I've heard a lot of players buy books and never read them. So far I have read (in order)
Logical chess move by move - Irving Chernev
My system - Aron Nimzowitsch
Currently reading:
The easy guide to the Ruy Lopez - John Emms
Amateurs Mind - Jeremy Silman
I've found that books take much longer than I expected to work through but I think they are time worth spent. How many have you read? What was good and what was trash?
I've read 2 books so far and recommend both of them!
Weapons of Chess - Bruce Pandolfini
The Logical Approach to Chess - Max Euwe
I know an expert player who swears the only book he ever read was David Bronstein - Zurich. I'm not sure I believe him but he says it has everything you need.
It takes forever to read them.
Only about 3 or 4, but including some good ones.
Logical Chess Move by Move - Irving Chernev
Play Winning Chess by Yasser Seirawan
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess by - well, you know
If it feels like it is taking too long to read the full book and it's not being very pleasurable, then it won't work, because you aren't producing dopamine, so you won't create permanent memory (don't take my word, research about dopamine and memory).
So try a more exiting book, solve puzzles and play while you learn to practice it. How about OTB tournaments?
PS: I read about 6 books I guess, motivated by OTB tournaments.
Well, I'm a book addict and I have several shelf meters of chess books. But I've read only a few all the way through. The best of them is Mikhail Tal's "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal". What I really should finish reading is the Pachman strategy trilogy (I wonder if there's a modern equivalent?) and Keres' Practical Chess Endings. And the Bronstein's Zürich 1953 book, which was already mentioned.
But for me, even a few moments with a chess book, is probably something like going to movies for some other people.
And oh, Leonid Shamkovich's "The Modern Chess Sacrifice" did impress me as a boy. That one I should re-read, I suppose.
Didn't count them all...
I only have one, and have read more like 1/7 of it XD
