Which chess books should you read?

Current rating?
Current rating? Any Below 800 800 - 1000 1000 - 1200 1200 - 1400 1400 - 1600 1600 - 1800 1800 - 2000 2000 - 2200 Above 2200
Playing style?
Playing style? any positional dynamic tactical theoretical
Biggest weakness?
Biggest weakness? any openings strategy tactics and calculation endgames
Target rating?
Target rating? Any 800 - 1000 1000 - 1200 1200 - 1400 1400 - 1600 1600 - 1800 1800 - 2000 2000 - 2200 Above 2200

Table of Contents

  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of King's Indian: A Complete Black Repertoire by Victor Bologan, chess book review
  • King’s Indian: A Complete Black Repertoire
  • Victor Bologan
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Mastering Opening Strategy by Johan Hellsten, chess book review
  • Mastering Opening Strategy
  • Johan Hellsten
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of The Greatest Ever Chess Endgames by Steve Giddins, chess book review
  • The Greatest Ever Chess Endgames
  • Steve Giddins
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Chess book review, Comprehensive Chess Endings Volume 4, Pawn Endings, Yuri Averbakh
  • Comprehensive Chess Endings Volume 4, Pawn Endings
  • Yuri Averbakh, Ilya Maizelis
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of The United States Chess Championship, 1845-1996 by Andrew Soltis, Gene H. McCormick, chess book review
  • The United States Chess Championship, 1845-1996
  • Andrew Soltis, Gene H. McCormick
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Chess book review, The Stress of Chess ... and its Infinite Finesse, Walter Browne
  • The Stress of Chess … and its Infinite Finesse
  • Walter Browne
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Book cover of Grandmaster Repertoire: The Grünfeld Defence Volume One by Boris Avrukh, chess book review
  • Grandmaster Repertoire: The Grünfeld Defence Volume One
  • Boris Avrukh
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Chess book review, Perfect Your Chess, Andrei Volokitin
  • Perfect Your Chess
  • Andrei Volokitin, Vladimir Grabinsky
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Theory and Practice of Chess Endings, Volume 1 by Alexander Panchenko, chess book review
  • Theory and Practice of Chess Endings, Volume 1
  • Alexander Panchenko
Read Review
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Arkell's Endings by Keith Arkell, chess book review
  • Arkell’s Endings
  • Keith Arkell
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Bobby Fischer Rediscovered by Andrew Soltis, chess book review
  • Bobby Fischer Rediscovered
  • Andrew Soltis
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Chess book review, The How to Study Chess on Your Own Workbook Volume 3, Davorin Kuljasevic
  • The How to Study Chess on Your Own Workbook Volume 3
  • Davorin Kuljasevic
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200
Chess book review, A complete Opening Repertoire for Black after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6! 1, Nimzo-Indian, Dariusz Swiercz
  • A complete Opening Repertoire for Black after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6! 1, Nimzo-Indian
  • Dariusz Swiercz
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of The French Defence Main Line Winawer by John Moles, chess book review
  • The French Defence Main Line Winawer
  • John Moles
Read Review
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1600
Book cover of Opening Repertoire: The English by David Cummings, chess book review
  • Opening Repertoire: The English
  • David Cummings
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Chess book review, Chess Board Options, Larry Kaufman
  • Chess Board Options
  • Larry Kaufman
Read Review

Latest reviews

  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2200
Book cover of Hübner Year by Year: Volume I (1959-1979) by Tibor Karolyi, Hans Renette, chess book review
  • Hübner Year by Year: Volume I (1959-1979)
  • Tibor Karolyi, Hans Renette
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of My Best Games of Chess 1905-1954 by Savielly Tartakower, chess book review
  • My Best Games of Chess 1905-1954
  • Savielly Tartakower
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Nottingham 1936 by Alexander Alekhine, chess book review
  • Nottingham 1936
  • Alexander Alekhine
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Bobby Fischer and His World by John Donaldson, chess book review
  • Bobby Fischer and His World
  • John Donaldson
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer by John Donaldson, chess book review
  • Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer
  • John Donaldson
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Chess book review, Perpetual Chess Improvement, Ben Johnson
  • Perpetual Chess Improvement
  • Ben Johnson
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of The Immortal Games of Capablanca by Fred Reinfeld, chess book review
  • The Immortal Games of Capablanca
  • Fred Reinfeld
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Starting Out: The Caro-Kann by Joe Gallagher, chess book review
  • Starting Out: The Caro-Kann
  • Joe Gallagher
Read Review

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Rating: 2000-2200
Rating: Above 2200
Articles
Everything You Need to Know About Reading Chess Books
Christmas Gifts for Chess Players
Best Chess Books of 2025
Books for Ambitious Beginners

Chessreads is a collection of chess book reviews written by chess players of varying strength, from beginner to master. Our goal is to help every chess player find out which books they should read based on their rating, weaknesses and ambition.

Chessreads is accompanied by a YouTube channel where we post reviews in video format, interviewing authors, and recommending reading lists for players of different ratings.