Books For Sale with Reviews by Schroeder

Please direct inquiries about books in this list to James Schroeder by phone (360-258-9401) or mail (address below).

Updated: Sept. 24, 2007

For Sale. MINIMUM ORDER $20.00 postpaid. Send your name and address, list of the books you want, and a check payable to James Schroeder for the total amount to:

James Schroeder
3011 E. 9th St.
Apt. #15
Vancouver, WA 98661

  • C.J.S. Purdy’s Fine Art of Chess Annotation and Other Thoughts, Volume Two | Edited by Ralph J. Tykodi | Thinker’s Press © 2001 | $22.00 | 250 pp.

    This is absolutely the best book for beginners and players not USCF Masters and is worth at least $35.00.

  • How Purdy Won | Frank Hutchings / Kevin Harrison | $32.00 | 160 pp.

    CJS Purdy, born March 27, 1906 in Port Said, Egypt, was an Australian who was a chess fanatic. His whole life was devoted to promoting chess, not an easy thing to do in Australia and New Zealand. His first magazine was CHECK! Then he did CHESS WORLD, starting in 1946 because he needed a larger audience. He decided to win the 1st World Correspondence Championship in order to gain prestige and influence more players to subscribe. The postal tournament started in 1947 and Purdy won, but he made a big mistake: he did NOT publish his games in CHESS WORLD as they finished. He planned to publish them all in a book, and make a lot of money, but when the last game was finished he suffered “burn-out”. He had spent so much of his time and energy working on the games that he never played postal chess again (except for one special case). He became frightened at the sight of a postcard! (Thatsa Joke) But he could not possibly look at those games again, much less annotate them. Supposedly, in 1976 Purdy began preparing the games for publication. He was certainly crazy enough to think that people would want to buy a book about a thirty year old postal tournament. He died November 6, 1979, at the board. Before he died he said he had a winning position. The two authors decided to write the book, which has the twenty games Purdy played in winning the title. Their notes are based upon the extensive records of analysis and ideas that Purdy kept. BUT THERE IS MORE! This book has EVERY POSTAL GAME THAT PURDY PLAYED! FIFTY-TWO with the amazing result: W20, L3, D3 with White; W18 L1 D7 with Black. Same winning percentage: 82.7% Purdy won the First Australian Postal Championship and the Second Championship. The first 25 games in this book are annotated by Purdy, as is the last game. The other games are annotated by the authors. Published in 1983 in Australia but I didn’t hear of it until today. Hard cover. Excellent condition. Descriptive. Great printing. You may see this book for sale elsewhere.

  • The Sorceror’s Apprentice | David Bronstein | $22.00 | 295 pages

    This is one of the greatest bargains in the history of publishing. Games, stories, anecdotes, combinations by one of the most imaginative, creative and best players of all time. Whenever he played to win he was the best player in the world. He played in four international team tournaments with 30 wins, 1 loss (Robert Byrne), 18 draws, 39-10, 79.58%, and every time won the gold medal for the best score on his board. Beautifully produced. Large print. 295 pages. More than 220 games and many diagrams. Don’t follow his bad advice!

  • Reti’s Best Games | Golombek | $22.00

    © 1954. In his early days Reti played gambits and was thought equal to Alekhine, but Reti was weak with knights and his style became warped. These seventy games demonstrate, mostly, how to use bishops. Golombek appreciated that and makes a great effort to supply instructive annotations. Reti’s endgame technique was superb.

  • Sultan Khan | R. N. Coles | $20.00

    India Champion 1928, British Champion 1929 – 1932 – 1933. He was a servant to Umar Hayat Khan who spent a few years in England. He played in Europe 1929 – 1933 and won a match from Tartakower in 1931. He defeated Capablanca at Hastings 1930-31. Here are 64 games, with losses and draws included. © 1977

  • The Chess Career of Rudolf Spielmann, Part 1 | Jack Spence | $25.00 | 260 pp.

    Never a part two. Super binding! A beautiful book. © 1961. Typewriter set. 107 games. 1903 – 1926. Annotations by Spielmann. 260 small pages. Spielmann was the MAD BOMBER who loved to sacrifice his Queen!

  • Tarrasch’s Best Games of Chess | Fred Reinfeld | $25.00 | 390 pp.

    I hated this book because of the fatuous, pretentious, insultingly silly comments by Reinfeld. “An admirable game by Tarrasch.” HUNDREDS of inane comments like that. Tarrasch won four great tournaments: 1889 – 1894. He won the great tournament of Vienna 1898 and continued playing through Bad Kissingen 1928. 183 games, but too many of them are worthless skittles games and odds games. © 1947.

  • My Best Games of Chess 1905 – 1930 | Savielly Tartakower | $23.00

    Translated from French. He strove for chaos, as did many others, but he was the only one successful at it. He also invented the Catalan Opening, 1 PQ4 PQ4; 2 PKN3 PK3; 3 BN2 NKB3; 4 NKB3 QNQ2; 5 0-0 PQN3; 6 PN3 BN2; 7 BN2 BQ3; 8 NK5 QK2; 9 PQB4 0-0. More than 101 games with copius notes, but many of them convoluted. Unfortunately, at the end of the book, instead of letting his games speak for him, he has such a great ego he can’t resist bragging about himself. © 1953

  • Chess Marches On! | Reuben Fine | © 1945 | $25.00

    Fifty master games annotated by the most elegant writer of hist time. Fine set a new standard by being witty, and conscientious about his work. The players are: Reshevsky, Kashdan, H. Steiner, Horowitz, Fine, Yanofsky, Marshall, Botvinnik, Keres, Smyslov, Alekhine, Bogoljubov, Tartakower, Najdorf, Stahlberg, Mieses, etc.

  • The World’s a Chessboard | Fine | © 1947 | $25.00

    Second book of the series (after Chess Marches On!). As Botvinnik lost to Dan Yanofsky at Groningen 1946 Fine said: “The mistakes which Botvinnik made are not usually seen in his games.” What he should have said is: “Botvinnik has a propensity to make mistakes when he has a winning advantage in the middle-game.” Why do “critics” miss the obvious?

  • Chess: More Miniature Games | J. duMont | © 1953 | $ 22.00

    duMont was an excellent writer with good judgment regarding what should be published.

  • Both Sides of the Chessboard | Robert Byrne and Ivo Nei | © 1974 | $30.00

    Fischer 6 – 0 Taimanov 1971; Fischer 6 – 0 Larsen; Fischer 6-1/2 – 2-1/2 Petrosian 1972; Fischer 12-1/2 – 8-1/2 Spassky. Analysis of all games. In first game vs. Petrosian they make a big mistake, missing 17 … PK5; 18 NxP BxN; 19 PxN! with advantage to White. In master chess the subjective factors are more important than the objective factors. The major cause of mistakes in master chess is over-confidence. Fischer, like Lasker, played subjective chess and let his opponents get good positions in order to exploit their weaknesses. Their analysis is uniformly good, but not great, as Byrne and Nei are “robots”, who never had an original thought in their lives. Here is one of the seven greatest players of all time in peak form. We won’t see his like again. Descriptive.

  • Think Like a Grandmaster | Kotov | © 1971 | SOLD!

    This caused a sensation when first published by Ken Smith in USA. Translated from Russian. Being weak with knights, but not being aware of it, Kotov created an artificial system which he hoped would avoid blunders. This book is full of instruction and advice with many diagrams where you must try to find the best move. Because he was weak with knights Kotov sometimes mis-judges a position. Water spots on cover.

  • Chess Secrets | Edward Lasker | © 1952 | $30.00 | 444 pp.

    Worn cover. A highly intelligent man who became very rich as an inventor (according to Denker) and knew all the great players: Emanuel Lasker, Duras, Alekhine, Capablanca, Tarrasch, Schlechter, Nimzovich, etc. Lasker was bitten by the chess bug when he played against Pillsbury in a blindfold simultaneous exhibition in Germany. Lasker became chess champion of five cities and after moving to the United States was the second-best player, behind Marshall, until Kashdan, and others, dominated world chess. This is absolutely the best book on how to THINK in the opening. He became an International Master (the highest class at that time) but was always an amateur. He was weak in the endgame. This is a great source of chess history which cannot be found in any other book. Lasker was superb at combinations with minor pieces. Has a few pencil marks. 444 pages!

  • Complete Games of Alekhine 1 Volume 1892 – 1921 | Kalendovsky/Fials | © 1992 | $15.00

    WARNING: This does NOT have the complete games. It has 328 games from 1902 to 1920. Figurine algebraic. Super binding. Crosstables of tournaments. Photographs. Alekhine’s biography 1892 – 1921. Gives details of his life which I never read elsewhere.

  • Sam Loyd and his Chess Problems | Alain C. White | Dover © 1962 | $25.00 | 460 pp.

    USED. If you like problems you will love this book. Sam Loyd was the best. He also invented Parchesi and the fifteen puzzle. 460 pages, 744 problems. Short algebraic. Lot of text. Out of print. Published 1913.

  • Chess Praxis | Nimzovich | Dover © 1962 | $20.00 | 370 pp.

    If Nimzovich didn’t invent modern chess, he invented about half of it. This is far superior to My System. USED. 109 games with annotations and good diagrams. Published in 1936 under the title: The Praxis of My System. 370 pages. Out of print.

  • The Art of Bisguier, Volume 1, 1945 – 1960 | Arthur Bisguier with Newton Berry | © 2003 | $22.00

    U.S. Champion 1954. Supposedly he never read a chess book, but neither did Smyslov! Bisguier was a great attacking player in the style of Frank Marshall. Truly refreshing to play over the games of a player with great natural ability for classical, straight-forward chess. The notes are very instructive. Bisguier lost many games because he would try to win instead of playing for a draw, but he also won more games by being aggressive and taking chances and NOT playing to draw. Of especial interest is the many photographs, historical trivia, anecdotes, puns, jokes. Every player should read this book. Buy one for your local library.

    (CLICK HERE to read Schroeder’s review of this book.)

  • Judgment and Planning in Chess | Max Euwe | © 1953 | $12.00 | 190 pp.

    The best book by the best chess writer of all time. David McKay paperback. Descriptive notation. After the opening – middle game and endgame technique. Price reduced to $12.00.

  • Khalifman: Life and Games | Gennady Nesis | © 2000 | $22.00

    See review in Confidential Chess Lessons page M215. Large print figurine algebraic. Khalifman won the FIDE Championship Knockout Matches in 1999. “Unusually interesting well-annotated games.” A good way to understand contemporary grandmaster chess.

  • Five Crowns: Kasparov – Karpov World Championship Match 1990 | Yasser Seirawan and Jonathan Tisdall | $20.00

    Very deep analysis by Seirawan. Lots of diagrams. they also give 159 other serious games between Kasparov and Karpov. Editing by Jonathan Berry is very bad. This is a great bargain as Seirawan tried to be sensible.

Special Offers

Make check payable to:
James Schroeder
3011 E. 9th St.
Apt. #15
Vancouver, WA 98661

  • Three Books and Chess Set | $20

    BARGAIN! Three books in algebraic notation and a very nice small magnetic chess set for $20.00. Danger in Chess by Avni, Why You Lose at Chess by Harding, and How Good is Your Chess? (solitaire chess) by King. All soft cover.

  • Gambits in the Slav II | J. Silman / J. Donaldson | © 1993. | FREE*

    Limp cover. 1 d4 d5; 2 c4 c6; 3 Nc3 e5; 48 pp. 3 Nf3 Nf6; 4 Nc3 dxc4; 5 e4; 108 pp.

    * FREE if you donate $7.00 to my Prison Chess Program. I have sent thousands of chess sets and books to prisons all over the country. Make check payable to James Schroeder, 3011 E 9th St. #15, Vancouver, WA 98661.

  • Copies of Confidential Chess Lessons and Out-of-Print Book List | James Schroeder | FREE

    For free copies of Confidential Chess Lessons and a list of great out-of-print chess books for sale, send name and address to James Schroeder.

Loose-Sheet Chess Books

The following “books” are not bound. They will be sent by first class mail. These are exactly the type of chess literature you should read. Postage stamps will be accepted as payment.

If you want plastic binding, add $2.00 per book.

MINIMUM ORDER $20.00. May be combined with order for other books.

Make check payable to:
James Schroeder
3011 E. 9th St.
Apt. #15
Vancouver, WA 98661

  • Baden 1914 Gambit Tournament | $5.00 | 44 pages (22 sheets)

    King’s Gambit, Falkbeer Counter Gambit, Evans Gambit, Danish Gambit, Scotch Gambit, etc. Spielmann, Tartakower, Schlechter, Bryer, etc. 91 games. English descriptive notation.

  • The Great World Chess Match: USSR vs The World 1970 | $4.50 | 38 pages (19 sheets)

    The best chess ever played in one event: Spassky, Stein, Petrosian, Korchnoi, Polugaevsky, Geller, Smyslov, Taimanov, Botvinnik, Tal, Keres – Larsen, Fischer, Portisch, Hort, Gligoric, Reshevsky, Olafsson, Uhlmann, Matulovic, Najdorf, Ivkov. Published by *SCHROEDER*. Lots of analysis to every game. 8-1/2 x 11 sheets.

  • King’s Gambit – Analysis and Games | Anthony Santasiere | $4.50 | 33 pages (17 sheets)

    1 PK4 PK4; 2 PKB4. Accepted – Declined – Falkbeer Counter Gambit.

  • 1951 USA Chess Championship Tournament PLUS Evans – Steiner USA Championship Match 1952 | $4.50 | 24 pages (12 sheets)

    1951 USA Chess Championship Tournament: Larry Evans, Reshevsky, Pavey, Seidman, Horowitz, Santasiere, Mengarini, Shainswit, Hanauer, Pinkus, Simonson

  • Dallas 1957 International Tournament PLUS Ten Matches of Reshevsky | $4.50 | 31 pages (16 sheets)

    Dallas 1957 International Tournament: Reshevsky, Gligoric 8-1/2 – 5-1/2; Larsen 7-1/2; Szabo 7-1/2; Yanofsky, Olafsson, Najdorf, Evans. Algebraic notation. 8-1/2 x 11 sheets.

    Ten Matches of Reshevsky vs: Horowitz, Kashdan, Gligoric, Najdorf (2), Lombardy, D. Byrne, Bisguier, Benko, Fischer.

  • Schroeder on Chess #1 and #2 | $6.00 | 54 pages (27 sheets)

    Games, stories, anecdotes, book reviews, cartoons, jokes, fiction, etc. 8-1/2 x 11 sheets.

  • New York 1948/49 International Tournament | $4.00 |

    Reuben Fine won his first international tournament since Leningrad 1937. Miguel Najdorf, Max Euwe, Herman Pilnik, George Kramer, Arthur Bisguier, Isaac Kashdan, Arnold Denker, Herman Steiner. Diagrams, descriptive notation, light notes, 8-1/2 x 11. Includes bare game scores of the eight game Fine-Najdorf match which followed.

  • New York 1951 International Chess Tournament | $3.00 |

    Samuel Reshevsky wins again! Najdorf, Euwe, Fine, Larry Evans, Robert Byrne, I. Horowitz, C. Guirmard, Al O’Kelly, Bisguier, Kramer, George Shainswit. Computer print. Very instructive comments preceding each game. No diagrams, 8-1/2 x 11.

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Richard Kujoth
Richard Kujoth
15 years ago

I am interested in buying a copy of Bisguire’s : The Art of Bisquire, Volumne 1, do you still have it for sale? Please let me know how I can order it.

The Butcher
Admin
15 years ago

Richard –

Prices in the list are postpaid. Please send a check payable to James Schroeder for the amount listed (in this case $22) along with the title of the book you want and your name and address to:

James Schroeder
3011 E. 9th St.
Apt. #15
Vancouver, WA 98661

Say that you saw it on isolanis.com. You can order any of the books from this list.

Thanks.

Robert Mitchell
Robert Mitchell
10 years ago

Hello from Bob Mitchell in Miami. I’m a cop and chess player USCF rated around 1950 right now.

I also promote chess in prison where I currently coach at the Federal Detention Center in Miami.

I’d like any help I can get. Contacts, leads on where to obtain boards, pieces, equipment, for free or for discounted prices.

Any information or contacts with anyone who is helpful and knowledgeable about prison chess is appreciated.

Thanks

The Butcher
Admin
10 years ago

Hi Bob,

James Schroeder has run a prison chess program for many years, and I am sure he can help you. Please call him at 360-258-9401, or write him at:

3011 E. 9th St.
Apt. #15
Vancouver, WA 98661

I am glad to hear that you’re doing this and wish you success.