This isn't entirely relevant, but I must know. What openings do you play that give you that 36% drawing rate as a sub 2k CC player??? That is insanely high.
Today's opening books - Information overload?
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Jul 25, 2015
0
#3
Part of the reason is I've been trying out different openings and lose some interest in a game if I change my mind about an opening after the game has started. So sometimes I've been willing to agree to a draw somewhat early in the game if I hardly have any advantage and they are only somewhat lower rated. Another part of the reason is I play the London often and I find it hard to win with too often (one of the reasons why I've been trying out other openings, but I'm having a hard time overcoming my disliking of a lot of theory). I'm basically a solid player and that may also add to the percentage some.
OK thanks, that explains it. I have never read an opening book, I don't even know how big they normally are. In principle/theory I agree with your OP, but I'm afraid I can't do much more. Thanks for your explanation though.
Jul 25, 2015
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#5
When it comes to chess I do beleive there is "information overload" and a lot of that information overload has a lot to do with tecnology and just how well it has been adapted to fit our great game.
I guess it depends what your goal is in playing chess.
If you just want to have a fun time, then I believe too much opening theory can be harmful.
If you want to become objectively better at the game, then the highly analyzed lines that GMs developed with engine assisted home preparation and actual tournament play will probably be much more accurate than anything you or I could come up with ourselves.
@Game_of_Pawns, Opening books are incredibly long. I have a 250+ page book on a sub-variation of the Benoni. The book doesn't even cover the main line. I came across a 700 page book over an opening (I believe the Réti system?) a while back. But yo address the OP, I don't believe this is too much information, because these books are typically meant for 2000+ rated players who need to study openings.
Chess opening books are bad for class players. Usually there is a lot of analysis and endless variations, lot of subvariations, deviations, etc.
Those informations are useless and confusing for us. And even if you manage to play OTB some variation you saw in the book, then what? After that, you will play the game yourself.
Plans, ideas, ideal piece placement, typical tactical motifs are what important at this level. Going through lot of master games in a given opening is much better than any opening book.
If there were any opening books that would give you information on openings based on your rating (like Silman's endgame course) that would be useful. But opening books generally are written for strong players who already know chess strategy, and understand things better.
Of course there are some good opening books that are good for weaker players, but not many.
In a 2007 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." Nunn also wrote that a good book can "describe the general plans" for both sides. I suspect that he was, to some degree, describing the idea behind the "Chess Explained" books that were published by Gambit around that time. There seemed to be similar motivation for the "Starting Out" books publisheed by Everyman. I think it is unfortunate for lower rated players that both series seem to have been discontinued.
Jul 26, 2015
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#10
I am not saying that anyone above is at all wrong in anyway but there is one thing that most are overlooking, chess opening "books" are not only confined to pages and in someways this makes makes what is said above many times worse when it comes to information overload.
It is nothing these days to pick up a specialised DVD on an opening with tens of thousands of games with many of them anaylsed to a point. Gone are the days of sitting at a table, chess board in front of you, book in hand to play through games while trying to understand just what the hell is going on. Now, for the joe average chess player it is buy a DVD, flick through the games and pretend to know what happened because a chess engine said so......and if you think this is overly alarmist, you really have not read some of the stupid arsed comments by engine driven plebs elsewhere on this site.
When it comes to 'information overload' the humble tradionational paper chess book is just the tip of a very very large iceburg
On the club level I wonder if it's more harmful than helpful having so very much info provided to us in opening books these days, handed to us on a silver spoon. Is it information overload in the number of analysis lines? Would we actually play better if we learned the lines and explanations of an opening from a skimpy book (even if the book is dated, update it ourself from the internet or engine help but only when need be)?