I think the real problem is not that you buy too much books, the problem is that you don't have time to read them 
How to stop buying chess books?
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4xel wrote:
I think the real problem is not that you buy too much books, the problem is that you don't have time to read them
That's very true. With my current tempo I will need 10-15 years to finish what I already have.
One of my favorite comments from many years ago:
"Remember, if you like books--like reading them and owning them--there's no such thing as 'one chess book.' ... as you acquire one or two and read them through--even if you don't--you'll find yourself drawn to the chess section every time you walk into Walden's or Barnes and Noble or Borders. If you leaf through the books and compare their contents to what you need, you'll soon find yourself dedicating a shelf or two of your bookcase to chess books. You'll want to have all of Sierawan's books (as soon as they're back in print). You'll yearn to complete your collection of Alburt's series. You'll start haunting used book shops for old copies of Fischer's 'My 60 Memorable Games.' Your hair will gradually grow unkempt, and a distracted wild look will creep into your eyes. If you're separated from your books for too long, your hands will begin to twitch and you'll start plotting knight moves across the checkered tablecloth at the Italian restaurant where you're supposed to be wooing your wife / girlfriend. You've entered a perilous zone ... 'Chessbibliomania' is not a condition to be easily dismissed, and research has shown it isn't curable. Maybe you'll be better off just buying a gin rummy program for your computer and avoiding this chess book madness altogether. 
Happy reading!!"
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.misc/msg/d96eccf5ddec3c33
Dec 6, 2016
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#65
"You also confuse "reading" (I read tons of books) with "studying" them. Fischer in reality had a photographic memory. His last biography mention the fact that he had a book with more than 300 games played by Spassky,"
You don't have a proper chess book adiction, until have a copy of that book in your library. Literally the only reason have it, is because know Fischer used it. The games have virtually no annotation, or is in german which can't understand, with diagram every five moves. Useful predatabase days but now....
I have more chess books than i will EVER read. I dont buy them to study them, i buy them to read them, and for research for a position, game, or just plain ole interest.
Dec 7, 2016
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#67
TwoMove wrote:
Fischer in reality had a photographic memory.
No he didn't. He did have a good memory for patterns, which a photographic memory usually interferes with.
"In a classic study Chase and Simon (1973) studied subjects' memory for briefly presented chess positions and replicated de Groot's findings under controlled conditions. To the same subjects Chase and Simon also presented chess positions with randomly rearranged chess pieces. Memory for these scrambled positions was uniformly poor and did not differ as a function of skill. This finding has been frequently replicated and shows that the superior memory for briefly presented chess positions in not due to any general memory ability, such as photographic memory, but depends critically on subjects' ability to perceive meaningful patterns and relations between chess pieces. Originally Chase and Simon proposed that experts' superior short-term memory for chess positions was due to their ability to recognize configurations of chess pieces on the basis of their knowledge of vast numbers of specific patterns of pieces. With greater knowledge of more complex and larger configurations of chess pieces (chunks), an expert could recall more individual chess pieces with the same number of chunks. Hence Chase and Simon could account for very large individual differences in memory for chess positions within the limits of the capacity of normal short-term memory (STM), which is approximately seven chunks ( Miller, 1956 )."
http://www.chrest.info/Fribourg_Cours_Expertise/Articles-www/III%20Theories/ericsson_charness.pdf
Dec 7, 2016
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#68
I never said Fischer had a photographic memory did I 
, Oh I see, was quoting someone else,lol.
Dec 10, 2016
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#70
I love all my chess books I have more than I need but I want more! it's definitely some sort of addiction but it's fun. and I just like all books in general so chess books is the best of both worlds
Dec 10, 2016
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#71
Oh ! thanks for reminding me I need fischers 60 most memorable games asap!😆
Dec 10, 2016
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#72
Colllecting books certainly looks better than collecting stamps, bottle caps, dried insects, etc. If one fails to read it, othrr mmembers of the family and guest could read it.
Simple question, simple answer.
Stop reading chess books, start playing chess.
Hope this helps you.
try this. split your books into 2 categories. 1 openings. 2 everything else. (ie tactics, strategy etc) then, stop buying books. finish reading category 2 before getting more of the same. If you find the book boring or have another reason not to finish it, such as its too basic / hard to read, shelve it. category 1, refer to as you play a particular opening. (they're reference material. use them as such) and stop hitting buy. lol
DavidJSmith2 hat geschrieben:
Easy - Don't but a new book until you've read the one you have (or decide you will never read it).
For you information: Chessbooks are not for reading, they are for studying.
CookedQueen wrote:
Simple question, simple answer.
Stop reading chess books, start playing chess.
Hope this helps you.
Reading/studying chess books is so fun - why should I stop it?
And I play too. I try to combine study and play in some reasonable way.
Same here .
Have you considered seeing therapist? Sounds like you might have a bit of OCD when it comes to chess books.
Dont hurt him 
Collecting books is a nice hobby. The living room looks great with a big book cabinet. I dont think its a waste of money at all. If the book shelves are ovrrloaded, donate some to the library.