Irving Chernev (1900–1981)

The first chess book I ever read cover to cover, over and over. I couldn't put it down for days. I grant you I was suffering from insomnia at the time. This book is far from the most contemporary in theory and some of Chernev's claims are patently false or absurd. At the same time, however, it's simply one of the most enjoyable books you'll ever read. Nunn may be far more accurate, but Chernev is infinitely less snooty (in this case a good thing, readability-wise) and his passion for the show more game is far better communicated. So yes, my high regard for this work is sentimental, and yes there are far more informative and accurate books out there, but none of them are nearly as great a joy to read. And pleasure does inspire thought. show less

The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev has one major flaw in my eyes: since it was first printed in 1965 it doesn’t use Algebraic Notation. So I have to act as a sort of translator for my mind and convert it into Algebraic Notation. I can’t easily visualize the board since I suck at the game of Chess, but the book provides illustrations for those of us that can’t see everything going on in their mind’s eye.

There are sixty-two games with each game starting show more out with a bit of commentary on what we are about to see. Each game has a general theme of how it embodies a certain piece of Chess Strategy. As with most books on Chess, it is probably best to play along with the game if you have a board and pieces as I do. Some of the games seem to be misprinted or have the moves in the wrong order, but the little illustrations help out with that.

Another method to enjoy this book is to find a Chess Database, look up the game and use the book as an additional commentary. For me, it is easier to do this than to play out the game using an old notation. show less

I like chess. The biggest problem I have with playing it however is that I am not very good. Over the years I have tried to improve by using online sources, and while some has stuck I wouldn't say it has been a productive experience. I decided it would be good to pick up a book which looks a previous games and this book is widely recommended to beginners. This was written in 1957 so a lot of the accepted knowledge at the Grandmaster level has changed with the invention of computer based show more chess engines. For this reason the book gets some criticism for being out of date but I think at the beginner and intermediate level this criticism is unwarranted. I really enjoyed going through the games in this book and playing them out. Chernev explains why each move is played and what other options could have been considered and why they were dismissed. show less

This is one of the few books about chess that is more fun than playing chess. It's full of amusing stories and anecdotes about chess and chess players, with many other features--problems, games, and so on. There's a newer edition that I must acquire someday, but this is the one I remember as magic. It was written by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld, my #1 and #2 favorite chess writers.