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: 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
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Chess book review, Dynamic Chess Strategy, Mihai Suba
  • Dynamic Chess Strategy
  • Mihai Suba
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Attacking Chess: The King's Indian, Volume 1 by David Vigorito, chess book review
  • Attacking Chess: The King’s Indian, Volume 1
  • David Vigorito
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200
Chess book review, Endgame Corner, Karsten Müller
  • Endgame Corner
  • Karsten Müller, Alex Fishbein
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  • For any rating
Chess book review, Kings, Queens and Rookies, The Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Erwin l'Ami, Peter Boel, Peter Doggers
  • Kings, Queens and Rookies, The Tata Steel Chess Tournament
  • Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Erwin l'Ami, Peter Boel, Peter Doggers
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  • ELO: 1000
  • -
  • 1400
Book cover of Starting Out: Pawn Endgames by Glenn Flear, chess book review
  • Starting Out: Pawn Endgames
  • Glenn Flear
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Chess book review, My Best Games of Chess 1935-1957, Vasily Smyslov
  • My Best Games of Chess 1935-1957
  • Vasily Smyslov
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Opening Repertoire: the Jobava System by Simon Williams, chess book review
  • Opening Repertoire: the Jobava System
  • Simon Williams
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  • ELO: 800
  • -
  • 1000
Chess book review, Power Chess for Kids, Charles Hertan
  • Power Chess for Kids
  • Charles Hertan
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  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1800
Chess book review, Dream Moves, Miron Sher
  • Dream Moves
  • Miron Sher
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Chess book review, Understanding Chess Move by Move, John Nunn
  • Understanding Chess Move by Move
  • John Nunn
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  • For any rating
Chess book review, Sunrise in the Bronx, David MacEnulty
  • Sunrise in the Bronx
  • David MacEnulty
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of The Pirc in Black and White by James Vigus, chess book review
  • The Pirc in Black and White
  • James Vigus
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of 50 Ways to Win at Chess by Steve Giddins, chess book review
  • 50 Ways to Win at Chess
  • Steve Giddins
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  • ELO: 1400
  • -
  • 1600
Chess book review, Test Your Chess Skills, Sarhan Guliev
  • Test Your Chess Skills
  • Sarhan Guliev, Logman Guliev
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 1800
Book cover of Botvinnik - Petrosian: 1963 World Chess Championship Match by Mihail Botvinnik, chess book review
  • Botvinnik – Petrosian: 1963 World Chess Championship Match
  • Mihail Botvinnik
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Latest reviews

  • ELO: 1000
  • -
  • 1200
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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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Ruy Lopez Exchange by Krzysztof Panczyk, chess book review
  • Ruy Lopez Exchange
  • Krzysztof Panczyk
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Book cover of A Spanish Repertoire for Black by Mihail Marin, chess book review
  • A Spanish Repertoire for Black
  • Mihail Marin
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of Opening Repertoire, The Caro-Kann by Jovanka Houska, chess book review
  • Opening Repertoire, The Caro-Kann
  • Jovanka Houska
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  • ELO: 1600
  • -
  • 2000
Book cover of First Steps: Caro-Kann Defence by Andrew Martin, chess book review
  • First Steps: Caro-Kann Defence
  • Andrew Martin
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  • ELO: 1200
  • -
  • 1600
Book cover of Caro-Kann: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala, chess book review
  • Caro-Kann: Move by Move
  • Cyrus Lakdawala
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  • ELO: 2000
  • -
  • 2200+
Book cover of Grandmaster Repertoire: The Caro-Kann by Lars Schandorff, chess book review
  • Grandmaster Repertoire: The Caro-Kann
  • Lars Schandorff
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  • ELO: 1800
  • -
  • 2200
Book cover of Playing the Caro-Kann: A Counter-attacking Repertoire by Lars Schandorff, chess book review
  • Playing the Caro-Kann: A Counter-attacking Repertoire
  • Lars Schandorff
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Reviews in Alphabetical Order
All reviews
Rating: Below 800
Rating: 800-1000
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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.