Quality Chess Books

The evolution of chess literature has shifted significantly toward user-friendly design, prioritizing visualization and scannability over the dense, notation-heavy layouts of the 20th century.

High-quality chess books use large, high-contrast diagrams with modern piece fonts that are much easier on the eyes than older, cramped layouts. They provide frequent illustrations so you can follow the action without needing to set up a physical board for every move. Better books also categorise puzzles by theme and include verbal explanations of the logic, rather than just listing long strings of confusing notation. Finally, reputable modern publishers use superior paper and ink, ensuring the “black and white” contrast is sharp and the pages don’t bleed or fade.

All books in the list below are high quality publications and personally recommended. More books to be added soon.

Chess References in Books and Magazines¶

A lot of the dictionaries below use different notation to markup words and phrases. More work to be done on markup and links soon.

• The Bantam Crossword Dictionary: The Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Read Classic Handbook for Today’s Puzzle Solvers. Featuring 40 Special Tables, Plus an Exclusive Long-Word Finder. Reissue Edition November 2007. This dictionary is a widely used reference handbook for crossword enthusiasts, notably featuring over 50,000 clues and 160,000 solutions. Edited by Walter D. Glanze and Jerome Fried, it is designed for both home and travel use, organized alphabetically for quick reference.

  • chess defeat / MATE; CHECKMATE

  • chess move / FORK; CASTLE; FIANCHETTO

  • chess opening / PIRC; DEBUT; GAMBIT; RUYLOPEZ

  • chess piece / MAN; KING; PAWN; ROOK; QUEEN; BISHOP; CASTLE; KNIGHT

  • chess pieces / MEN

  • chess term / MATE; ISOLANI; EXCHANGE; ENPASSANT; OPPOSITION

  In Aron Nimzowitsch’s very famous book My System he describes an isolated pawn on the d-file as an isolated queen pawn or simply an isolani.

• From The Big Issue magazine edition 743 on 15th August 2025 in The Regulars section Streetsheet, Simon plays chess with Renee in Simon’s Game Plan. Simon from Adelaide usually opens with the Sicilian Defence, or the Queen’s Gambit.

• BBC English: SÖZLÜK an English / Turkish dictionary first published in 1990 with my edition in 1998 is a small 383 page book created by ABC KİTABEVİ A.Ş. A recognized bilingual pocket dictionary (“Cep Boy”) tailored for Turkish speakers learning English.

  • chess /çes/ n satranç

• Collins French Dictionary: Pocket Edition: Packed with words for when you are on the move. Eighth Edition published in 2017. This dictionary is a portable bilingual dictionary published by HarperCollins. It is designed for learners, travelers, and business professionals, offering modern coverage of French and English.

  • èchec nm failure; (Èchecs): ~ et mat/au roi checkmate/check;

  • èchecs nmpl (jeu) chess sg; tenir en ~ to hold in check

• The Little Macquarie Dictionary first published in 1983 with my copy printed in 1997 is a portable, concise version of the standard Macquarie Dictionary, which is widely regarded as the authority on Australian English. A new version was printed in 2024.

  • chess, n. a game of battle strategy, played by 2 persons on a chequered board.

• Macquarie Budget Dictionary: Australia’s National Dictionary. This edition published in 2004. This dictionary is a recognized, compact, and affordable reference for Australian English, often referred to as Australia’s national dictionary. It is designed for daily use at home, school, or the office.

  • chess n. a game played by two persons, each with sixteen pieces, on a chequered board.

• The New Comprehensive A-Z Crossword Dictionary: Compiled by Edy Garcia Schaffer is a widely recognized, top-selling reference for crossword enthusiasts, often cited as containing over 225,000 entries and 50,000 new words in its revised editions. The 1996 printing is a popular paperback edition, frequently listed as a comprehensive guide spanning over 1,300 pages.