Planning (Batsford Chess Library)

This book really gave me a framework for how to evaluate a position or create a plan from scratch when I was a beginner. I have since improved 1-200 elo from reading and going over the analysis in this book alone.

McDonald's book is not quite as good as Euwe's "Judgment and Planning in Chess," but it is a good read nonetheless. Whether mastering this book adds rating points is hard to say, although I found that I had a better idea of what was going on at the chess board than before. Thought-provoking.

The ability to plan properly during chess games is a challenge for many midlevel players attempting to break through competitive barriers at the club level. Position, tactics, and opening books all have their importance, but the ability to plan properly and follow a strategy effectively truly separate the moderate from the astute player.Neil McDonald has written a comprehensive book covering many aspects of planning complete with intriguing ideas to help gain competitive advantages. The book closes with a section on analogies that its own makes the book worthwhile. This book is not for beginners, but will enable the mid-level player to peek into the foresight that has turned many a good player into a great one.