The first book we lend at W.S.C.C to very young children is Disney's Chess guide by Anatoly Karpov (Batsford).
Otherwise we currently use one of the following combinations to get beginners up and running:
Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors by Lou Hays or (Hays) is given to students as soon as they are showing good tactical awareness at the board. They are encouraged to get into a routine of solving a few puzzles every day and as soon as this book is finished they are moved on to Combination Challenge! by Lou Hays and John Hall (Hays). Meanwhile students should be working their way through books recommended by their coach such as those in the list below:
Logical Chess: move by move by Irving Chernev (Batsford)
Improve your Middlegame Play by Andrew Kinsman (Everyman)
Weapons of Chess by Bruce Pandolfini (Fireside)
Simple Chess by John Emms (Everyman)
A Guide to Attacking Chess by Gary Lane (Batsford)
The Amateur's Mind by Jeremy Silman (Siles)
Improve your Opening Play by Chris Ward (Everyman)
The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal (Cadogan)
Alexander Alekhine's Best Games (Popular)
Improve your Endgame Play by Glenn Flear (Everyman)
Fire on Board, Shirov's Best Games (Cadogan)
The Reassess your Chess Workbook by Jeremy Silman (Siles)
Secrets of Practical Chess by John Nunn (Gambit)
Improve your Chess Now by Jonathan Tisdall (Everyman)
A new book is only lent out when the old one has been returned and the coach is sure that the student is ready. Pupils are encouraged to play openings that suit their playing style. A coach will help a student build up their own personal openings file, recommend suitable opening books and introduce them to more advanced learning aides such as Chessbase. When able pupils are expected to digest periodicals such as Chess or BCM.
SOME BOOKS SUITABLE FOR HIGHER LEVEL PLAYERS
My Great Predecessors by Gary Kasparov
Understanding Chess Move by Move by John Nunn (Gambit)
Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces by Igor Stohl (Gambit)
The Seven Deadly Chess Sins by Jonathan Rowson (Gambit)
Secrets of Spectacular Chess by Levitt & Friedgood (Batsford)
How to Think in Chess by Przewoznik & Soszynski (Russell)
Secrets of Chess Intuition by Beliavsky & Mikhalchishim (Gambit)
Think Like a Grandmaster by Alexander Kotov (Batsford)
Play Like a Grandmaster by Alexander Kotov (Batsford)
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy by John Watson (Gambit)
The Road to Chess Improvement by Alex Yermolinsky (Gambit)
Endgame Magic by Beasley & Whitworth (Batsford)
Essential Chess Endings by James Howell (Batsford)
Nunn's Chess Openings by John Nunn et al (Gambit)
Modern Chess Openings 14th Ed by Nick de Firmian et al (Batsford)
Art of Attack in Chess by Vladimir Vukovic (Everyman)
Tactical Chess Training by Shamkovich & Cartier (Hays)
Test your Chess IQ books 1, 2 & 3 by August Livshitz (Cadogan)
John Nunn's Chess Puzzle Book (Gambit)
The Most Amazing Chess Moves of all Time by John Emms (Gambit)
Chess Travellers Quiz Book by Julian Hodgson (Cadogan)
Chess Choice Challenge by Ward & Emms (Batsford)
How Good is your Chess? by Daniel King (Cadogan)
Its your Move by Chris Ward (Everyman)