I have only one chess book, which covers all the aspects of the game

Now, I want to buy a chess opening book for the first time in my life.

I am a very low level player as you can guess.

Any recommendations?

dajava wrote:
I have only one chess book, which covers all the aspects of the game

Now, I want to buy a chess opening book for the first time in my life.

I am a very low level player as you can guess.

Any recommendations?
There are many good introductory "repertoire" books available--these are
books that give you enough information that you can get going, without
getting bogged down in variations you won't understand for years, if
ever. They generally have titles like "Winning with..." or something
like that. For players in the lower classes, they are definitely enough
to get you going. The only problem is that you need to have some idea
of the sort of openings you would like before you buy the books.

A good, more general choice is Edmar Mednis's *How to Play Good Opening
Moves*. It will give you a range of lightly annotated openings from a
variety of systems to help you get an idea of how to control the centre,
castle safely, develop your pieces, etc.

If your local library has a copy of Reuben Fine's *The Ideas behind the
Chess Openings* you should get it. (Or buy it; it's cheap these days.)
It is well behind the times in much of its theory, but it will give
you very important basic information. For example, most beginners who
open 1. e4 are not looking to play d4 quickly. But it is often a very
important move, and Fine explains why.

Good luck

John

I have only one chess book, which covers all the aspects of the game

Now, I want to buy a chess opening book for the first time in my life.

I am a very low level player as you can guess.

Any recommendations?




I really like Standard Chess Openings by Eric Schiller published by Cardoza
Publishing. It is a large book but unlike Modern Chess Openings, it explains,
in words, a lot of the whys and why nots of the moves. Also, this book does
not go into every obscure variation known to man, but only covers the more
common ones. It also has many excellent complete games annotated that use the
various openings with excellent commentary on the opening moves.

I am also a beginner (well, a returning to the game recently beginner).

Dick Schneiders

dajava wrote:

I have only one chess book, which covers all the aspects of the game

Now, I want to buy a chess opening book for the first time in my life.

I am a very low level player as you can guess.

Any recommendations?

While not specifically about openings, I, as a beginner, am finding
Logical Chess Move by Move, by Chernev, to be an excellent book. It
discusses every single move of more than 30 games, and naturally covers
the basics of opening theory.

Kirk

dajava wrote (2004-02-04 07:21:07 PST):
I have only one chess book, which covers all the
aspects of the game Now, I want to buy a chess
opening book for the first time in my life.
I am a very low level player as you can guess.
Any recommendations?


John Macnab wrote (2004-02-04 07:53:14 PST):

... you need to have some idea of the sort of
openings you would like ...

A good, more general choice is Edmar Mednis's
*How to Play Good Opening Moves*. It will give
you a range of lightly annotated openings from
a variety of systems to help you get an idea of
how to control the centre, castle safely, develop
your pieces, etc.

_
I wonder if John Macnab has the wrong title (or
perhaps the book has been revised since I saw it).
As I remember it, the book devotes a large amount
of space to a discussion of only the first move
or two for both sides. Then there was only a
more lengthy discussion of a sample line from
the Ruy Lopez and from the Sicilian.


John Macnab wrote (2004-02-04 07:53:14 PST):

If your local library has a copy of Reuben
Fine's *The Ideas behind the Chess Openings*
you should get it. (Or buy it; it's cheap
these days.) It is well behind the times
in much of its theory, but it will give
you very important basic information. For
example, most beginners who open 1. e4 are
not looking to play d4 quickly. But it is
often a very important move, and Fine
explains why.

_
For that sort of explanation, I wonder if
some other book might be better. Fine's
book would be pretty long and hard reading
for many low level players. What book is
best depends, to some extent, on the person
reading it. Many would, I suspect, learn
more from a book like the ones by Seirawan
(Winning Chess Openings) and Ward (Improving
Your Opening Play).


Dick Schneiders wrote (2004-02-04 09:57:54 PST):

I really like Standard Chess Openings by
Eric Schiller published by Cardoza Publishing.
It is a large book ...

_
Indeed it is. My guess is that many would
be better off with a book that they could
realistically expect to read all the way
through in a reasonable amount of time.

On 4 Feb 2004 07:21:07 -0800, (dajava) said:

I have only one chess book, which covers all the aspects of the game

Now, I want to buy a chess opening book for the first time in my life.

I am a very low level player as you can guess.

Any recommendations?

I'd recommend "Winning Chess Openings" by Yasser Seirawan. It's
written in a casual, verbose style that's easy to read. The coverage
of the material is not as detailed as other opening books, but it's
perfect for beginners and lower-rated players. The focus of the book
is on the basic ideas behind some of the more popular openings, rather
than giving in-depth analysis of esoteric lines that will be above
your head at this point, anyway.

---
Jet Jaguar
I have a spam blocking address. Replying to me is like pulling teeth.

Louis Blair wrote:
dajava wrote (2004-02-04 07:21:07 PST):

I have only one chess book, which covers all the
aspects of the game Now, I want to buy a chess
opening book for the first time in my life.
I am a very low level player as you can guess.
Any recommendations?



John Macnab wrote (2004-02-04 07:53:14 PST):


... you need to have some idea of the sort of
openings you would like ...

A good, more general choice is Edmar Mednis's
*How to Play Good Opening Moves*. It will give
you a range of lightly annotated openings from
a variety of systems to help you get an idea of
how to control the centre, castle safely, develop
your pieces, etc.


_
I wonder if John Macnab has the wrong title (or
perhaps the book has been revised since I saw it).
As I remember it, the book devotes a large amount
of space to a discussion of only the first move
or two for both sides. Then there was only a
more lengthy discussion of a sample line from
the Ruy Lopez and from the Sicilian.


I have the book in may hand, and I did have the title correct. It's a
McKay Chess Library book,copyright 1982. I believe it was rereleased in
algebraic notation a couple of years ago, but I can't say for sure if
the title was changed.

I recommend it mostly because it is cheap and it gives simple advice for
a beginner. The chapter titles are

1. What is the Opening?
2. Quality of White Opening Moves
3. Quality of Black Opening Moves
4. Evaluation of Moves: The Practical Approach
5. Sicilian Defense: Basic Principles
6. Sicilian Defense: Advanced Play
7. Queen's Gambit Declined: Basic Principles
8. Queen's Gambit Declined: Advanced Play
9. Bad Moves: How not to Play Them
10. Castling: Early or Late?
11. Pawn Play: Center, Formations, Weaknesses


It is NOT a repertoire book, and it will be of little use to established
players.

And I have no doubt that there are other very good (and probably better)
books available, but I recommend the book because 1) I know it and 2)
it is cheap and readily available.

NB I did comment that Fine's book is better checked out from the local
library than bought.


John

dajava wrote (2004-02-04 07:21:07 PST):
I have only one chess book, which covers all the
aspects of the game Now, I want to buy a chess
opening book for the first time in my life.
I am a very low level player as you can guess.
Any recommendations?

John Macnab wrote (2004-02-04 07:53:14 PST):
... you need to have some idea of the sort of
openings you would like ...

A good, more general choice is Edmar Mednis's
*How to Play Good Opening Moves*. It will give
you a range of lightly annotated openings from
a variety of systems to help you get an idea of
how to control the centre, castle safely, develop
your pieces, etc.

I wrote (2004-02-04 16:21:02 PST):
I wonder if John Macnab has the wrong title (or
perhaps the book has been revised since I saw it).
As I remember it, the book devotes a large amount
of space to a discussion of only the first move
or two for both sides. Then there was only a
more lengthy discussion of a sample line from
the Ruy Lopez and from the Sicilian.


John Macnab now writes (2004-02-04 21:43:12 PST):

I have the book in may hand, and I did have the
title correct. It's a McKay Chess Library book,
copyright 1982. I believe it was rereleased in
algebraic notation a couple of years ago, but I
can't say for sure if the title was changed.

I recommend it mostly because it is cheap and it
gives simple advice for a beginner. The chapter
titles are

1. What is the Opening?
2. Quality of White Opening Moves
3. Quality of Black Opening Moves
4. Evaluation of Moves: The Practical Approach
5. Sicilian Defense: Basic Principles
6. Sicilian Defense: Advanced Play
7. Queen's Gambit Declined: Basic Principles
8. Queen's Gambit Declined: Advanced Play
9. Bad Moves: How not to Play Them
10. Castling: Early or Late?
11. Pawn Play: Center, Formations, Weaknesses

_
This looks much the way I remember it, except
that it appears that the two openings singled
out for lengthy discussion were the Sicilian
and the Queen's Gambit. Perhaps there was a
discussion of the Ruy Lopez in chapter four?

Anyway, my concern was about the statement that
the book gives "a range of lightly annotated
openings from a variety of systems". If the
book is as I remember it, such a remark might
be misleading. As I remember it, chapters two
and three discuss only the first move for each
side, and, elsewhere in the book, there is only
a discussion of a very limited number (two or
three) of specific openings.


John Macnab now writes (2004-02-04 21:43:12 PST):

It is NOT a repertoire book, and it will be of
little use to established players.

And I have no doubt that there are other very
good (and probably better) books available, but
I recommend the book because 1) I know it and 2)
it is cheap and readily available.

_
I am not saying that it is a bad recommendation.
I am just hoping that there is no misunderstanding
about what the book does. There are books that
try to discuss a fair number of openings, giving
some idea about what they are like. If I remember
correctly, How to Play Good Opening Moves is not
such a book.

Louis Blair wrote:
dajava wrote (2004-02-04 07:21:07 PST):

I have only one chess book, which covers all the
aspects of the game Now, I want to buy a chess
opening book for the first time in my life.
I am a very low level player as you can guess.
Any recommendations?


John Macnab wrote (2004-02-04 07:53:14 PST):

... you need to have some idea of the sort of
openings you would like ...

A good, more general choice is Edmar Mednis's
*How to Play Good Opening Moves*. It will give
you a range of lightly annotated openings from
a variety of systems to help you get an idea of
how to control the centre, castle safely, develop
your pieces, etc.


I wrote (2004-02-04 16:21:02 PST):

I wonder if John Macnab has the wrong title (or
perhaps the book has been revised since I saw it).
As I remember it, the book devotes a large amount
of space to a discussion of only the first move
or two for both sides. Then there was only a
more lengthy discussion of a sample line from
the Ruy Lopez and from the Sicilian.



John Macnab now writes (2004-02-04 21:43:12 PST):


I have the book in may hand, and I did have the
title correct. It's a McKay Chess Library book,
copyright 1982. I believe it was rereleased in
algebraic notation a couple of years ago, but I
can't say for sure if the title was changed.

I recommend it mostly because it is cheap and it
gives simple advice for a beginner. The chapter
titles are

1. What is the Opening?
2. Quality of White Opening Moves
3. Quality of Black Opening Moves
4. Evaluation of Moves: The Practical Approach
5. Sicilian Defense: Basic Principles
6. Sicilian Defense: Advanced Play
7. Queen's Gambit Declined: Basic Principles
8. Queen's Gambit Declined: Advanced Play
9. Bad Moves: How not to Play Them
10. Castling: Early or Late?
11. Pawn Play: Center, Formations, Weaknesses


_
This looks much the way I remember it, except
that it appears that the two openings singled
out for lengthy discussion were the Sicilian
and the Queen's Gambit. Perhaps there was a
discussion of the Ruy Lopez in chapter four?

Anyway, my concern was about the statement that
the book gives "a range of lightly annotated
openings from a variety of systems". If the
book is as I remember it, such a remark might
be misleading. As I remember it, chapters two
and three discuss only the first move for each
side, and, elsewhere in the book, there is only
a discussion of a very limited number (two or
three) of specific openings.


John Macnab now writes (2004-02-04 21:43:12 PST):


It is NOT a repertoire book, and it will be of
little use to established players.

And I have no doubt that there are other very
good (and probably better) books available, but
I recommend the book because 1) I know it and 2)
it is cheap and readily available.


_
I am not saying that it is a bad recommendation.
I am just hoping that there is no misunderstanding
about what the book does. There are books that
try to discuss a fair number of openings, giving
some idea about what they are like. If I remember
correctly, How to Play Good Opening Moves is not
such a book.

I'll skip evaluations in this post, but just give a count. Chapter 4
annotates a single complete game from each of Ruy Lopez, Alekhine's
Defense, French Defense, Queen's Indian, English (1. c4 e5) and Modern
(1. g3 e4). Chapter 5 gives variations on the first 5 moves of several
Sicilian variations. Chapter 6 annotates a single Sicilian Dragon game.
Chapter 7 looks 7 moves into several QGD systems. Chapter 8 annotates
Fischer-Spassky game 6, 1972 for a more detailed look at a single QGD
game. Chapter 9 lightly annotates 11 miniatures and tries to diagnose
opening errors.

John

dajava wrote (2004-02-04 07:21:07 PST):
I have only one chess book, which covers all the
aspects of the game Now, I want to buy a chess
opening book for the first time in my life.
I am a very low level player as you can guess.
Any recommendations?

John Macnab wrote (2004-02-04 07:53:14 PST):
... you need to have some idea of the sort of
openings you would like ...

A good, more general choice is Edmar Mednis's
*How to Play Good Opening Moves*. It will give
you a range of lightly annotated openings from
a variety of systems to help you get an idea of
how to control the centre, castle safely, develop
your pieces, etc.

I wrote (2004-02-05 08:33:35 PST):
... my concern was about the statement that
the book gives "a range of lightly annotated
openings from a variety of systems". If the
book is as I remember it, such a remark might
be misleading. As I remember it, chapters two
and three discuss only the first move for each
side, and, elsewhere in the book, there is only
a discussion of a very limited number (two or
three) of specific openings. ... There are books
that try to discuss a fair number of openings,
giving some idea about what they are like. If
I remember correctly, How to Play Good Opening
Moves is not such a book.


John Macnab now writes:

I'll skip evaluations in this post, but just
give a count. Chapter 4 annotates a single
complete game from each of Ruy Lopez,
Alekhine's Defense, French Defense, Queen's
Indian, English (1. c4 e5) and Modern (1. g3
e4). Chapter 5 gives variations on the first
5 moves of several Sicilian variations.
Chapter 6 annotates a single Sicilian Dragon
game. Chapter 7 looks 7 moves into several
QGD systems. Chapter 8 annotates Fischer
-Spassky game 6, 1972 for a more detailed
look at a single QGD game. Chapter 9 lightly
annotates 11 miniatures and tries to diagnose
opening errors.

_
Evidently, the book mentions more openings than
I remember. Nevertheless, I think it is worth
clarifying that the book does not seem (in my
opinion) to be intended to help the reader get
some idea of the sort of openings he or she
would like to play. Books with that purpose
tend to cover more openings and in a more
organized fashion. For example, Seirawan's
book discusses:

Danish Gambit
Center Game
King's Gambit
Petroff
Scotch Game
Italian Game
Ruy Lopez
Veresov's Opening
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
Queen's Gambit Accepted
Queen's Gambit Declined
Alekhine Defense
Scandinavian Defense
French Defense
Caro-Kann Defense
Sicilian Defense
Polish Defense
Dutch Defense
Budapest Gambit
Benko Gambit
Benoni Defense
Nimzo-Indian Defense
Bogo-Indian Defense
Queen's Indian Defense
Grunfeld Defense
King's Indian Attack
King's Indian Defense
Pirc Defense