How to learn from GM annotated games?

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For example, My 60 Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer. How would I learn when reading it? WHat would I do?

pdve

Take one game at a time. Try to memorize the moves as well as why they were played.

Not that I am able to do this but I believe this is what should be done.

lauragibs

that is very difficult actually brasil

Sqod

"My 60 Memorable Games" by Bobby Fischer was the second chess book I ever owned. (The first was "How to Win at Chess" by Al Horowitz.) I learned on my own from those two books. I learned a lot from Fischer's book, both general, specific, and very specific. For generalities, I learned that chess is inherently a draw, via quotes like these...

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(p. 121)
4 P-KR4   . . .

   The only realistic try for any advantage. There is no longer
anything "romantic" about the Muzio Gambit, which has been
analyzed to draw after 4 B-B4, P-N5; 5 O-O (if 5 N-K5,
Q-R5+; 6 K-B1, N-QB3!), PxN; 6 QxP, Q-B3, etc.

(p. 234)

38 Fischer - Keres [U.S.S.R.]
CURACAO 1962
   RUY LOPEZ

Detective story

Occasionally one comes across a miraculous victory in which,
despite intensive post-mortems, there seems to be no losing
move or pattern, no blunder on the part of the vanquished. But
how can that be possible? A loser must make a mistake
somewhere, however, infinitesimal, however it may evade
detection. Is it Keres' opening novelty which leads him to
disaster? Could his defense have been improved afterward?
If so: where? Whatever the answer, the reader is
invited to share the magnifying glass with Fischer and hunt for
that elusive error.

Fischer, Bobby. 1969. My 60 Memorable Games. New York: Simon and Schuster.

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I also got a feel for how many moves one needs to look ahead, and just how many traps existed everywhere.

For more specific knowledge, I learned to play K-QN1 after castling long, to hang onto your two bishops if possible, and to play P-KR3 upon getting a pin on the kingside.

For even more specific knowledge, I learned the openings, and upon trying to find an improvement, realized how much I could trust the openings of masters, who had already analyzed those openings far more than I had.

JGambit

I agree with hikaru, below 2000 study is a waste of time, just playing will teach you more.

Once you become more advanced you can gain more from these games

kleelof
JGambit wrote:

I agree with hikaru, below 2000 study is a waste of time

My experience says that is not correct. I KNOW I would not have improved as much if I had not studied a little. I'm also certain if I studied more, I would imporve more quickly.

kleelof
rdecredico wrote:

The person that remembers the most plays the best.

Funny you should say that.

Just the other day I was remembering a quote about correspondance chess; "The one with the biggest library wins."

It made me realize that OTB chess is the same way. Whoever has the biggest recallable pool of information wins.

Sqod
petrosianpupil wrote:

I am a big fan of reading the thoughts of the greats but personally learnt little from bobbys 60 memorable games I got far more from capablanca and Nimzo as they explain general principles better IMO.

Are there any specific books you recommend? Fischer's book was a big influence on me, but it's true it wasn't intended for beginners, so I'd like to check out similar books that cater a little more to beginners.

----------

(p. 20)
16 B-N3!   . . .

   He won't get a second chance to snap off the Bishop! Now I
felt the game was in the bag if I didn't botch it. I'd won dozens of
skittles games in analogous positions and had it down to a science:
pry open the KR-file, sac, sac . . . mate!

(p. 182)

6 P-KR3!   . . .

   It's important to kick immediately, otherwise after. . .Q-B3
followed by . . .BxN White's Pawn formation could be
smashed.

(p. 268)
21 . . .   R-B1
22 KR-K1   P-R3!

   A handy luft, as becomes apparent later.