Is it possible to become a very strong player without reading books?

That's what I was going to say. Sultan Khan definitely did not learn from books, and he was much stronger than 2000. 

It only takes one example to prove that something isn't impossible, so the case is closed. If people want to change the argument to 'very difficult', then I agree, but there is a world of difference between difficult and impossible.

Actually, I don't know precisely when he started to be tracked by the FBI or when he started looking at Russian publications.  I would guess that both were later.

Im answering the to the OP not u. 

Pfren was correct Capa read books early in his career, but not opening books. Capablanca for example mentioned that he used to follow the general principles of chess and never read opening books. Where did he learned it of course from Steiniz and Laker's work(or other players book)..

In the books of this time you may learn the openings and you may play the games of the strong grandmasters. But you can find that surely on the Internet too. And even better and much more up to date.So, no books necessary, leave your money in your pocket by not bying them.

You may find the basic of the chess strategy in the old books of Nimzowitsch, Euwe, Lasker and other grandmasters of the past. Without strategy your game has no basic and you will loose against better players not understanding why you are loosing. Endless checking openings with the computer may give you a benefit, but in the end you will have problems realising the win, if your knowledge, given to you by the computer, has got you a benefit from the opening.

So old books of the past, showing the basics of the chess strategy, are still needed.

Books are usefull, for example you might already forgoten things your coached taught you, with books just open it, read it, and you can recall it again..

I managed it.

HessianWarrior wrote:

Kingpatzer wrote:

He wasn't being watched at that age, but his mother was. 

My point is that he was kicking ass at 12 with little book learning so it had to come from raw instinct.

Bronsteinitz:

Fischer played in his first club in Brooklyn from the age of 7 and was supported by the head of this club Carmine Negro. From the age of 7 he spent all of his time reading everything he could find in the army plaza library. His mother let him be at home, in school, at the library or with Carmine. Every saturday morning Carmine picked him up and gave him private lessons together with his son. Carmine had a big library and Fischer studied it. The book endgame details all of this and is a superb read.

Does "books" include all published material, including chess magazines and newspaper aticles ?  

Well, that worked about as well as it usually does around here.

Aw, I think you're quoting Wendell Berry or something.

Sounds like that stuff they told me in school about how reading was superior to TV because you had to turn the page...which made it "active."

Wendell Berry is my raison d'etre!

Stop the nonsense, we all know that both of you are in this for Wendell's sister. Halle Berry is your true raison d'etre.

Honestly, I've always had kind of a thing for Ken Berry.

Noah Beery Jr. (pronounced Berry) Rockford's dad!

Okay.  I'm convinced.

I'm sorry to say I've never read a chess book.Yes, I have looked at them and read something on a few random pages to see if I'd like to read one, but found it to hard to follow.Being an expert at "chess with out readng books", and having played many people who have, I have to say you'd have to be a prodigy to have a rating over 2000 and not have read any books.