Jorge wrote:

About six months ago, I decided I would like to improve my chess skills. My goal is to play competitively against players rated about the 2000s. I read your HTRYC, the Amateur's Mind, and completed the Workbook. Right now, I am studying chess about one hour per day all weekdays. I purchased just about all of the books you recommended in REASSESS.
 
1. What is the best order to read all those recommended books?
2. What is a good structured study plan to follow based on my goals and the time I am dedicating to chess?
3. Do you think that reading all those books you recommended will take me to the 2000 strength?

As a result of reading the books I stated above, I do feel like I know more about the game. I am winning more games against 1300-1600. How do I keep climbing?
 

Silman replies:

Every study program has to be tailored towards the individual. Though I believe in a balanced approach (i.e., the study of tactics, positional concepts, and endgame basics), if you are very weak tactically then that has to be addressed over everything else. If you calculate better than most in your rating group, but have little or no positional skill, then lighten up on the tactical quizzes and absorb some heavy doses of strategic vitamins.

By ironing out the weakest parts of your game in a methodical manner, all your goals (if they are realistic, and getting a 2000 rating is a very realistic goal for any serious student) will eventually be achieved.

Before I give a list of recommended books, I should add one more very important stratagem for rapid chess improvement (not to be confused with a book bearing a similar title: Rapid Chess Impoverishment): Do your best to play as many games as possible with players one level above you. Thus, if you are rated 1500, see if you can cross swords with players in the 1600-1700 class. Doing this will lead to many stinging defeats, but if you can’t take the heat, you won’t be able to climb up the ladder of success.

When I learned chess at the late age of 12, my initial rating was 1068 (and I was very overrated!). During the next two years, I played countless games against a couple friends of mine who were in the 1600 class, often losing twenty straight in brutal fashion. As is so common with children, they laughed at me after every evisceration. I suppose that’s why they played me – I provided them with lots of entertainment value! But, after each defeat, I got off the ground, dusted myself off, and swore revenge. In time, I absorbed all their tricks, all their knowledge, and left them far behind.

People that only want to play their inferiors will never improve. However, those willing to take their lumps, those tough enough to keep on working hard even when their egos appear to have been assassinated, will ultimately prevail.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

There are more books on chess than all other sports and games combined. And, every year, hundreds of new titles pour out. The books listed below are, in my view, the best of the best. Check out the reviews to see if a particular title is right for you.

LEARNING THE BASICS:

In HTRYC I was high on two books:

PLAY WINNING CHESS by Seirawan

LOGICAL CHESS MOVE BY MOVE by Chernev

I still feel they are excellent for those wishing a great start in their chess educations.

OPENINGS:

There are so many opening books available that it’s impossible to make recommendations unless you are looking for analysis on one specific system. Having said that, most players would be well served to have one of the two major “all openings under one cover” tomes:

NCO by Nunn, Burgess, Emms, & Gallagher

MCO by DeFirmian

The following book is the only one I’ve seen that actually explains how to create an opening repertoire, and is thus highly recommended to players who are obsessed with that subject.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR CHESS OPENING REPERTOIRE by Giddins

Here is one more useful book for the advanced player.

OPENING PREPARATION by Dvoretsky & Yusupov

MIDDLEGAME:

THE ART OF ATTACK IN CHESS by Vukovic

THINK LIKE A GRANDMASTER by Kotov

ART OF THE MIDDLEGAME by Keres & Kotov

MIDDLEGAME, BOOKS ONE AND TWO by Euwe & Kramer

BOBBY FISCHER: A STUDY OF HIS APPROACH TO CHESS by Agur

DECISION-MAKING AT THE CHESSBOARD by Eingorn

SECRETS OF CHESS DEFENSE by Marin

UNDERSTANDING CHESS MOVE BY MOVE by Nunn

SECRETS OF MODERN CHESS STRATEGY by Watson

CHESS STRATEGY IN ACTION by Watson

STORMING THE BARRICADES by Christiansen

UNDERSTANDING PAWN PLAY IN CHESS by Marovic

HOW TO DEFEND IN CHESS by Crouch

IMPROVE YOUR CHESS NOW by Tisdall

SECRETS OF PRACTICAL CHESS by Nunn

SECRETS OF POSITIONAL CHESS by Marovic

LESSONS IN CHESS STRATEGY by Beim

HOW TO REASSESS YOUR CHESS by Silman

THE AMATEUR'S MIND by Silman

THE REASSESS YOUR CHESS WORKBOOK by Silman

ATTACK AND DEFENCE by Dvoretsky & Yusupov

POSITIONAL PLAY by Dvoretsky & Yusupov

TRAINING FOR THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER by Dvoretsky & Yusupov

TACTICS:

WINNING CHESS TACTICS by Seirawan

THE ART OF CHESS COMBINATION by Znosko-Borovsky

ESSENTIAL CHESS SACRIFICES by LeMoir

SECRETS OF CHESS TACTICS by Dvoretsky

IT'S YOUR MOVE, TOUGH PUZZLES by Ward

There are hundreds of books that feature enormous quantities of tactical puzzles. Any and all of these are useful for the beginning to intermediate player.

ENDGAME:

THE ENDINGS IN MODERN THEORY AND PRACTICE by Griffiths

ENDGAME STRATEGY by Shereshevsky

TECHNIQUE FOR THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER by Dvoretsky & Yusupov

THE SURVIVAL GUIDE TO ROOK ENDINGS by Emms

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN by Hajenius & Van Riemsdijk

FUNDAMENTAL CHESS ENDINGS by Mueller & Lamprecht

DVORETSKY'S ENDGAME MANUAL by Dvoretsky

GRANDMASTER SECRETS/ENDINGS by Soltis

CHESS PSYCHOLOGY:

SEVEN DEADLY CHESS SINS by Rowson