Schacksnack

In this video, IM Thomas Engqvist presents #16 on his list of the Top 20 Chess Books of all time. The book is Chess Tactics for Advanced Players by Yuri Averbakh, first published in English by Sportverlag Berlin in 1984.

In his view, this is the single best book ever written on chess tactics. Averbakh both broadens and refines Botvinnik’s definition of what a combination truly is, while reducing tactics to their most fundamental essence: the double attack.

Averbakh argues that the middlegame remains the least explored phase of chess, and that tactics have been treated too narrowly – dominated by endless concrete positions rather than systematic classifications and deeper understanding. This work gives greater weight to the written word, seeking to build general principles and insights that guide us more effectively through the labyrinth of chess tactics.

It is a book for players of all levels – from ambitious amateurs to experienced tournament competitors – and it remains one of the most profound and timeless contributions to chess literature.