Stats for nerds
1recommend
2mentions
2people
2020–2024years
50% recommend50% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- So many books! Chess becomes all about remembering similar positions - practice and study to understand. In the public domain, Lasker's Manual of Chess is a classic. I saw a study group use that as a textbook. Capablanca's Chess Fundamentals starts at a lower level, but sometimes leaves proofs to the reader - for instance, tells you to be ready to swap one advantage for another - which advantage, again? John Watson cleared the bases with "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy" and "Chess Strategy in Action", which simply dumbfounded the pundits when they came out. Between them, I prodded him with an email suggesting that understanding nuances in positions, and how small differences could lead to big changes was a key. I haven't bought many chess books lately, but openings books are a dime a dozen and "Basic Chess Endings" is an updated and enduring classic.
- For what it’s worth, John Watson, in his book Modern Chess Strategy, lists the Q+N > Q+B thing as a belief that used to be common in the past, but is proven wrong by modern practice. I’m not nearly strong enough to have an opinion on the matter myself.
