Chess rivals of the 19th century: with 300 annotated games / Tony Cullen. 794.15 C967
Many historical chess books focus on individual 19th-century masters and tournaments, yet little is written covering the full scope of competitive chess through the era. This volume provides a comprehensive overview, with 300 annotated games analyzed by the players and checked by powerful chess engines. Players such as Max Lange and Cochrane, known to the chess public only by the name given to a fierce attack or gambit, are brought to life. Fifty masters are each given their own chapter, with brief biographies, results and anecdotes, and an endgame section for most chapters. -- From Publisher description.
Tactical training / Cyrus Lakdawala. 794.12 L192
It is undoubtedly the case that 99% of games are won or lost because one player either spots or overlooks a tactic. Consider your own games and just imagine how much stronger you would be if you never overlooked a tactical idea. The good news is that your tactical ability is not some genetically-acquired unalterable trait. Tactical ability can always be improved through the application of diligent practice. Tactical themes are repetitive. The same arrangements of pieces occur again and again, and a continual study of the subtle interactions between the forces will inevitably lead to a greater sharpness in actual play. In Tactical Training, experienced chess coach and prolific author Cyrus Lakdawala guides the reader through numerous tactical themes. Topics include Checkmating patterns, The 32 major combinational concepts, and numerous positions ranked in terms of the level of difficulty. The final chapter focuses on a 2020 online match between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, currently the top two ranked players in blitz, the form of chess where tactics predominate. -- adapted from publisher description.
Chess pattern recognition for beginners: the fundamental guide to spotting key moves in the middlegame / Arthur van de Oudeweetering. 794.123 O932
[T]eaches the most important patterns you need to know in order to develop and mobilize your pieces, maneuver your pawns into positions of strength, put pressure on your opponent, attack the enemy king, and execute standard sacrifices to get the initiative. Ambitious beginners and post-beginners who study this book will soon experience a significant improvement in their results. -- from the back cover
First steps: 1 e4 e5 / John Emms. 794.1225 C20 E54
First Steps books are based on carefully selected instructive games which demonstrate exactly what both sides are trying to achieve. There is enough theory to enable the improving player to get to grips with the opening without feeling overwhelmed. John Emms' 16 other chess books in the collection of the Mechanics Institute Library shows he has proven one of the more popular authors with our membership. -- adapted in part from publishers' description.
The Soviet chess conveyor / Mikhail Shereshevsky. 794.1 S551
Recommended for advanced chess players and chess coaches. Many consider the author one of the best chess coaches of the former Soviet Union. The book contains plenty of annotated games and discussion of opening variations as well as general recommendations on the methods of chess coaching. The annotations tend to go into detail about notable moves, rather than a "move by move" type of approach. -- Adapted in part from the book's Forward.
Shall we play Fischerandom chess? / Svetozar Gligoriʹc. 794.1 G55f
Since the turn of the 20th century some chess grandmasters have lamented that the intensive study of chess openings and chess theory would someday reduce the game to the same experience as doing math homework. They predicted that with all the possible sequences of moves examined and the "correct" lines of play already figured out, chess would die of boredom. We all know this did not happen. At the same time, a few continued to seek a way out of the dependence on memorization of opening lines and instead have a version of chess that would compel the players to use their imagination and rely on the soundness of their tactics from the very start. Bobby Fischer formulated the rules for "Fischerandom chess" which preserves all the key attributes of regular chess but introduces a random set up of the pieces on each players' back row. This book explains the history of chess variants in more detail and sets forth the rules of Fischerandom chess (actually a lot simpler than you might expect) in addition to presenting some representative games.
