There are lots of variations to the methods, but the things most good teachers agree on is to emphasize (1) tactics, (2) endings, and (3) playing with a plan. Most people spend too much time studying openings. Just learn enough about openings to get to a playable middlegame. The books listed below should give you a great start on (1), (2), and (3). Of course, playing experience is important. Review your games (with a much stronger player if possible) or your chess computer to find out what you did right and wrong. Seek out games against stronger players, and learn from them.
Some books are listed below to help in the quest to improve. You don't need to buy all these--pick and choose as you please. Buy one or two general works, a tactics book or two, and an endgame book.
You should also consider reviewing classical games by the masters: Capablanca, Tal, and others. Read over well annotated games.
General Books:
1. _Comprehensive Chess Course_ 2nd edition by GM Lev Alburt and Roman Pelts (ISBN 0-9617-207-0-5). (Available as 2 separate vols. from Chess Digest.) Expensive. Chess neophytes (i.e., NOT most rec.games.chess readers) will find volume I useful; otherwise, try volume II. Good teaching material for an intro-to-chess class. (It is now in its 3rd edition.)
2. _Play Winning Chess_. Yasser Seirawan,Jeremy Silman. $9.95 (ISBN 1-55615-271-X) Introduction to chess for the beginner. Interesting and enthusiastic. Fundamentals, themes of tempo, space, etc.
3. _Logical Chess Move by Move_ by Irving Chernev (ISBN 0-671-21135-8). Looks at 30 or so games, and comments on the thought behind *every* move. Bridges the gap between novice and intermediate books.
4. _How to Reassess Your Chess_ by IM Jeremy Silman (ISBN 0-938650-53-X). Explains how to formulate a plan. An excellent improvement program for the intermediate player. Good companion to assist in understanding of Nimzovich my system.
5. _The Ideas Behind the Openings_ by Reuben Fine. 0-8129-1756-1. Algebraic edition. McKay Chess Library. $11.95. Not state of the art opening theory, but the ideas are explained move by move. For beginners to C level.
6. _How to Play the Opeining in Chess_ by Raymond Keene and David Levy. Batsford Chess Library 1993. (ISBN0-8050-2937-0). General outline of many openings.
Classics
1. _My System_ by Aron Nimzovich (ISBN 0-679-14025-5). Must read for class C and above. Then reread.
2. Pawn Power in Chess by Hans Kmoch. Hard to find, still in print. Helps one understand some of the concepts of Nimzovich. Not as well known as My System, but, in spite of strange terminology, presents important concepts.
3. _The Game of Chess_ by Siegbert Tarrasch (ISBN 0-486-25447-X). Excellent instruction for intermediates.
4. _Judgment and Planning in Chess by Dr. Max Euwe. (ISBN 0-679-14325-4) McKay Chess Library $6.95.
Tactics:
1. Chess Tactics for Students. John Bain. Clear diagrams, large format. Clear and unconfusing presentation of pins, forks, back rank combos, double attacks, discovered checks, skewers, double threats, pawn promotion, perpetual check, removing the guard, zugzwang. For chess players of all ages. Use this book before going on to more difficult ones such as Pandolfini's Chessercises. While the 1900 player will not consider either of these difficult, the 1400 and below player will definitely benefit from this one. More information is at the author's home page .
2. Winning Chess Tactics. Yasser Seirawan, Jeremy Silman. (ISBN 1-55615-474-7) Tactics and combinations for the beginning student of chess. Includes double attacks, pins, skewer, deflection, decoy.
3. _1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations_ by Fred Reinfeld (ISBN 0-87980-111-5). A cheap book of 1001 tactical quizzes, most from actual games. Mix of easy & hard. Great for improving tactical ability. Also 1001 Ways to Checkmate by the same author.
4. _Test your Tactical Ability_ Yakov Neishtadt. Batsford Chess Library 1981 & 1991. $24.95. Includes Decoying, attraction, destroying the gurard, pin, clearing a square, closing a line, blocking, combinations and a tactics exam. Many examples from older games and classics. Full explanations of answers. _Your Move_ is another helpful book by the same author.
Endings:
1. _Essential Chess Endings Explained Move by Move_ by IM Jeremy Silman (ISBN 0-87568-172-7). Very clear explanations of basic endings. For novices and intermediates.
2. _Pandolfini's Endgame Course_ by NM Bruce Pandolfini (ISBN 0-671-65688-0). Another good endgame book for novices and intermediates.
3. Chess Endings, Essential Knowledge. Y. Averbakh. Concentrates on basic positions and classical endings.
Educational Software:
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess. (Bookup, Inc. 2763 Kensington Place West, Columbus, Ohio 43202 (800-949-5445) for $49 with free shipping) List $59.95, Recently seen at CompUSA for $28.00. CDROM only. 300 Interactive Chess lessons designed by Bobby Fisher, 300 classic chess photos, history of chess, 500 of Fischer's best games. And an excellent chess program to play against! Realistic beginners levels and regular levels also. The Chess Machine included is based on programming by Richard Lang, author of Chess Genius. Jump from practise session to computer chess game at the position you are studying. Free PGN viewer is available with 3D chess board from BFTC at ICS as I believe b8view.exe. This is also available from Bookup for $3.95 shipping charge if you do not have compuserve or ftp access.
ChessBase University. (ChessBase)
