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: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Book cover of The Art of Planning in Chess by Neil McDonald, chess book review
  • The Art of Planning in Chess
  • Neil McDonald
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
0 reviews
Book cover of Let Me Ask You, Do You Know...? by Nikola Karaklajic, chess book review
  • Let Me Ask You, Do You Know…?
  • Nikola Karaklajic
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Book cover of King's Indian Defense: Tactics, Ideas, Exercises by Nikolay Minev, chess book review
  • King’s Indian Defense: Tactics, Ideas, Exercises
  • Nikolay Minev
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
1 review
Chess book review, Tal-Botvinnik, 1960, Mikhail Tal
  • Tal-Botvinnik, 1960
  • Mikhail Tal
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
0 reviews
Chess book review, My Great Predecessors Part 2, Garry Kasparov
  • My Great Predecessors Part 2
  • Garry Kasparov
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
1 review
Book cover of Origins: Ruy Lopez, Book 2: Specialty Lines After 3...a6 by Cyrus Lakdawala, Carsten Hansen, chess book review
  • Origins: Ruy Lopez, Book 2: Specialty Lines After 3…a6
  • Carsten Hansen, Cyrus Lakdawala
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
0 reviews
Book cover of Chess Highlights of the 20th Century by Graham Burgess, chess book review
  • Chess Highlights of the 20th Century
  • Graham Burgess
Read Reviews
  • Elo: 800
  • -
  • 2200
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  • Mauricio Flores Rios
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
1 review
Book cover of Play the Ruy Lopez by Andrew Greet, chess book review
  • Play the Ruy Lopez
  • Andrew Greet
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
0 reviews
Book cover of Bobby Fischer: Complete Games of the American World Chess Champion by Lou Hays, chess book review
  • Bobby Fischer: Complete Games of the American World Chess Champion
  • Lou Hays
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
0 reviews
Chess book review, Decision Making in Major Piece Endings , Boris Gelfand
  • Decision Making in Major Piece Endings
  • Boris Gelfand
Read Reviews
  • Elo: -800
  • -
  • 2200+
Chessbook is the fastest way to build a bulletproof repertoire.
  • Chessbook
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  • ELO: 800
  • -
  • 1000
0 reviews
Chess book review, 1001 Chess Exercises for Beginners, Franco Masetti
  • 1001 Chess Exercises for Beginners
  • Franco Masetti, Roberto Messa
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2200
1 review
Chess book review, Tournament Battleplan, Daniel Gormally
  • Tournament Battleplan
  • Daniel Gormally
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
1 review
Book cover of Starting Out: The Caro-Kann by Joe Gallagher, chess book review
  • Starting Out: The Caro-Kann
  • Joe Gallagher
Read Reviews
  • Elo: -800
  • -
  • 2200+
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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
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2200+
0 reviews
Book cover of The Modern Scandinavian by Matthias Wahls, chess book review
  • The Modern Scandinavian
  • Matthias Wahls
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
2 reviews
Chess book review, The Zaitsev System, Alexey Kuzmin
  • The Zaitsev System
  • Alexey Kuzmin
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
1 review
Chess book review, Chess Fundamentals, Jose Capablanca
  • Chess Fundamentals
  • Jose Capablanca
Read Reviews
  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
0 reviews
Book cover of The Original Arkhangelsk by Tibor Karolyi, chess book review
  • The Original Arkhangelsk
  • Tibor Karolyi
Read Reviews
  • 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
Read Reviews
  • 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
Read Reviews
  • 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
Read Reviews

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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.

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