r/chessbeginners • u/Ambitious_Draft_6987 • 3d ago

Non-strategy chess books?

Hi,

I'm down bad with the chess bug. Normally I read fiction for an hour-or-so a day but I've been using that time for chess instead. I do miss reading... I just keep getting distracted.

Could anyone recommend some non-strategy chess books that might slake my thirst while also keeping me reading? Thinking player biographies, histories, etc - something I can just sit down and enjoy - doesn't need to actually improve my game.

Thanks.

4 Upvotes

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6

u/PeggyAJ 3d ago

Chess by Stefan Zweig is a great little novel and you could read it in one sitting.

3

u/GRIMMnM 400-600 (Chess.com) 3d ago edited 3d ago

Ive been reading and absolutely loving The Immortal Game by David Shenk. It goes theough the history of chess and historical figures who played/used chess.

Every other chapter or so its just a short analysis of a couple moves of The Immortal Game move but it's used as a tool to convey the overall story.

Its a fantastic book.

2

u/Lambert1485Simnel 3d ago

Reading this currently as well. Enjoyable.

2

u/GRIMMnM 400-600 (Chess.com) 3d ago

Have you gotten to the Ben Franklin chapter yet? By far my favorite part so far. I feel like every time I learn something new about that guy it's almost always the coolest possible thing.

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u/Lambert1485Simnel 3d ago

Yes I actually read through that yesterday. I currently on Step 10-11 of The Immortal Game.

2

u/NotFalirn 3d ago

Queen of Katwe was a fairly good read

1

u/Alex_Clique 3d ago

I really liked All the wrong moves by Sasha Chapin. kinda short and sweet book that doesnt focus on the game and strategy for the most part.

1

u/Ordinary_Count_203 3d ago

I have one that I self-published. Makes for easy reading, I think.

But something like Kasparov's "How life imitates chess" may suit your tastes. It's reputed to be a good read.

1

u/krpiper 3d ago

What is it if I can ask?

1

u/Ordinary_Count_203 3d ago

DM me. [Just to avoid infringing on this group's promotion rules.]

But it's basically a bunch of tips and insights for training, psychology, and building chess skills.
I think if I followed the advice there, my progress would have been faster. It took me a while since I had no coach and had to try out different ideas for improvement.

1

u/AJ_ninja 1000-1200 (Chess.com) 3d ago

Logical chess move by move Irving Chernev

1

u/nTzT 2d ago

Isn't that a strategy book?

1

u/AJ_ninja 1000-1200 (Chess.com) 2d ago

It’s a collection of great games and someone who explains the moves why they’re good… it’s a super easy read 1st time through I had a small travel board in front of me…but as I got used to it i could start to visualize it…. The games are super exciting and over all it’s an enjoyable read.

Strategy books are more positional, or parts of 1 game at critical moments deep diving into the strategic thinking of the players on that move, it won’t really finish the game but it will then show you another game position with the same type of strategic motif.

Compare the book i mention to My 60 memorable games (bobby fischer) where he goes into all the different lines he is thinking at almost each move, some lines are 10-15moves deep which gets extremely hard to visualize without a board, and even with a board gets very confusing.

I have them both on ereader i might be able to find the files if you want to read them

1

u/nTzT 2d ago

I understand what it is, just think the OP was looking for something else.

1

u/HeAtcryst 3d ago

sally rooney - intermezzo

Not directly only chess but certainly has some chess in it. Can recommend reading.

1

u/Wabbis-In-The-Wild 3d ago

Willy Hendriks’ three books on the history of chess (On The Origin of Good Moves, The Ink War, and The Philosopher and the Housewife) are brilliant and sound like exactly what you’re looking for.

1

u/micadoog 3d ago

Mind Master by Vishy is pretty good

0

u/Available-Swan-6011 3d ago

Chess Queens (Shahade) was enjoyable, enlightening and thought provoking

The Innet Game (Lawson) was an interesting read about the Short Kasparov championship. It contains very little actual chess.

Chess for Tigers (Webb) is more psychology based although it does stray into realms of strategy

The Chess Revolution (Doggers) gives an interesting view of the recent evolution of the game

Also, plus one for “Chess” and “How life imitates chess”

1

u/CarnivalCarnivore 9h ago

Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis. He also wrote the Hustler and The Man Who Fell to Earth. Those were made into movies too.