Must Have Dover Chess Books (Cheap!)

The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev. Over 60 games featuring games by the greatest— Capablanca, Tarrasch, Fischer, Alekhine, Lasker and others. Chernev’s annotations occasionally contain serious errors…play over the games with an engine or if you just want too, and aren’t worried too much about occasional faulty analysis, play over them just for enjoyment.

 

500 Master Games by Tartakower and du Mont. Must have!

 

Simple Chess by Michael Stean. This one will actually teach you something! Aimed primarily at novice players but helpful for all players. Stean isolates the basic elements and illustrates them very well. Algebraic notation.
 

Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953 by Bronstein 210 masterpieces. Algebraic notation. This a MUST HAVE…REALLY!!

 

Paul Morphy and the Evolution of Chess Theory by Macon Shibut. You do NOT need this book about the best chess player of the nineteenth century which analyzes his games in depth and discusses other players of the period but it’s great reading.

107 Great Chess Battles, 1939-1945 by Alexander Alekhine.  Algebraic notation. Why would you NOT want to read a book by Alekhine?