Boylston Chess Club
Nice.
I think the great pred books are extremely hard to read and mainly discussion of lines and analysis. It is likely great analysis but not great literature. This opinion is of course flavored by my lower level of play. More concrete skilled player may love them.
Does anyone actually read these and thing they are great books?
I personally love the my great pred. series. It is amazingly detailed, and despite the size, Kaspasov includes a lot of originial analysis (although a great deal of it is old analysis, but these are classic games.)
I think the writing is flavorful. Interwoven with the games are a great many stories about the old masters, and also a lot of Kasparov's own speculations about the "truth" behind various old rumors and player motivation. Is it great literature? Very few books about chess are. Is it a great series of books? Few chess collections are better.
I would add to this list-- Bronstein's Zurich 53 book. That is a classic, and many of my friends have dog-eared copies with lots of notes in the margins.
My favorite list of Chess Books would be as follows:
1. My 60 Memorable Games - Bobby Fischer: Hey, what can I say, I am just too inclined to this man's creative abilities in chess.
2. Life and Games of Mikhail Tal - Mikhail Tal: Totally different in flavor, just great reading.
3. Zurich 1953 - David Bronstein: A classic, and a book which would tell you the plans and the basic strategic ideas of many of the modern lines.
4. My Great Predecessors Vol 1,3 & 5- Garry Kasparov: Simply books of highest standards- great reading and exciting analysis of the themes like Exchange sacrifice, Capablanca's pawns, Korochnoish defence etc.
5. Best Games - Alexander Alekhine: I don't know why, each time I read this book - I feel a strong urge to play chess.
Some more:
A. On Opening:
1. Revolution in 70's - Garry Kasparov
2. Beating the Sicilian - John Nunn
3. Beating the open games - Mihail Marin
B.Middle Game:
1. Art of Attack - Vucovik
2. Fire on Board - Alexei Shirov
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