The votes have been counted and the results are in. The big scholarly book on Aron Nimzowitsch has been voted 2012 Book of the Year. The runner-ups were Move First, Think Later by Willy Hendricks and Grandmaster Preparation: Calculation by Jacob Aagaard.

You simply cannot buy every chess book that comes out I know. I particularly prize this year’s winner, the Pal Benko book and, strangely, the Norman Whitaker one from before. I have a good friend who praises Chess Duels to the heavens. Have any of the others below made a strong impression?

2012 Aron Nimzowitsch, 1886-1924 by Per Skjoldager and Jørn Erik Nielsen

Previous ChessCafe.com Book of the Year Winners

2011 Invisible Chess Moves by Yochanan Afek & Emmanuel Neiman New In Chess

2010 Chess Duels by Yasser Seirawan Everyman Chess

2009 Chess Strategy for Club Players by Herman Grooten New In Chess

2008 Forcing Chess Moves by Charles Hertan New In Chess

2007 Silman's Complete Endgame Course by Jeremy Silman Siles Press

2006 Van Perlo's Endgame Tactics by G. C. Van Perlo New In Chess

2005 Learn from the Legends by Mihail Marin Quality Chess

2004 Pal Benko: My Life, Games and Compositions by Pal Benko & Jeremy Silman Siles Press

2003 Chess Strategy in Action by John Watson Gambit Publications

2002 Excelling at Chess by Jacob Aagaard Everyman Chess

2001 Understanding Chess Move by Move by John Nunn Gambit Publications

2000 Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker by John S. Hilbert Caissa Editions