Chess Books vs. Chess Videos

Hi,

I have two sons, ages 12 and 14 that are fairly strong for their age (class B and class A, respectively).

They now have a library of over 50 books (openings, middlegame, endgame, tactics, strategy, game collections).  However, I would say that they have completely gone through about a fourth of them.  Many of the books are 'classics', which have been recommended by various people or from reading various book lists posted by various sources.

I recently purchased a planning/middlegame video from a known grandmaster as it is a weakness that most scholastic players have (coming up with an appropriate middlegame plan).  They really liked the video, and I am considering purchasing another one.  However, I was just wondering if using videos is more effective than traditional book study.

Your thoughts?  Books or videos (or both)?

BTW, they also have a teacher (NM) that goes over their games and teaches them once a week.

both,but i recommend book.

Learning abilities vary and are dependant on aspiration, concentration etc. Visual techniques are best and both these disciplines and personal tuition combine that technique. Providing each discipline teaches the reasoning and understanding in the instruction then really it is down to what a person responds to best and what they enjoy.

I'd say it isn't so much about "book" or "video" as it is about the effectiveness of a particular example of each kind.  Good and bad books exist, same with videos.  I wouldn't be afraid to try out videos, or to chalk them up as bad when they don't help.  It's all about what your kids find A) instructive and B) engaging. 

As a class B player myself, one of the things I noticed is that it seems to be around this time where your skill as a player has advanced to a point where you seem to be able to make more independent decisions/judgments based on the lessons that you take in (what lessons to accept, which to reject, and which to apply situationally).  I'd encourage you to encourage them to evaluate their teacher/book/video lessons maybe more than they've been accustomed to in the past, to build their confidence in their decision making.

I don't have a premium membership on chess.com, but they are both ICC members and play regularly on it.  They have watched some of the videos on ICC, but they have not watched many of them.  The video lesson that I bought contained video lessons, but it also had 'homework' in which they had to go through games (in .pgn format) to find the best move or determine the best plan.  I found it pretty instructive because it was passive (watching a lecture), but also required active thought (homework).

I think the main thing I need to find is something that they will willingly study.  For example, I found that they would rather study tactics using CT-Art instead of studying tactics from a book.  Chess study seems to have migrated to the use of computers and kids especially seem to prefer this course of study.  I'm old school (prefer books), but I think I have to supplement their learning with more computer tools which include the use of videos.

Over the course of my life, I've learned far more from books than I have from video.  Books tend to be better organized, and good authors put a lot of work into writing a book, and it shows.  Videos tend to be more slapdash with the speaker brought into the studio without a script, and talking off the top of their head.  I think videos have the potential to become an important learning tool, but at present I don't think that there are that many brilliant or life-changing videos out there.

That being said if your kids enjoy watching the occasional video, and find it more engaging than reading books, there's probably no harm in letting them watch one now and then.

One of the attractions of CT-ART is that it is interactive.  You get feedback on what you do.  This is less true of most books or videos where you just read or watch.  Working with a coach is even better in that they can get specific feedback on their own games.

Bfn, I would suggest that your children go through the classic chess books. These books contain time tested material that is invaluable to a chess player. DVDs may be easier to consume, but they lack the quality of the best books. I would encourage them to devote their study time to the best materials available.

I prefer books, too.  However, they seem to gravitate towards using computers and video.  If I gave them a choice to use a computer/video to study, vice a book, they'll choose to use a computer or play a video.  At this point in their development, I also have to be sensitive to the fact that studying 'something' even if it's from a computer/video is better than 'nothing'.

Do you sit down, and read the books with them?  Perhaps you could try to communicate your enthusiasm for what's found in the books.

 Books, vids, etc. I think your kids sound talented and they're going to get something out of anything.  I think you should get a diamond premium membership here and have access to a ton of educational material. IMHO the videos alone on chess.com are worth the premium membership price tag. IMs Pruess and Rensch are excellent teachers. And they have a lot to offer class B and class A players.

When I study from books (and I do quite a bit) I often support my books with computer assistance. I play thru games found in chess books using a big (free) database program I got online in conjunction with a chess engine. Between the notes in the book, and the chess engine, almost all my questions are answered. And playing thru a game by clicking and working out variations etc. right on the screen is very convenient and makes books study much more efficient.

Yes, I've personally gone through numerous books with them.  However, I'm not alway available to work with them.  My older son is starting to work independently (reading books on his own).  My younger son is a work in progress.  I'm hopeful that he'll start reading books on his own as he matures.  He is certainly capable of studying independently.  He was 'bored' one day and picked up the chess tactics for students book by Bain.  He told me that he finished going through the whole book in less than two hours.  If they find something interesting or something they are good at, then they are more likely to study it.  It's no wonder that he'd rather study tactics, than strategy, planning, etc. 

I teach chess to kids and, depending on their age, they respond better to visual examples. I use some of the ChessBase/Fritz training videos because they present the lessons in video within the ChessBase/Fritz screen so there's a board with pieces on it while the lesson is going. However, you have to be careful because some of the training videos are really geared towards adults. I have roughly 800 chess books which I use for reference. However, I like the interactive video method. Hey, ask your kids which they prefer!!

Hi

Hi, 

My daughter has just started with chess and she has USCF rating around 600. Can you please recommend the books for her to get better? 

You can guide your daughter with the book Winning Chess Strategy for Kids by Coackley. It is an enjoyable book that can improve both of you.

https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Chess-Strategy-Kids-Coakley/dp/1895525055

Reading chess books can get exhausting especially if you're young and you want to learn faster than you can read. Why don't you try using apps wherein the books were converted to electronic format so you can solve "find the best move" puzzles or read through game collections or chess improvement materials especially in calculation, positional strategy, middlegame theory and endgames? Chessable, for instance, even has courses with videos aside from the book and interactive chessboard for quizzes. You can read more about it here:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/forward-chess-chess-studio-e-chess-books-chess-king-chessable?lc=1#last_comment

Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

If your sons are interested in CT Art, let them study tactics that way, first because they enjoy it and second because even experts lose to simple tactics. In addition, they should study their tournament loses. That level is on the edge to breaking through to expert. Good luck.

Maybe it depends on who you ask? If I look to myself. I can say that I prefer to read books, articles and other material. Why? Because I found it much finer/nicer then watching video's and it brings more rest to me then watching video's etc.