games for each theme (more than 100 games in total).

A. Nimzowitsch "The Blockade"
level: qualified
65 pages only, dimensions (in inches): 0.25 x 8.50 x 5.50
One of the favorite books of Sakaev, famous Russian GM, he considers that reader can find very concentrated and useful ideas here. It contains some annotated games that are not included in the other works of Nimzowitsch!

Book of R.Keene about Nimzowitsch

M. Dvoretsky “School of Chess Excellence”
level: high qualified
It consists from the next volumes (these links are for shopping):
1st volume: "Endgame Analysis",
2nd volume: "Tactical Play",
3rd volume: "Strategic Play",
4th volume: more space is given to the analysis of the opening problems.
The works of Dvoretsky are very popular among the strong young players.
Other books of Dvoretsky

Y. Neishtadt “Paul Keres Chess Master Class”
For qualified players and everybody interested by chess history
182 pages
The chess manual based on the games of Keres. About Paul Keres.

A. Alekhine “107 Great Chess Battles (1939-1945)”
level: for qualified amateurs
256 pages, dimensions (in inches): 0.63 x 8.48 x 5.42 algebraic notation
It's a compilation of 107 games annotated by Alekhine in 1939-1946. De facto - last book of genius. It's about the most interesting games of the period (only one game is out of 1939-1945: Bardeleben - Alekhine, 1908). Also here are 2 articles of Alekhine (one on Capablanca). Deep and witty annotations (as always) of Alekhine, commentaries has also a delicate humor sometimes. Here are games of Alekhine (31 games), Keres, Capablanca, Bogoljubov, Saemisch, Tartakower, Reshevsky, Kashdan, Mikenas, Pomar, Petrov and other famous chess players. Here are how presented the most popular openings: Ruy Lopez (19 games), French Defence (9), Caro-Kann Defence (9), Sicilian Defence (7), Alekhine's Defence (1), Queen's Gambit Declined (7), Queen's Pawn & Nimzowitsch Defence (11), Grunfeld Defence (7), Queen's Indian Defence (4), Dutch Defence (1), English Opening (4). You can use this book, certainly, as manual (strategy, positional playing, witty tactical tricks, openings, and more). It has a rather big percent of pretty short games. One of the most interesting chess books ever. Translator - Edward Winter.

M. Botvinnik “100 Selected Games”
level: qualified & interested in chess history
272 pages, dimensions (in inches): 0.60 x 8.37 x 5.41
Minus: the descriptive notation ("1.P-K4") instead of algebraic ("1.e4")
The exclusive accuracy in the analysis, deep analysis of subtleties of positional struggle and openings. All books of Mikhail Botvinnik have a very high estimate. Many future grandmasters were studying chess on comments of Botvinnik to his selected games. The book contains favorite Botvinnik's games up to 1946. There are also interesting thoughts about the famous chess opponents of Botvinnik.

R. Fisher “My 60 Memorable Games”
level: qualified
dimensions (in inches): 0.75 x 7.75 x 5.25
The games of the period: 1956 - 1967. Robert Fischer's games only. It's one of the best and most useful chess books of XX century, readers and critics frequently mark the great clarity of the author's explanations.

S. Tarrasch “Three Hundred Chess Games”
level: except beginners
366 pages, verified: algebraic notation
Probably, the best book of XIX century. Siegbert Tarrasch tells about his chess career up to 1894. The most interesting and useful part of the book is the chapter about the great match Tarrasch - Chigorin (1893): there are very detailed commentaries and high-quality games (22 at all). Many experts suppose that this match was a most important match in the century.

G. Kasparov “Garry Kasparov's Chess Puzzle Book”
level: qualified - high qualified
96 pages, dimensions (in inches): 0.28 x 8.27 x 5.71
There are less than 100 tasks, but Kasparov has the main authority here.

G. Kasparov “Garry Kasparov's Chess Challenge”
level: qualified - high qualified
Another book of the chess puzzles of the great champion and tactician. There are more than a hundred examples and tasks (together).

V. Hort, V. Jansa “Best Move”
level: qualified - high qualified
The book consists of several hundreds various tasks of different complexity from the games of these famous grandmasters. One of the favorite works of the famous Russian GM Sakaev. Unavailable for while - what a pity!

S. Tarrasch "The Modern Chess Game" (written in 1912-1924)
level: except beginners
The strange fact: practically not available in English
Only during the life of the classic the book had 4 editions. More than 200 commented selected games of the start of XX century (not only Tarrasch's games). The main work of Tarrasch - an absolutely classic book. Tarrasch considered "The Modern Chess Game" as a manual of chess strategy.

T. Petrosian "The Chess Lectures"
level: high qualified
available in Russian
14 lessons.

Other Chess Manuals

Manuals for Beginners