Learning Chess: Book and Board vs. Video Course

These days, many people learn chess by watching videos. YouTube, Chess.com, everywhere—so many video lessons. But I started thinking… is this really the best way to learn?

In my opinion, video courses are not so good for deep learning. They are fun, and you feel like you learn fast, but actually, maybe you don’t remember much later.

Let me explain why I think learning from books and a real chessboard is better:

You think more deeply
When you read a book, you go slowly. You stop, you think, you try to understand the position. This helps your brain work harder and remember better.
You are active, not passive
Watching videos is easy. You just sit and look. But with a book, you move the pieces, write notes, ask yourself questions. This is more powerful.
You control the speed
With a book, you can read again and again. You stop when it’s difficult. Videos move fast, and many people just click “next.”
You focus more
When I watch videos, sometimes I check my phone or open other apps. But with a book and board, it’s just me and chess. More focus = better learning.
Great players used books
Bobby Fischer, Kasparov, Carlsen—they learned from books and real boards. Not videos.
 
My Final Thought:
Video lessons are fun and helpful sometimes, like when you are tired or want to learn something quickly. But if you want to become strong in chess, books and boards are still the best way.

What do you think? Do you like video or book learning more?