Best book for chess tactics?

[newb]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[PhilKiller]

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the best book will depend on your level. "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" is a book you can keep for life, inexpensive, covers and reinforces most tactical points. I also like that the problems generally increase in strength as you go through, and because each page is a problem, you can pick it up and put it down whenever you get to it.

The best book, IMO, for the more advanced player is "The Art of Attack" by Vladimir Vukovich. This is simply one of the best 10 chess books you would want to have with you if stranded on a desert island.

PK

[Komodo]

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I heard there are some good internet sites where you can watch some chess games from expert players.

Could anybody give me a link?

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www.chessclub.com but I think you have to pay the 50$ registration fee in order to watch grandmaster games.

[EGO]

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"The Art of Attack" by Vladimir Vukovich.

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Oh, yes. This book is beyond excellent.

As far as general tactics books go, Yasser's tactics book is pretty good (previously metioned). It describes all the different motifs very well. I'd recommend Art of Attack, Yasser's tactics book, and "Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games" by Laszlo Polgar. Also, find some old opening books featuring the King's Gambit ( 1.e4 e5 2. f4 exf4), Two Knights Attack (1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 ...), and the Cochrane Gambit (1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7?! ...) I actually lost a class "C" state championship game against the Cochrane, and won one from the white side in a correspondance game. It might not be sound, but it's great against players who aren't so good tactically.

There are TONS of games online to study. For tactical players, you'd want games by Tal, Ivanchuk, Anand, and many games where a master is playing against someone not so masterful. For some practical experience, play a computer program that is far superior to you (winboard + dled opponents), or Fritz, if you can spring for the cost (worth it). At sub-master level games, tactics decide the outcome the majority of the time. As a sub-expert level player, I can vouch for this personally.

To play other people online, look for FICS. Free Internet Chess Server. They used to cover tournaments. I don't know if USCF still does, I haven't been a member since I discovered a mind-game that pays.

Whew, didn't know I had so much to say about chess... Looks like I'll have to dig my old vinyl board out from the back of the closet and teach my daughter to play. Thanks for the memories!

[Shandrax]

Tactics are mostly if not 100% pattern-recognition.

Instead of a book I go a different path and suggest Convekta Software, especially CT ART 3.0.