Quote:
Originally Posted by GreekGodX
I got the Idiot's guide to chess. I play occassionally but want to become a better player. Is that book for more of an advanced player?
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The book isn't designed for absolute beginners but you don't have to be very advanced to get good info from it. I would consider myself an enthusiastic, barely past beginner level player (even though I've been playing for a while) and I've really enjoyed this book. I do recommend it because when you gain a little experience then re-read the book you'll pick up things you didn't understand the first time through. I can't wait till I read it for the third time.
He does a good job of thoroughly explaining all the maxims that are touted but rarely well-explained - what to do with a strong center, Bishop vs Knight, etc.
Another good read that is closely related is The Amateur's Mind (also by Silman). It exposes common myths and misconceptions held by beginners through masters.
The best part of both of these books is that there is a lot of explanation (in easy to read prose) between the diagrams of the positions. Most chess books give a diagram and a long dry list of moves and cryptic notations and that doesn't always make for good reading.
