Chess - which is the best book on understanding the opening for someone graded ECF 70-120?

Answer 1

tallthatsme is absolutely correct.

Openings should be studied last, not first.

By all means, learn good opening PRINCIPLES:


1) Develop your pieces to their best squares
2) Control and/or influence the center
3) Castle early to protect your King and unite your Rooks
4) Try to hinder your opponent from doing the same

But openings themselves should not be studied in any detail by a player at your level. Tactics is the most important are to learn for you at this point.

Games between "class" players (i.e. anyone rated below "expert") contain far too many tactical errors for the openings to be of much significance. You can see this if you've ever had Fritz or Chessmaster analyze one of your games. Such an analysis would typically show that both you and your opponent most likely would have missed several opportunities to win material or gain some other clear advantage.

You might want to check out "How to Play Good Opening Moves" by Edmar Mednis (IM).

"Win at Chess" by Ron Curry is an excellent "all in one" chess manual. It goes into a little detail on openings, but mostly explains the principles involved, as well as listing "mistakes to avoid".

"Logical Chess, Move by Move" (Irving Chernev) should be in EVERY chess player's library.

But don't worry about "learning" the openings yet. Just stick to good opening principles, and you'll do fine. As you advance, and get better and better tactically, THEN work on expanding your opening repertoire.


Jeremy Silman's "How to Reassess Your Chess" and "The Amateur's Mind" are two EXCELLENT books

I'd also highly recommend Yasser Seirawan's "Winning Chess" series, and suggest the following "study order" for his series:

1) Play Winning Chess
2) Winning Chess Endings
3) Winning Chess Tactics
4) Winning Chess Combinations
5) Winning Chess Strategies
6) Winning Chess Brilliancies
7) Winning Chess Openings

(One of the reasons Endings should be studied before openings is that, for a novice, it's easier to understand how different combinations of pieces actually work together if there are only a few pieces on the board, as opposed to all 32).

One other really good openings book is called "Mastering the Opening" by Byron Jacobs. It explains such things (about many of the most popular openings) such as:

1) What is White's Strategy?
2) What is Black's Strategy?
3) What type of opening is it (Tactical/Strategic/Dynamic)
4) How much Theory exists on this opening (i.e. is it relatively new, or does it go way back?)
5) How popular is this particular opening?


But again, study tactics first, along with endgame play, then work on how to develop a plan, THEN worry about openings.


Good luck to you!

Answer 2

The Ideas Behind the Openings (by Fine) is probably the best book to understand general opening concepts.

Here is a link to the book:

http://tinyurl.com/2ot997


Here are Mr. Fine's 10 rules of the opening which you would be wise to learn, and live:

1. Open with either the e-pawn or the d-pawn.
2. Wherever possible, make a good developing move which threatens something or adds to the pressure on the centre.
3. Develop knights before bishops.
4. Pick the most suitable square for a piece and develop it there once and for all.
5. Make one or two pawn moves in the opening, not more.
6. Do not bring your queen out too early.
7. Castle as soon as possible, preferably on the king's side.
8. Play to get control of the centre.
9. Always try to maintain at least one pawn in the centre.
10. Do not sacrifice without a clear and adequate reason, eg.:
* it secures a tangible advantage in development
* it deflects the opponent's queen
* it prevents the opponent from castling
* it enables a strong attack to be developed


Other books like MCO and books on specific openings are good to help you learn lines and learn to play specific openings, but if you want a book to help you NOW, at your level....THIS is the book. It will help you with almost any opening you play!

Logical Chess, Move by Move as one other person suggested is also an excellent choice, although it spans all phases of the game, not just the opening. I really like that book too, though....it is fun to play through the games and try to guess the moves!

Good luck!

Answer 3

Wait!!!

Until you're about 150-200 studying openings will actually HURT your rating. You should not be studying openings at all until you build up your basic tactics. Study books on combinations (books like 1001 Combinations are essential). Every minute you spend memorizing opening lines will take a minute away from your tactics. You'll also be relying on books and not you own ideas if you rely on book traps.

You need to get a bit better before you can understand why the openings are played, and what they mean.

If you must get a book....

How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire

It's good.

Update:

Logical chess move by move is a good book for you, because it's a book abouit IDEAS, not just moves. It does go into some openings (like the lasker defense, but just from a high level). I do not reccomend either ECO and MCO until much later. I'm not a horrible player (2000 USCF) and have taught many classes for lower rated players. Heavy opening books only hurt my students.

Answer 4

There are hundreds of specialised opening books that will dive into unending detail for that line. However, three more general books are:

Chess Opening, Theory and pratice by Howratize

MCO - Modern Chess Openings I think revision 14 is the newest. Most bring this to tournaments to look up lines between rounds.

and of course the 4+ volume set of ECO - the encylocpidea of chess openings.

For my money the chess opening theory and pratice is the best as it gives a sample game, general ideas, and is well organised.

Answer 5

Can you explain the gradings?

Try Stan's Chess for practice.

http://www.stansco.com/

This is a genuine tip to improve all aspects of your play.

Answer 6

Logical Chess move by move......Irving Chernev.