Chess Books 

(I award a Maximum Rating of   pretty much only for the books that will be used for generations. So consider to be a very high mark. Publishers, authors, chess fans feel free to send me books for review. All submissions will be acknowledged and my unbiased opinion provided)

 

Subject Author/Title Published Pages Amazon List Rating Comment
Openings Pederson, S. - Main Line French Dec-02 256 22.95 22.95   Haven't seen
Tactics/Calc Ivaschenko - Manual of Chess Combinations, Vol. II,  Dec-02 255 15.00 15.00 >Review Coming Soon. Excellent for 1500-2000
Openings Lane - Ideas Behind Modern Chess Openings Dec-02 244 17.50 22.95   Haven't seen
Openings Podgaets - Caro-Can Nov-02 123 16.00 23.00   Haven't seen
Openings Jacobs, B. - Starting out French Nov-02 123 14.00 17.95   Haven't seen
Strategy Dunnington - Can you be POSITIONAL genius Nov-02 144 13.97 19.95

>Review Coming Soon
Strategy Dunnington - Understanding the Sacrifice Oct-02 143 13.97 19.95

>Review Coming Soon
Endgame Flear - Test Your Endgame Thinking
Oct-02 176 13.97 19.95

>Review Available
Openings Rosentalis - Play 2.c3 Sep-02 123 15.37 21.95   > Review Coming Soon
Endgames Nunn – Endgame Challenge Aug-02 256 17.50 24.95 > Review Available
Openings Lalic - Marshall Attack and Anti-Marshalls Jul-02 144 14.00 20.00   On my wish list
Tactics / Calc le Moir - How to become deadly chess tactician Jun-02 192 19.95 19.95   Not seen. Sounds interesting, but the author is not a GM/IM
Openings Pederson, S. - French : Tarrasch and Other Lines Jun-02 256 17.50 25.00   On my wish list
Various Belyavsky - Secrets of Chess Intuition May-02 160 13.97 19.95   Not seen, but heard weak reviews
Strategy Alburt - Building Up Your Chess: Art of Accurate Evaluation . Apr-02 368 20.97 29.95  

Expensive, but Alburt's books use methods / materials that I was taught with.

Openings Ward - Unusual Queens Gambit decline Apr-02 160 13.97 19.95   Recommend - Albine, Tchigoin, 2...Bf5
Endgames Belyavsky - Winning Endgame Strategy Apr-02 200 16.00 23.00   Weak reviews
Openings Opening for Black according to Karpov Apr-02 0 29.95 29.95   On my wish list! Good reviews
Openings Aagaard - Meeting 1.d4 (Tarrash) Apr-02 160 13.97 19.95   > Review Coming Soon
Openings Raetsky - Meeting 1.E4 Apr-02 160 13.97 19.95   > Review Coming Soon
Openings Kosten - Winning the Philidor Apr-02 123 13.97 19.95   > Review Coming Soon
Openings Emms - Starting Out Sicilian Apr-02 144 11.90 16.95   Very good Sic intro. U1600
Tactics / Calc Plasket - Can you be tactical genius Apr-02 144 13.97 19.95 > Review Available
Tactics / Calc Dvoretsky - Tactical Play Apr-02 123 24.95 24.95   Excellent for 2100+
Various Aagaard - Excelling at chess Mar-02 190 23.95 23.95   Seen interesting reviews
Various Beim - recipes from GM kitchen Feb-02 128 17.95 17.95   On my wish list
Openings Jurioula - Explosive opening repertoire for Black (1...d6) Feb-02 190 24.95 24.95   Haven't seen, but complete opening for Black!
Openings Yusupov - Petroff Feb-02 123 30.00 30.00   High Quality!
Openings Neishtadd - Opening mistakes Feb-02 123 20.00 20.00   I've enjoyed this one in Russian
Tactics / Calc Nunn – Solving in style Feb-02 256 18.00 18.00   On my wish list
Various Nunn - Understanding Chess Move by Move Feb-02 239 19.95 19.95   For 1500+ good for overall development
Openings Davies - Alekhine defense Jan-02 160 13.97 19.95   > Review Coming Soon
Various Shereshevsky E-book $10 Jan-02 123 10.00 10.00   Haven't seen
Various Shtol - Instructive Modern Chess Games Jan-02 123 24.95 24.95   Wish list, but heard good reviews.
Strategy Emms -Simple Chess: Mastering the Basic Principles Dec-01 144 14.00 20.00 > Review Coming Soon
Strategy Positional - Chess Handbook Dec-01 224 10.00 10.00   Heard good things
Testing Ward - Your Move Improvers (planning, tests - U1800) Dec-01 144 13.30 19.00 > Review Available
Tactics Emms - Ultimate chess puzzle book Dec-01 244 17.95 24.95   1000+ tactical diagrams
Openings Jacobs - Mastering Chess Openings Dec-01 144 13.97 19.95   Openings
Strategy Dunnington - Mastering Chess Middlegame Dec-01 144 13.97 19.95   Strategy for u1800
Endgame Flear - Mastering Chess Endgame Dec-01 176 13.97 19.95   Endgames for u1800
Endgames Muller - Fundamental Chess Endings Oct-01 416 29.95 29.95 Really fundamental and very recent. Recommend.
Openings Khalifman - Opening for Black According to Karpov Sep-01 192 25.00 29.95 > Review Coming Soon
Openings Emms - Attacking with 1.e4 Aug-01 160 13.97 19.95 > Review Available
Openings Lane - The Ultimate Colle Jun-01 176 16.07 22.95   Good opening book for this tricky opening, Use it (White) or "Defuse" is it (Black)
Openings McDonald - Main Line Caro-Can Apr-01 144 19.95 19.95   Good opening book
Testing Pedersen, S. - Chess Test Dec-00 160 19.95 19.95   Heard mixed reviews, but not many comprehensive self test out there
Testing Ward - Your Move Dec-00 144 13.97 19.95 > Review Available
Tactics / Calc Blokh - Combinational Motifs Sep-00 304 15.00 20.00 Excellent book, best for 1500 - 2100
Endgames Flear - Improve Your Endgame Play  Jun-00 160 10.50 14.95   Good one
Strategy Crouch - How to defend in Chess Jun-00 224 19.95 19.95   Excellent strategic tool
Testing Alburt - Chess Training Pocket Book: 300 Positions May-00 140 13.00 17.95 > Review Available
Openings Emms - Play Open games Mar-00 224 22.00 22.00   Heard good reviews
Various Yermolinsky - Road to chess improvement Jan-00 224 24.95 24.95   Very interesting reading!
Various Ward - Improve Opening Jan-00 144 10.50 14.95   Opening for U1600!
Various Tarrash - "300 games" Dec-99 366      13.97      19.95   Excellent game collection
Various Chernev - Logical Chess Move by Move Dec-99 256 25.00 25.00   Very Nice book for beginners
Various Lasker - Manual Nov-99 123 10.00 10.00   Excellent book, best for 1600+
Openings Hansen - English c4 e5 Oct-99 256 24.00 24.00   On my wish list
Various Znosko B. -Middlegame Oct-99 123 8.00 8.00   Excellent book, best for 1500+
Tactics / Calc Znosko B. - Art of combination Sep-99 123 10.00 10.00   Excellent book, best for 1500+
Strategy Baburin - Winning Pawn Structures Aug-99 240 17.50 25.00   Great coverage of positions with isolated pawn and more
Endgames Alburt  - Just the Facts May-99 400 19.00 26.95   Quality positions, OK explanation
Testing Nunn - Chess Puzzle Book May-99 208 13.97 19.95   Unique, challenging,  for 1800+
Strategy Watson - Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy... Mar-99 256 24.95 24.95   Excellent strategic work. 1700+
Openings Nunn - Chess Openings Mar-99 522 21.00 29.95   Nice size Encyclopedia, but no explanations. 2000+
Tactics / Calc Alburt - King in Jeopardy Dec-98 256 13.97 19.95   Quality positions, OK explanation
Tactics / Calc Brilliant Chess Studies Sep-98 322 15.00 15.00 Quality training for 2100+
Various Vukovich Art of Attack Feb-98 384 17.50 24.95   A classic!
Tactics/Calc Ivaschenko - Manual of Chess Combinations, Vol. I,  Dec-97 250 15.00 15.00 >Review Available Excellent for 500-1500
Strategy Alburt - Strategy Dec-97 348 17.00 23.95   Quality positions, OK explanation
Openings Emms - Scandinavian Jun-97 150 20.00 20.00   Good one. To save $ consider "Attacking with 1.e4" instead! 
Openings Sadler - Slav Jun-97 144 13.97 19.95   Good one, one of very few on Slav, somewhat outdated.
Various Shilman - Reassess your chess Jun-97 402 17.95 19.95   Excellent Material - mainly strategy. Follow up to "Amateur's Mind"
Various Shirov - Fire on board Dec-96 150 13.97 19.95   Best games of unique talent!
Various Crouch - Attacking Technique Oct-96 112 6.50 6.50   Not seen, but heard positive reviews
Tactics / Calc Silman - Amateur's Mind Feb-96 240 22.95 22.95   Curious Puzzles
Tactics / Calc Lloyd - Puzzles Jan-96 240 22.95 22.95   Curious Puzzles
Endgames Hall - Endgame Challenge Oct-95 224 17.95 17.95 Good endgame practice book for 1400 - 2100
Strategy McDonald - Positional Sacrifices Aug-95 0 15.95 15.95   Not seen, but heard positive reviews
Tactics / Calc Shpielman - Theory of Sacrifice May-95 195 8.95 8.95   Superb little book!
Various Capablanka - Chess Fundamentals Dec-94 0 11.17 15.95 Excellent book for everyone, but most beneficial for 1400 - 1900
Endgames Shereshevsky - Strategy of Endgame Jul-94 0 19.95 19.95   Rare book, very good for 1900+
Endgames Shereshevsky Mastering the Endgame Jan-93 0 25.00 25.00   Rare book, very good for 1900+
Tactics / Calc Hall - Combination Challenge Oct-91 222 17.95 17.95 Nice practice book for 1400 - 2100
Strategy Nimtsovich - My System Jan-91 0 17.50 17.50 A timeless gem. For non-beginners
Openings Fine - Ideas behind chess openings Oct-90 182 11.00 13.95   Nice intro book on openings
Various Keres - Art of Middlegame Jan-90 238 8.95 8.95   Very good book. Descriptive notation
Tactics / Calc Reinfeld - 1001 brilliant checkmates Jan-83 0 8.00 10.00   Another good very basic tactic book
Various Bronshtein - Zurich 1953 Jun-79 349 10.50 12.95 A masterpiece.
Endgames Fine - Basic Endgames May-79 0 16.80 23.95   Nice Reference book, not fun for those below 1800
Tactics / Calc Reinfeld 1001 winning combinations and sacrifices Jan-69 0 8.00 10.00   Good introductory book for beginners and low rated players

 

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Personal Finance Books

Subject Author/Title Published Pages Amazon List Comment
Home Financeng Fools - what to do with your money now! Jun-02 200 16.10      22.95 On my wish list! Looks like up to date!
Home Financeng Get Clark Smart: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Rich from America's Money-Saving Expert Apr-02 272      11.87      17.95 He really shows how to save
General Investingng Bernstein the 4 pillars of investing Apr-02 240 19.50      27.95 On my wish list!
Home Financeng Money club for women Feb-02 288        6.00      22.95 Great inexpensive gift idea
General Investingng Bernstein's Intelligent Asset Allocator Sep-00 206 21.00      29.95 Recommended! Definitely Helped me allocate money and minimize effect of current crush!
Home Financeng Managing to be wealthy Jun-00 320 14.00      19.95 Great basic book!
General Investingng Robert T. Kiyosaki - Rich Dad's Guide to Investing: What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!
Jun-00 450 12.50      17.95 Heard positive things
General Investingng Allen - Multiple streams of income Mar-00 352 17.50      24.95 Very enlightening! I found new ideas, but hadn't recover the cost of the book yet.
Stocks Trading A Beginner's Guide To Day Trading Online Mar-00 288 11.00      14.95 Market sucks!
Home Financeng Siwak - Retire Early . 10 steps plan Jan-00 221        7.00 23.00 Cheap Hardcover with good ideas
General Investingng Boggle, J. - Common Sense on Mutual Funds Jan-00 440 12.00      17.95 From Vanguard founders
Stocks Trading Electronic Day Trading Made Easy: Become a Successful Trader Oct-99 335 21.00      29.95 Great books, but I am too busy to use
Stocks Trading Timing the market Jun-99 368 21.00      29.95 Mutual funds are safer
Home Financeng Jonathan Clements - 25 Myths You'Ve Got to Avoid-If You Want to Manage Your Money Right: The New Rules for Financial Success
 
Apr-99 240 9.60 11.95 I liked it!
General Investingng Graham Intelligent Investor Jan-85 340 21.00      29.95 A classic

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