Yeah, the main thing with really good players, IMO, is that they enjoy it.
This one 2400 told me that as a kid he was really excited to get to play every week, and loved to read and re-read this one tournament book he had. He said he read it so many times the book fell apart.
To people like that it's pure enjoyment, I don't think they see it as work.
How about some context?
How old is this guy and when did he start playing chess?
I know people with genius I.Q.s that will never be great chess players, yet the greatest astronomer of all time was a Jock-lawyer named Edwin Hubble.
Passion counts for a lot.
P.S. The object in the right foreground is a basketball, commemorating Hubble's leadership of the U. of Chicago's basketball team to their first conference title. I'll let you guess what appears in the window.
It's the Earth from orbit.
perhaps if batgirl sees this she can comment.
I have less of an opinion about morphy. maybe he poured over them? but I was vaguely remembering that capa SAID he didn't study chess books. perhaps in one of his published books?
and maybe Both guys didn't consider reviewing pertinent high level games as "studying from a book"
which is again, the real problem with this thread. too much effort; to describe what it does and does NOT mean by studying.
it is bad IMHO to closely compare you own efforts of others. I'm very convinced that every persons improvement is very personal; cue the forest gump quote about chocolate.