Chess: 5 Books That Will Instantly Level Up Your Game
Enhance your game and mindset with these must-read books for players of all levels
Attention - It’s the fastest depleting resource in us humans these days. It is also one of the cornerstones for being a good sportsperson. As the digital age engulfs our lives further, I have become ever more certain of one thing : there are no hacks to doing anything worthwhile. The only way to enjoy a cherished pursuit is to fully immerse yourself in the present moment.
Books seem like a reasonable way to combat these reduced attention spans; they help us slow down and focus. With World Book Day having passed us right by, here are a few book recommendations catering to a range of chess players. The best way to go through these is along with a Chess Board next to you!
Book: Your First Move
Author: Alexei Sokolsky
As the name suggests, this amazing book is for beginners and hobby players. Sokolsky covers all the starting elements of the game right from how to arrange the Chess board, to covering a wider range of topics in the middlegame and endgame. Many years ago when my husband showed an interest in learning chess, I promptly purchased this book for him at the book stall outside my tournament. I still have the copy and besides being a useful reference book for an article or two, it also serves as a sweet memory from our courtship period!
Book: Logical Chess: Move by Move
Author: Irving Chernev
Chernev takes 33 games and explains every move in simple, clear language. Every single move. For a learner, it’s brilliant. You get to see how strong players think from move one and understand the meaning behind each idea. You notice patterns: development, open lines, threats, control of the center—all the fundamentals start to make sense in context. Read one game a day!
Book: Build Up Your Chess Series
Author: Artur Yusupov
Grandmaster Artur Yusupov, who among several other accomplishments was also Vishy Anand’s former second and trainer and is currently a trainer at WACA, has written a series of 9 books for the more serious learner—someone who already knows the rules and has played a few tournaments. Many of these books can be useful for masters too, they are that good! Start with Build Up Your Chess 1: The Fundamentals. You get a topic for each lesson, with a couple of examples, clear instruction, followed by exercises to solve by yourself.
Book: How Not to Play Chess
Author: Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
This is an awesome, underrated book that caught my attention recently - instead of teaching you what to do, it teaches you what not to do. Moving without a plan, ignoring your opponent’s threats, playing for tricks instead of ideas: All of these are part of the author’s NOT to-do list. One of the chapters is titled – ‘It is not a move, even the best move, that you must seek but a realisable plan’.
It’s a short read especially useful for players who lose games and don’t always understand why.
Book: Alekhine’s Best Games (Volume 1 and 2)
Author: Alexander Alekhine
In this brilliantly compiled book comprising of 2 volumes, Former World Champion Alexander Alekhine who famously named his pet cat ‘Chess’, annotates his own games between 1908 to 1937. Starting from the very first game, we get to see Alekhine’s tendency to constantly create small problems for his opponents, never compromise, while showing sharp calculation and tactical skills and dominating the game!
Conclusion
These books are more than collections of games or advice—they are invitations to think. To enter a room of thought shaped by someone who has spent a lifetime with the game. In recommending them, I hope not just to suggest what to read, but how to read: with curiosity, with patience, and enjoyment.
How to read a classic
Books like this one or Bobby Fischer’s My 60 Memorable Games are a part of the Classic Chess Literature. While going through a game, it’s best to take the colour played by the Champion on our side and try to guess the move, taking our time to respond like in an actual game. To avoid external influence, we cover the upcoming moves in the book with our palm or ask a friend to sit across the board along with the book.
The most important takeaway from these books are not the exact moves, opening ideas or combinations, but the ATTITUDE of the player during the game, along with their overall understanding that leads to certain decisions. If you can absorb this, you have levelled up!
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