When I first started playing in tourneys back in the early (19)90's 
I went to a discount strip mall book store and bought several paperback Batsford and Owl Publishing books for $2 to $5 each. I studied several systems and found one or two for white and black that just "felt" right for me. I am a firm believer that in the early stages chess is more what you feel comfortable with than enforcing a structure you can't understand (yet). Trust me you didn't waste your money. You may just not be ready for what those books have to offer yet. Good Luck !!
How to study games?
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Feb 1, 2016
0
#3
Hi, I returned to chess almost two years ago and since then begun studying chess as well. Not all books are good for someone who is a beginner. They're written in different styles. Some books show the moves and then go into some deep variation. For example I gave the book Fundamental Chess Openings. It does illustrate openings well, but then the author shows an alternative variation and it's just too many moves deep. I understand the end result as in "white loses a piece" or "it looks bad for white", or "here the black gets a mate". But there is no explanation as to why either player would make some alternate move getting to the end result of the variation. At least it's difficult to me as a 1250 player.
Then there are excellent other books that explain moves more conceptually and present general ideas. For example I have the very popular Irving Chernev book "Logical Chess Move by Move". It's a great "easy" book. He does show variations, but they're not too many moves deep.
Then there are the Silman books. They're also great for beginners and average players. Any of them. He explains concepts well and then illustrates them.
Yasser Seirawan's books are also very good beginners and average players. He has written a whole set of thick books. Look them up on Amazon.
I also have the Mammoth Book of chess games. I think it says it has 100 best historic games illustrate ideas. But I think the book slightly more complex than Logical Chess. Still it's the same "move by move" concept.
How to to study chess books. I think you have to carefully follow the moves until you reach a diagram. Usually after you get a diagram you will see a long alternative variation. Just keep making variation moves on the board. After you're done go back to the diagram and put pieces back to how they were.
Even better, if you have lots of desk space, use two boards. Use one for actual moves that were made and the second for all the variations.
Before reading every move try to come up with a move you would have made. It's fun to see whether you are right or wrong. Often the book mention the common moves people suggested then they show why the moves would cause a bad outcome to one or the other player.
Also do do get some books of chess problems. There are some collections by highly reputable players. You have to solve these "tactics" problems to be able to recognize them in actual games intuitively. Just keep solving hundreds of them until you become really good. There is a famous tactics book by Laszlo Polgar for example. There are dozens of books.
I am sure other more experienced people here can give better advice too.
Feb 2, 2016
0
#4
There's also lots of videos on-line for openings. Once you've decided what openings you wish to play then google it, there will be videos
SidsSon wrote:
... I have recently bought several books about openings and I just find them impossible to follow for more than about five moves. And then when the authors get into explaining what would have happened at thus and such a junction...forget it, I'm lost. I'll listen to any suggestions. I feel I've bought three books and wasted my money.
A fair number of people think one should not read about openings at all until one has a lot of experience. (Opinions seem to vary somewhat with regard to the amount of required experience.) My own feeling is that it can make some sense to look at books that are specifically for the less-experienced player. I often suggest Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014).
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
I believe that it is possible to see a fair portion of the beginning of Tamburro's book by going to the Mongoose Press site. Perhaps it would be appropriate to look at Discovering Chess Openings by GM Johm Emms (2006).
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Here are some possibly helpful books on subjects other than openings:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1949)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Perhaps it would be of interest to look at some of these quotes related to opening study:
"... For players with very limited experience, I recommend using openings in which the play can be clarified at an early stage, often with a degree of simplification. To accomplish this safely will take a little study, because you will have to get used to playing wiith open lines for both sides' pieces, but you can't eliminate risk entirely in the opening anyway. ... teachers all over the world suggest that inexperienced players begin with 1 e4. ... You will undoubtedly see the reply 1 ... e5 most often when playing at or near a beginner's level, ... After 2 Nf3, 2 ... Nc6 will occur in the bulk of your games. ... I recommend taking up the classical and instructive move 3 Bc4 at an early stage. Then, against 3 ... Bc5, it's thematic to try to establish the ideal centre by 4 c3 and 5 d4; after that, things can get complicated enough that you need to take a look at some theory and learn the basics; ... Of course, you can also play 1 d4 ... A solid and more-or-less universal set-up is 2 Nf3 and 3 Bf4, followed in most cases by 4 e3, 5 Be2 and 6 0-0. I'd rather see my students fight their way through open positions instead; however, if you're not getting out of the opening alive after 1 e4, this method of playing 1 d4 deserves consideration. ... a commonly suggested 'easy' repertoire for White with 1 Nf3 and the King's indian Attack ... doesn't lead to an open game or one with a clear plan for White. Furthermore, it encourages mechanical play. Similarly, teachers sometimes recommend the Colle System ..., which can also be played too automatically, and usually doesn't lead to an open position. For true beginners, the King's Indian Attack and Colle System have the benefit of offering a safe position that nearly guarantees passage to some kind of playable middlegame; they may be a reasonable alternative if other openings are too intimidating. But having gained even a small amount of experience, you really should switch to more open and less automatic play." - IM John Watson in a section of his 2010 book, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4
In a 2006 GM John Nunn book, in connection with opening study, it is stated that, if a "book contains illustrative games, it is worth playing these over first", and the reader was also advised, "To begin with, only study the main lines - that will cope with 90% of your games, and you can easily fill in the unusual lines later."
In one of his books about an opening, GM Nigel Davies wrote (2005), "The way I suggest you study this book is to play through the main games once, relatively quickly, and then start playing the variation in actual games. Playing an opening in real games is of vital importance - without this kind of live practice it is impossible to get a 'feel' for the kind of game it leads to. There is time enough later for involvement with the details, after playing your games it is good to look up the line."
"... I feel that the main reasons to buy an opening book are to give a good overview of the opening, and to explain general plans and ideas. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)
i'm a lazy guy and i think the best way for me to study is to read the chess book on a tablet.. and the book have to be in pgn formate. so u read the book.. then the pieces move for u.. u dont have to carry the board around..
everyman chess publish various book for apple and adroid device. i think the web site have a few demo chapter for free. see if it fit ur taste. some people perfer the actual paper book feel and carrying the big board and pieces around.... plus you can watch many youtube on chess analysis.. i like kingscrusher n chess explained
Hi all. I'm one of those people who learned how to move the pieces when he was a kid and am now getting back into the game years later. I could use some help with this whole thing about studying games. I have recently bought several books about openings and I just find them impossible to follow for more than about five moves. And then when the authors get into explaining what would have happened at thus and such a junction...forget it, I'm lost. I'll listen to any suggestions. I feel I've bought three books and wasted my money.