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
  • -
  • 2200
Book cover of The Middlegame, Book 2: Dynamic and Subjective Features by Max Euwe, Haije Kramer, chess book review
  • The Middlegame, Book 2: Dynamic and Subjective Features
  • Haije Kramer, Max Euwe
Read Review
  • Elo: 800
  • -
  • 2200
chessmind grid image 1
  • Mauricio Flores Rios
Try for Free
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Chess book review, Dynamic Chess Strategy, Mihai Suba
  • Dynamic Chess Strategy
  • Mihai Suba
Read Review
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1600
Book cover of The Chess Opening for You: A Complete System for White and Black by Larry Evans, chess book review
  • The Chess Opening for You: A Complete System for White and Black
  • Larry Evans
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Book cover of Opening for White According to Kramnik 1.Nf3, Volume 1 by Alexander Khalifman, chess book review
  • Opening for White According to Kramnik 1.Nf3, Volume 1
  • Alexander Khalifman
Read Review
  • ELO: 1200
  • -
  • 1400
Book cover of Starting Out: Slav & Semi-Slav by Glenn Flear, chess book review
  • Starting Out: Slav & Semi-Slav
  • Glenn Flear
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Beating the King's Indian and Grünfeld by Timothy Taylor, chess book review
  • Beating the King’s Indian and Grünfeld
  • Timothy Taylor
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Chess book review, Technical Decision Making in Chess, Boris Gelfand
  • Technical Decision Making in Chess
  • Boris Gelfand
Read Review
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1600
Chess book review, Test Your Chess Skills, Sarhan Guliev
  • Test Your Chess Skills
  • Logman Guliev, Sarhan Guliev
Read Review
  • Elo: -800
  • -
  • 2200+
Chessbook is the fastest way to build a bulletproof repertoire.
  • Chessbook
Try for Free
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Chess book review, Ding Liren's Best Games, Davorin Kuljasevic
  • Ding Liren’s Best Games
  • Davorin Kuljasevic
Read Review
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Cognitive Chess: Improving Visualization and Calculation Skills by Konstantin Chernyshov, chess book review
  • Cognitive Chess: Improving Visualization and Calculation Skills
  • Konstantin Chernyshov
Read Review
  • Elo: -800
  • -
  • 2200+
  • Weekly
chessreads newlsetter signup
  • Newsletter
  • Chessreads
Sign up
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2200
Book cover of The Middlegame, Book 1: Static Features by Max Euwe, Haije Kramer, chess book review
  • The Middlegame, Book 1: Static Features
  • Haije Kramer, Max Euwe
Read Review
  • ELO: 1200
  • -
  • 1400
Book cover of Winning Chess Endings by Yasser Seirawan, chess book review
  • Winning Chess Endings
  • Yasser Seirawan
Read Review
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of The Ruy Lopez Explained by Gary Lane, chess book review
  • The Ruy Lopez Explained
  • Gary Lane
Read Review

Latest reviews

  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Chess book review, The Zaitsev System, Alexey Kuzmin
  • The Zaitsev System
  • Alexey Kuzmin
Read Review
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
Chess book review, Chess Fundamentals, Jose Capablanca
  • Chess Fundamentals
  • Jose Capablanca
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of The Original Arkhangelsk by Tibor Karolyi, chess book review
  • The Original Arkhangelsk
  • Tibor Karolyi
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Archangel and New Archangel by Krzysztof Panczyk and John Emms, chess book review
  • Archangel and New Archangel
  • John Emms, Krzysztof Panczyk
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200
Book cover of Bobby Fischer's Endgame Technique by Alex Colovic, chess book review
  • Bobby Fischer’s Endgame Technique
  • Alex Colovic
Read Review
  • ELO: 1000
  • -
  • 1200
Book cover of Starting Out: The Ruy Lopez by John Shaw, chess book review
  • Starting Out: The Ruy Lopez
  • John Shaw
Read Review
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Ruy Lopez Exchange by Krzysztof Panczyk, chess book review
  • Ruy Lopez Exchange
  • Krzysztof Panczyk
Read Review
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Book cover of A Spanish Repertoire for Black by Mihail Marin, chess book review
  • A Spanish Repertoire for Black
  • Mihail Marin
Read Review

Latest YouTube video

Browse Reviews

Openings
Strategy
Tactics and Calculation
Positional Play
Puzzle Books
Complex Endgames
Theoretical Endgames
Puzzles and Studies
Thinking Processes
Game Collections
Textbooks
Novels and Miscellaneous
Children's Books
Biographies and Players
Book Authors
Reviews in Alphabetical Order
All reviews
Rating: Below 800
Rating: 800-1000
Rating: 1000-1200
Rating: 1200-1400
Rating: 1400-1600
Rating: 1600-1800
Rating: 1800-2000
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.

Want to get notified when a new review is published?

Youtube X-twitter Instagram Discord Whatsapp Facebook