The Best Books On Chess Openings For Intermediate Players

The goals for the intermediate chess player in the opening phase of the game are different from both the beginner and the advanced player. In fact it is so set apart the several books were written on the subject. So what are some of best books on chess openings, and how do beginners and advanced player opening differ.

• The beginner really just needs to follow fundamental opening principles (e.g. develop your pieces, try to control the center, etc…), without needing to memorize too much. If they are playing against a fellow beginner, then there will be plenty of tactical opportunities later in the game, almost regardless of how the opening goes. 
• The advanced player is at the other extreme. They need to have precise opening knowledge, and know about the middlegame plans for both sides before the game even begins. Much more emphasis goes on opening preparation. Because at this level, an advantage gained out of the opening is very difficult to overcome. Advanced players are better at grinding out small advantages without allowing counterplay. So gaining that initial advantage out of the opening is vital.

The intermediate player is somewhere in between. Preparing your openings becomes more helpful once you graduate past beginner level. But intermediate players are not as accurate as their more advanced counterparts. This means there will likely be plenty of opportunities in the middlegame and endgame too - so the opening isn’t the be-all and end-all. All the intermediate chess player really needs is to reach a playable middlegame. As a result, they should prioritize openings which are solid and dependable and which help them reach the sorts of games they enjoy playing. Studying the best books for intermediate chess openings can help with that.

Here are our top five recommendations for the best chess openings books for intermediate players.

Back to Basics: Chess Openings - Carsten Hansen

Think of this book as an overall guide to your chess opening selection journey. It provides the foundations to build upon - including an important chapter called “How do I decide which openings to choose”.

Beginning with a refresher on the fundamentals of opening play, the subsequent chapters are structured to give the intermediate player an overview of the different opening styles on offer, such as: 

• gambits
• open games
• semi-open games
• closed games
• flank openings

Armed with this information, the reader will be better-equipped to decide which types of openings they would like to explore more. Back To Basics: Chess Openings doesn’t go so deep into the specific lines - that is left for other books recommended in this list.

Click here to check out this book.

Winning Chess Openings - Yasser Seirawan

Yasser Seirawan is well-known in the chess world for his eloquence, and it really shines through in this entertaining book. Readability is not to be underestimated when it comes to the best books on chess openings. There there’s no point owning a book which contains excellent information, but which you find too dry to actually read!

Beginning with important opening principles, Winning Chess Openings then moves on to the most important opening systems which the intermediate chess player will encounter in the majority of their games.

The author focuses mostly on the “why” behind the most important opening systems. By prioritizing the reasoning ahead of the moves themselves. The reader should be able to play the opening to a good level. this is true even if some of the exact moves escape the memory when it comes time to sit down at the board.

Click here to check out this book.

Keep It Simple For Black - Christof Sielecki

We now move on to the best books on chess openings which are less “conceptual”, and which instead offer more in terms of the actual opening lines.

Keep It Simple For Black is, as the title suggests, a complete repertoire for playing with the Black pieces, with a focus on choices which are quite solid and easy to remember. Even if you don’t remember the moves exactly, the Keep It Simple repertoire is quite forgiving of opening inaccuracies. You don’t need to play 15 moves of razor-sharp theory in order to avoid losing the game on the spot. This is an ideal approach for intermediate chess openings.

The repertoire’s main recommendations are the Caro Kann if White decides to play 1. e4, and a version of the Queen’s Gambit Declined in case White goes for 1. d4, 1. c4 or 1. Nf3. Other, less common choices White can play are also covered.

If you enjoy the author’s approach, you will be pleased to know that Christof Sielecki has produced another two books in a similar format. These focus on recommendations to play with the White pieces. One based around 1. e4, and another based around 1. d4.

Click here to check out this book.

The London System In 12 Practical Lessons - Oscar de Prado

The London System has been called the lazy chess player’s best friend. Against most setups that Black can go for, White’s moves are the same. d4, Bf4, Nf3, and often pawns on e3 and c3.

This makes the London System one of the best chess openings for intermediate players. Especially those who are too busy to dedicate much time to opening preparation. But despite its easy-to-learn reputation, the London System is also a respected choice even by grandmasters at the top level.

The London System In 12 Practical Lessons gives the reader what they need to play this popular opening with the White pieces. Its also includes thematic maneuvers and tactics. However it is less about the exact move-by-move opening lines. And more about the ideas the London System player can employ to get a good game against almost anything Black can throw at them.

Click here to check out this book.

Chess Openings For White, Explained: Winning with 1. e4

This book covers how to play the King’s Pawn Opening (1. e4) with the White pieces - an alternative option to the London System book mentioned earlier. 

Playing 1. e4 requires more theoretical study than 1. d4. The reason for this is that the King’s Pawn Opening tends to lead to more attacking, unbalanced games than the Queen’s Pawn Opening - so a more precise knowledge of the opening is necessary. If you are willing to put in the work, then this book is an excellent practical guide.

The main recommendations within this book against Black’s most popular tries are:

• The Grand Prix Attack against the Sicilian Defense (1. …c5)
• The Scotch Gambit against the Symmetrical King’s Pawn Opening (1. …e5)
• The Classical Variation against the French Defense (1. …e6)
• The Exchange Variation against the Caro-Kann (1. …c6)

Other opening systems from Black such as the Scandinavian, Alekhine’s Defense and Pirc / Modern are also given thorough coverage.

Despite the King’s Pawn Opening’s reputation for being theoretically taxing, Chess Openings For White, Explained gives the reader a repertoire which is not too difficult to learn. The authors understand that sometimes the top engine choice in a given position is practically not so easy for humans to remember, or to play. Therefore they tend to avoid the sharpest lines - a perfect approach for the intermediate player.

Click here to check out this book.

Final Thoughts

As an intermediate player, it is incumbent upon you to take control and steer your opening repertoire in the direction of your choice.

Most likely, no single book will have a complete opening repertoire which you can copy in its entirety (even if they advertise that they do!). Your style will not be an exact match for any single author. As a result, your results will be best if you draw upon several different sources - taking what works for you, and leaving what doesn’t from each.

Developing a chess opening repertoire is a lot like selecting from a huge buffet of available choices. You take a little of this, a little of that, and end up with a selection which is unique to your tastes and preferences. Ideally, your repertoire will also be constantly evolving as you seek out better and better options for yourself.

Supplementing your reading, you would also do well to make use of online databases which show popular choices made by both masters and players at your level - such as the opening explorer on chess.com, and the lichess analysis board. That way, pretty soon you will have an opening repertoire you can have full confidence in!