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

Book of the week

silman's complete endgame course chessreads

Silman’s Complete Endgame Course

4.73
11 ratings·5 reviews
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Table of Contents

  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Book cover of Dutch Defence: New and Forgotten Ideas by Nikolay Minev, John Donaldson, chess book review
  • Dutch Defence: New and Forgotten Ideas
  • John Donaldson, Nikolay Minev
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  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
1 review
Book cover of The Ruy Lopez Explained by Gary Lane, chess book review
  • The Ruy Lopez Explained
  • Gary Lane
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Read the Book
  • For any rating
1 review
Book cover of Critical Theory: A Chess Biography of Isaak Lipnitsky by Mykola Fuzik, Alexei Radchenko, chess book review
  • Critical Theory: A Chess Biography of Isaak Lipnitsky
  • Alexei Radchenko, Mykola Fuzik
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
1 review
Chess book review, Zlotnik's Treasure Trove, Boris Zlotnik
  • Zlotnik’s Treasure Trove
  • Boris Zlotnik
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  • For any rating
0 reviews
Chess book review, Russian Silhouettes, Genna Sosonko
  • Russian Silhouettes
  • Genna Sosonko
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  • ELO: -800
  • -
  • 1000
1 review
Chess book review, How to Play Chess for Kids, Jessica E. Martin
  • How to Play Chess for Kids
  • Jessica E. Martin
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
1 review
Book cover of Panov Attack in Chess by Eric Schiller, chess book review
  • Panov Attack in Chess
  • Eric Schiller
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
1 review
Chess book review, Conceptual Rook Endgames Workbook, Jacob Aagaard
  • Conceptual Rook Endgames Workbook
  • Jacob Aagaard
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
0 reviews
Book cover of Playing 1.d4: The Indian Defences by Lars Schandorff, chess book review
  • Playing 1.d4: The Indian Defences
  • Lars Schandorff
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  • Elo: 800
  • -
  • 2200
chessmind grid image 1
  • Mauricio Flores Rios
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
0 reviews
Chess book review, Garry Kasparov on Fischer, My Great Predecessors Part 4, Garry Kasparov
  • Garry Kasparov on Fischer, My Great Predecessors Part 4
  • Garry Kasparov
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  • Elo: -800
  • -
  • 2200+
Chessbook is the fastest way to build a bulletproof repertoire.
  • Chessbook
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  • Elo: -800
  • -
  • 2200+
  • Promoted
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  • Chessiverse
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Chess book review, An Attacking Repertoire for White with 1.d4, Viktor Moskalenko
  • An Attacking Repertoire for White with 1.d4
  • Viktor Moskalenko
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  • ELO: 1200
  • -
  • 1400
0 reviews
Book cover of Learn Chess the Right Way: Book 2: Winning Material by Susan Polgar, Paul Truong, chess book review
  • Learn Chess the Right Way: Book 2: Winning Material
  • Paul Truong, Susan Polgar
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200
0 reviews
Book cover of Botvinnik's Best Games by Alexander Khalifman, chess book review
  • Botvinnik’s Best Games
  • Alexander Khalifman
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Latest reviews

  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2200
0 reviews
Book cover of The 3...Qd8 Scandinavian: Simple and Strong by Daniel Lowinger, chess book review
  • The 3…Qd8 Scandinavian: Simple and Strong
  • Daniel Lowinger
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2200+
0 reviews
Book cover of The Modern Scandinavian by Matthias Wahls, chess book review
  • The Modern Scandinavian
  • Matthias Wahls
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
2 reviews
Chess book review, The Zaitsev System, Alexey Kuzmin
  • The Zaitsev System
  • Alexey Kuzmin
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  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
1 review
Chess book review, Chess Fundamentals, Jose Capablanca
  • Chess Fundamentals
  • Jose Capablanca
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Book cover of The Original Arkhangelsk by Tibor Karolyi, chess book review
  • The Original Arkhangelsk
  • Tibor Karolyi
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Book cover of Archangel and New Archangel by Krzysztof Panczyk and John Emms, chess book review
  • Archangel and New Archangel
  • John Emms, Krzysztof Panczyk
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200
2 reviews
Book cover of Bobby Fischer's Endgame Technique by Alex Colovic, chess book review
  • Bobby Fischer’s Endgame Technique
  • Alex Colovic
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  • ELO: 1000
  • -
  • 1200
1 review
Book cover of Starting Out: The Ruy Lopez by John Shaw, chess book review
  • Starting Out: The Ruy Lopez
  • John Shaw
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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.

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