user1031: What are the best chess books regarding theory and such for beginners?

user1790: Agree with others regarding Nimzowitsch - I would not recommend that to beginners for many reasons. I would add  to retrodanny's recommendations, I would also add 

Best lessons of a chess coach by Sunil Weeramantry and Ed Eusebi - joy to read

I would start with Logical Chess Move by Move and then move to Best Lessons (above) and then to others.

user2976: To take the beginner up a notch "My System" by Aron Nimzowitsch ... it goes over basics of theory like open files which even a beginner can get a feeling for. This book will move the person to an advance beginner or to intermediate (with practice). The skills in the book are essential. Here is a link to download the classic: http://www.taflfelag.is/assets/files/Nimzowitsch,.Aron.My.System.(21st.century.ed).pdf
The sort of companion to "My System" is "Chess Praxis" which gives games to see the applications of the concepts in "My System". That would probably be a next book.
If you want something for the total beginner then something like "A Primer of Chess" by Capablanca
Be sure to learn all the basic endgame mating combinations (queen, rook, bishop-bishop, bishop-knight) as well. 

user17: It's a bit old, but I cut my teeth on "Chess Fundamentals" by former world champion JR Capablanca. Moreover, it's one of the few books in the public domain, so you can access it online. 

user791: A book often recommended to beginners is Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev. It contains 33 games with text explanations for every single move.
Dan Heisman also recommends other books in his web site, here are a few:

Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking - Neil McDonald
A First Book of Morphy by del Rosario
Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played - Irving Chernev 
Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur - Euwe and Meiden

[edit] Here's a PGN file of Logical Chess that you can play through using a game viewer like Scid vs. PC while you read the book. Or you can just use a regular chess set.

1031: <p>What are the best chess books regarding theory and such for beginners?</p>
 1790: <p>Agree with others regarding Nimzowitsch - I would not recommend that to beginners for many reasons. I would add  to retrodanny's recommendations, I would also add </p>

<ul>
<li>Best lessons of a chess coach by Sunil Weeramantry and Ed Eusebi - joy to read</li>
</ul>

<p>I would start with Logical Chess Move by Move and then move to Best Lessons (above) and then to others.</p>
 2976: <p>To take the beginner up a notch "My System" by Aron Nimzowitsch ... it goes over basics of theory like open files which even a beginner can get a feeling for. This book will move the person to an advance beginner or to intermediate (with practice). The skills in the book are essential. Here is a link to download the classic: <a href="http://www.taflfelag.is/assets/files/Nimzowitsch,.Aron.My.System.%2821st.century.ed%29.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.taflfelag.is/assets/files/Nimzowitsch,.Aron.My.System.(21st.century.ed).pdf</a>
The sort of companion to "My System" is "Chess Praxis" which gives games to see the applications of the concepts in "My System". That would probably be a next book.
If you want something for the total beginner then something like "A Primer of Chess" by Capablanca
Be sure to learn all the basic endgame mating combinations (queen, rook, bishop-bishop, bishop-knight) as well. </p>
 17: <p>It's a bit old, but I cut my teeth on "Chess Fundamentals" by former world champion JR Capablanca. Moreover, it's one of the few books in the public domain, so you can access it online. </p>
 791: <p>A book often recommended to beginners is <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0713484640">Logical Chess: Move by Move</a> by Irving Chernev. It contains 33 games with text explanations for every single move.</p>

<p>Dan Heisman also recommends other books in his <a href="http://home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/General_Book_Guide.htm">web site</a>, here are a few:</p>

<ul>
<li>Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking - Neil McDonald</li>
<li>A First Book of Morphy by del Rosario</li>
<li>Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played - Irving Chernev </li>
<li>Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur - Euwe and Meiden</li>
</ul>

<p>[edit] Here's a <a href="http://www.chess.com/download/view/chernevs-logical-chess-move-by-move">PGN file</a> of Logical Chess that you can play through using a game viewer like <a href="http://scidvspc.sourceforge.net/">Scid vs. PC</a> while you read the book. Or you can just use a regular chess set.</p>
