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I want to start learning olympiad mathematics more seriously, and I would like to have advice on some good books or pdfs to learn with.
I have background but not a big background. For example I know high school geometry (and in general high school mathematics) really well but in olympiad geometry (where creativity is really needed) I am not that good. I can solve a bit of the problems from the national math olympics in my home country but not problems from the IMO (though I can understand the solutions of the easier problems in the IMO, mostly easier geometry problems).

Right now I want to focus mainly on geometry and number theory, and maybe some combinatoris. Are there any books that are really recommended for a beginner (not a beginner who starts from absolute scratch, but still a beginner).

I heard about the book "Euclidean geometry in mathematical olympiads" written by Evan Chen but I understood that this book is advanced and a beginner should not start from that.
Any good books to begin with in geometry, number theory, and combinatorics (and if you have anything else to recommend on - for example a good Algebra book to begin with when I'll start learning algebra - of course I would like to hear it as well).
If you have any advice on math olympiad in general, or if you think I should learn something else first (for example if you think I should learn algebra before number theory) - please tell me.

Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ Refer to AOPS Books $\endgroup$
    – user
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 15:03
  • $\begingroup$ @user170039 Hi, thank you for the comment. I will definitely check it. Is it recommended? I am looking for a book that is good to begin with, but a book that can still lead me to a level where I can solve some of the easy-medium leveled olympiad problems and understand some of the solutions to the hard ones. $\endgroup$
    – Omer
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 15:08
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    $\begingroup$ Yes it is one of the main reference and you can also find a lot of material on line. Refer also to IMOMATH $\endgroup$
    – user
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 15:11
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    $\begingroup$ There is a nice little book "solving mathematical problems - a personal perspective" by Terence Tao, which he first wrote before he was as famous as he is now. $\endgroup$
    – Michal Adamaszek
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 15:24
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    $\begingroup$ There is not a fixed order in my opinion, often things are linked together therefore you can start simultaneously on all the topics starting from the basics. $\endgroup$
    – user
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 15:25

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