Chess Books For My 2024 Improvement Plan!

(For the most part, I'll be using about 10 of these.)

My training partner was a bit surprised when I said I’d started on my 2024 training plan. Already? Why not? I want to hit the ground running and have a little time to tinker with the plan and fine-tune it, so it’s a plan that works.

Task one was to come up with a list of resources, chess books, and courses. I chose many more resources than I will ever use because I get bored and need to mix it up a little from time to time and stray from the core resources (about 10 titles). However, I want to be able to stray from those core resources while staying true to my overall plan. Generally, the main titles will be the first two or three books from each section, a few I hope to finish cover-to-cover. Following those are titles I may incorporate at some point, to a lesser extent. Some are simply for reference. Some are just books I’m sorely tempted to buy.

The list is basically a menu (the chance that I use all of the books or even most of them, is exactly zero. I don’t even own many of them). I’ve divided the list into 6 sections, which reflect what I plan on focussing on, to varying degrees - noting that the last two categories I don’t consider as training proper.

Tactics / Calculation / Visualization
Defense
Strategy / Middlegame
Endgames
Thought Process and Improvement
Entertainments

Anyway, here’s my initial list of resources. Perhaps you’ll find a title or two that pique your interest. Let me know in the comments!

Tactics / Calculation / Visualization

1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players: The Tactics Workbook that Also Explains All Key Concepts by Frank Erwich
The Woodpecker Method by Axel Smith, Hans Tikkanen
Cognitive Chess: Improving Visualization and Calculation Skills by Konstantin Chernyshov
World Champion Calculation Training by Mykhaylo Oleksiyenko - https://www.chessable.com/course/67775/
Chess Calculation Training: Middlegame by Romain Edouard
Checkmate Patterns Manual by CraftyRaf - https://www.chessable.com/course/17841
Improve Your Chess Now by Jon Tisdall
Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games by László Polgár
Instructive Chess Miniatures by Alper Efe Ataman
Rewire Your Chess Brain: Endgame Studies and Mating Problems to Enhance Your Tactical Ability by Cyrus Lakdawala

Defense
How to Defend in Chess by Colin Crouch
Mastering Chess Defense by Johann Hellsten - https://www.chessable.com/mastering-chess-defense/course/189031/
Spartan Shield by Hovhannes Gabuzyan - https://chessmood.com/course/spartan-shield
Art of Saving Lost Positions by Avetik Grigoryan - https://chessmood.com/course/save-lost-positions
New Art of Defense in Chess by Andrew Soltis
Secrets of Chess Defence by Mihail Marin
The King in Jeopardy: The Best Techniques for Attack and Defense by Lev Alburt, Sam Palatnik

Strategy / Middlegame

Think Like a Super-GM by Michael Adams, Philip Hurtado
Under the Surface by Jan Markos
Evaluate Like a Grandmaster by Eugene Perelshteyn, Nate Solon
Simple Chess New Algebraic Edition by Michael Stean
Chess Strategy in Action by John Watson
Small Steps to Giant Improvement: Master Pawn Play in Chess by Sam Shankland
Chess Secrets: The Giants of Strategy: Learn From Kramnik, Karpov, Petrosian, Capablanca And Nimzowitsch by Neil McDonald
How to Reassess Your Chess: Chess Mastery Through Chess Imbalances (4th Edition) by Jeremy Silman
Open Files by Wolfgang Uhlmann, Gerhard Schmidt
Strategic Chess Exercises: Find the Right Way to Outplay Your Opponent by Emmanuel Bricard
Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking: From The First Move To The Last by Neil Mcdonald
Mastering Chess Strategy by Johan Hellsten
Learn from Bent Larsen by Mihail Marin
Korchnoi and his Chess Grandchildren by Vladimir Barsky

Endgames

Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner to Master by Jeremy Silman
1001 Endgame Exercises for Beginners by IM Thomas Willemze - https://www.chessable.com/course/128626
Endgame Studies 101 by IM Kostya Kavutskiy - https://www.chessable.com/course/81472
Chess Endgames for Kids by GM Karsten Müller - https://www.chessable.com/course/49790
Capablanca's Best Chess Endings: 60 Complete Games by Irving Chernev
Practical Chess Endings by Irving Chernev
Arkell's Endings by Keith Arkell

Thought Process and Improvement

Perpetual Chess Improvement: Practical Chess Advice from World-Class Players and Dedicated Amateurs by Ben Johnson
Chess for Life by Matthew Sadler, Natasha Regan
Chess for Zebras by Jonathan Rowson
Secrets of Spectacular Chess by Jonathan Levitt, David Friedgood
Imagination in Chess: How To Think Creatively And Avoid Foolish Mistakes by Paata Gaprindashvili
How to Study Chess on Your Own: Creating a Plan that Works... and Sticking to it! by Davorin Kuljasevic
Chess Improvement: It's all in the mindset by Barry Hymer, Peter Wells

Entertainments

Silman's Chess Odyssey: Cracked Grandmaster Tales, Legendary Players, and Instruction and Musings by Jeremy Silman
Chess Bitch: Women In The Ultimate Intellectual Sport by Jennifer Shahade
The Anand Files by Michiel Abeln
All the Wrong Moves: A Memoir About Chess, Love, and Ruining Everything by Sasha Chapin
How I Beat Fischer's Record by Judit Polgar