Which is better for studying chess?

[AdminX]

Which is better for studying chess? Book or Video? Back in the 80's I used to read a lot of Chess Books and Magazines. Now I find I don't have as much time to read as I used to, at least with the attention to detail that I use to have. Thanks to intro of Chessbase Multimedia Videos, this is how I do most of my study today. As for magazines, when I do get them from time to time the data is old news because I have seen and read about the events or games online 3 to 4 weeks before.

When going over my games in so far as opening preparation goes I use Chess Assistant 9 / Chessbase 9 for details about the openings and how they should be played. This along with Opening / Game Analysis Videos is how I study and prepare for games today. I let my chess engine analyze my games for new ideas to explore in more detail later on.

I still buy books mind you, just as I said before I really don't have the time to read them like I should. I am wondering if I should force myself to stop buying chess books. The last one I bought was Practical Endgame Play by Glenn Flear. It looks like it could be a good read if I could find the time.

[royb]

You bring up an interesting thought. I have not read very many chess books at all for several years now. I got discouraged about reading (and therefore buying!) chess books when I saw just how many errors are contained in them -- analysis errors. Entire lines of analysis in quite a few cases were just wrong and a decent chess engine can show that in less than a minute in most cases.

That does not mean that all chess books are useless of course, but for my analysis purposes I download the games of interest and use SCID and my favorite engines to analyze instead. Some books (the Kasparov 'My Great Predecessors' series as one example) are an interesting read for their historical perspective and not just their analysis of key games in history. Books like that will still find their way into my hands in the future for that reason.

Roy

[AdminX]

You bring up an interesting thought. I have not read very many chess books at all for several years now. I got discouraged about reading (and therefore buying!) chess books when I saw just how many errors are contained in them -- analysis errors. Entire lines of analysis in quite a few cases were just wrong and a decent chess engine can show that in less than a minute in most cases.

That does not mean that all chess books are useless of course, but for my analysis purposes I download the games of interest and use SCID and my favorite engines to analyze instead. Some books (the Kasparov 'My Great Predecessors' series as one example) are an interesting read for their historical perspective and not just their analysis of key games in history. Books like that will still find their way into my hands in the future for that reason.

Roy

Yes Roy,

This is true also. Even if today the number of errors in these books should be low thanks in no small part to computers checking the analysis. However I am sure that the same could be said for errors in videos. If not today then tomorrows engines will find them.

[AGove]

It depends whether you want to spend your entire life in front of a PC or TV monitor. Sometimes it's a relief to sit down, or lie down, with a book for a change.

Books do contain analytical errors, of course. However, there are some readers - present company excepted - who get concerned merely when a book's variations don't quite match Fritz's or whichever's. In fact, engines make analytical errors too, as well as errors of assessment. It's already been commented on in this forum how Shredder overestimates its numerical assessments, while Rybka slightly underestimates them, for example.

[nczempin]

Which is better for studying chess? Book or Video? Back in the 80's I used to read a lot of Chess Books and Magazines. Now I find I don't have as much time to read as I used to, at least with the attention to detail that I use to have. Thanks to intro of Chessbase Multimedia Videos, this is how I do most of my study today. As for magazines, when I do get them from time to time the data is old news because I have seen and read about the events or games online 3 to 4 weeks before.

When going over my games in so far as opening preparation goes I use Chess Assistant 9 / Chessbase 9 for details about the openings and how they should be played. This along with Opening / Game Analysis Videos is how I study and prepare for games today. I let my chess engine analyze my games for new ideas to explore in more detail later on.

I still buy books mind you, just as I said before I really don't have the time to read them like I should. I am wondering if I should force myself to stop buying chess books. The last one I bought was Practical Endgame Play by Glenn Flear. It looks like it could be a good read if I could find the time.

Well, it depends a lot on the level you're playing at. At almost any level, playing games and analysing them (perhaps with the help of a mentor or coach) will be the best way to improve.

[fern]

My dear Ted:
Perhaps the better thing to do is NOT to study chess. In the same time you could learn some other lot more interesting, vital, important things.
I have tried to do so, but every time this idea of asigning resources to just a game destroy them at once.

My best
Fernando

[ChessZone.org]

The books are better usually but some chess soft useful too. Check out CT-Art 3.0 by Convekta (ChessAssistant manufacturer) and Strategy 3.0.

Also I would like to recommend you an Intensive Course Tactic by George Renko.

[Ponti]

I`m always making the same question to myself... I was used to read many chess books, but as software gets more and more interactive I`m buying them now. The best one I bought was dvoretsky`s Endgame manual from Chessbase (CD). I`m looking for some DVD series too, mostly about endgames and tactics. Which one do you think is worth buying ?

[AdminX]

I`m always making the same question to myself... I was used to read many chess books, but as software gets more and more interactive I`m buying them now. The best one I bought was dvoretsky`s Endgame manual from Chessbase (CD). I`m looking for some DVD series too, mostly about endgames and tactics. Which one do you think is worth buying ?

For endgame basics I like "Chess Ending - Fundamentals for beginners Vol 1" by GM Karsten Mueller

For Strategy and Tactics I like "The secret weapons of the champions" by GM Adrian Mikhalchishin

I also like the "Power Play series" by GM Daniel King and "The Path to Tactical Strength" by GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov

[AdminX]

My dear Ted:
Perhaps the better thing to do is NOT to study chess. In the same time you could learn some other lot more interesting, vital, important things.
I have tried to do so, but every time this idea of asigning resources to just a game destroy them at once.

My best
Fernando

Hey Fernando,

I would love to do as you say, however I only have three real loves / hobbies and they are:

Chess, Computers and Photography

Working with Computers is how I pay my bills. So that leaves just Chess and Photography for my downtime. And since I find Chess so much more exciting than Photograpy, well I think you understand.

PS: That does not mean I don't enjoy a good picture. After all I find a good photo like a nice work of art.