10 Underrated Chess Books for Players of All Levels with FM Carsten Hansen

Book Recap #30- 10 Underrated Chess Books for Different Ratings Levels, with FM Carsten Hansen
This episode was recorded at Suite Recording Studios in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.
Chess Books Recaptured returns, this time to discuss 10 books for the price of one! My guest co-host is FM Carsten Hansen, who returns to the pod to join me in selecting and discussing different chess books for different chess experience levels. Carsten is a prolific author, the book reviewer for American Chess Magazine and a Chess Life magazine columnist. In addition to a lot of book talk, we discuss Carsten’s chess improvement efforts and OTB plans, and a few of his recent collaborations with IM Cyrus Lakdawala. There is always so much to learn from Carsten, and I am confident we have selected worthwhile book recommendations for chess enthusiasts of many backgrounds.
02:00- How do we define an “underrated” chess book?
04:30- Aside from reading chess books, who are some of our favorite chess content creators?
Mentioned: IM Levy Rozman, GM Daniel Naroditsky, IM Andras Toth, IM John Bartholomew, GM Daniel King, Chess Feels, C Squared, Chicken Chess Club, Ladies Knight with Isabella Choko
8:00- Book #1- Open Files by Uhlman and Schmidt
11:00- Book #2- Arkell’s Endings by and GM Keith Arkell
15:30- Book #3- World Chess Championship 1948. Contact the translator, Jan Verendel via his website: verendel.com/
17:30- Book #4- Fundamental Chess: Logical Decision Making by GM Ramesh
22:00- Book #5- Learn to Play Chess Like a Boss by GM Patrick Wolff
Mentioned: Episode 189 with GM Patrick Wolff
25:00- Book #6- Instructive Chess Miniatures by FM Alper Efe Ataman
28:00- Book #7- Rewire Your Chess Brain by IM Cyrus Lakdawala
Mentioned: Episode 197 with IM Cyrus Lakdawala, Endgames Studies 101 on Chessable
35:00- Book #8- The Giants of Strategy by GM Neil McDonald
39:00- Book #9- Positional Chess by IM Shaun Talbut
Mentioned: Move First, Think Later by IM Willy Hendriks
Mentioned: Improve Your Positional Chess by FM Carsten Hansen, Episode 182 with IM Willy Hendriks
44:30- Book #10- Universal Chess Training by GM Wojciech Moranda
50:45- What is Carsten doing to work on his chess and blitz games?
Mentioned: The Checkmate Patterns Manual by CrafyRaf, The Dirty Harry Sicilian by IM Christof Sielecki, Play the Orangutan by FM Carsten Hansen, Episode 178 with IM Kare Kristensen
1:07:00- Bonus book talk! Carsten showcases a few books that aren’t translated to English but should be.
Mentioned: Larsen Volume 1, 30 Years at the Chessboard by Jens Enevoldsen
1:15:00- Which of Carsten’s recent books would he recommend most highly?
Mentioned: The Anti-Alapin Gambit, The Smyslov Workbook, The Chess Wizardry of Wotowa, Back to Basics: Chess Openings
1:20:00- Some of Our Favorite Books of 2022: . Masterpieces and Drama of the Soviet Championship, Albert W. Fox: A Life on and Off the Chess Board by John S. Hilbert, Evaluate like a Grandmaster, Think Like a Super GM
1:22:00- Thanks to Carsten for joining me in studio!
You can check out his books here:
www.amazon.com...
Follow him on Twitter here:
/ carstenchess
If you would like to join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community and be able to submit questions for guests and receive other perks, you can do so here:
/ perpetualchess
#chess #chessimprovement #bluewirevideo

[@terribleteacher]

Wonderful episode with great insights. Thanks Ben!

[@chessimple]

Nice work on the studio and new Intro!

[@perpetualchesspodcast9143]

Thanks! Most of my guests aren't local so I can't use the studio too often, but hope to do so on occasion

[@BrontoChess]

Hey Ben! 2 year listener here! I've probably listened to about 20-30 episodes and the conversations, production, and guests are all pretty top notch. So thanks for that! I didn't know you started producing video as well, that's really cool. From someone who has worked in videography I think that a few minor changes to your recording studio could add a lot. It's not necessarily that this looks low production but I think a few minor changes would make a huge difference. The first is the lighting. A good place to start is following the 3-point lighting rule. Better lighting would immediately make this look higher quality. As for the background, that's completely up to you. In my opinion, the plain black tarp looks really beginner and like you guys just started when obviously that's not the case. I would maybe look at other popular podcasts and mimic what they do or at least rethink how you have things setup. Regardless, its all love and thanks for the podcasts!

[@perpetualchesspodcast9143]

Thanks man, appreciate the feedback! Most of my pods are recorded virtual because chess is so global and my guests are from all over, but I will def keep this constructive criticism in mind if/when I get back to the studio.

[@jackm4457]

A VERY informative podcast! I have accumulated close to 1,500 chess books over the past 5 decades, but I have none of those that Hansen reccommends. And thanks for the bookmarks, so I can come back to this video again and again.

[@L30B055]

Maybe we should be asking you what your top 10 favourites / most helpful are? 😁😊

[@Heroball299]

Wow! That's quite the library

[@Yornek1]

You know always thought of MY SYSTEM as a classic but it is NM Ben Johnson that made me realize that it is not as widely accepted as being good. Didnt even know some persons didn't consider it a good book. Very good video!!!!! Got to love Perpetual Chess Podcast!

[@perpetualchesspodcast9143]

I will chess box Aron Nimzowitsch anywhere anytime! j/k My System was great for its time and helped my chess in my formative years, I just find it boring these days compared to more recent works.

[@Yornek1]

@@perpetualchesspodcast9143didn’t realise you replied to my comment haha…. Chess box Nimzo, that’s a classic statement….. I think the wordplay was just different. At its core I think it’s excellent if you can’t get pass the language…. It’s kinda like the KJV Bible… our GenZ youth my find it out dated the principles are the same no matter the language

[@fminc]

What a pleasing channel. Subscribed.

[@ronfuse6993]

Smash the like button!

[@TCS088]

Of all the books recommended, what would be best for an adult player in the 1200 to 1300 rating range?

[@perpetualchesspodcast9143]

Instructive Chess Miniatures IMO

[@hosiahjones]

Love it!

[@wilestrella7202]

Loving the hoodie! How to order? Thanks

[@perpetualchesspodcast9143]

Thanks, you can order that and some other stuff here: neal-bruce.creator-spring.com/

[@hugocruz2439]

I tried to look for the book recommendations you said you have on your website but couldn't find it. Is blocked for pay on patreon? Great podcast btw, as a fellow adult improver i have found gold in your podcast

[@perpetualchesspodcast9143]

Hugo- Thanks for the kind words- its definitely not behind a paywall! Here it is- www.perpetualchesspod.com/book-recommendations

[@hugocruz2439]

@@perpetualchesspodcast9143 legend! Thanks mate, greets from Australia 🦘

[@balasolakde8274]

Please name of book positional chess.

[@philotimoc904]

Positional Chess by IM Shaun Talbut

[@tonywestermann6610]

When you discuss a particular book at length could you at least show its cover in the top/bottom left/right corner, please? This is maddening. Thanks.