Is there still a place for books in chess study?
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Dec 13, 2021
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#82
Stil1 wrote:
Another thing I like about chess books is that the text is usually pretty neutral. You're given the moves, some diagrams, and some annotations to explain the ideas behind the moves ... and not much else.
You can read at your own speed, and move ahead to different chapters, to focus on what you want to study.
In a lot of videos, though, you aren't just exposed to the chess content, but also to the presentation style of whomever is making the video. Sometimes this means suffering through time-wasting jokes or irrelevant anecdotes ... or adjusting the video speed based on their rate of speaking ... or perhaps even having to ignore a strange piece style or color scheme that they like to use on their digital board ... they might drone on and on about a particular variation that you're not interested in ... then say only a few words about the one you actually hoped to learn about ... and so on, and so forth ... with videos, it can often be hit or miss.
Have you read any books by Cyrus Lakdawala? His prose certainly is his and his alone.
Not everyone is a fan. See https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/rematch-by-proxy/
Dec 13, 2021
0
#83
Ziryab wrote:
Stil1 wrote:
Another thing I like about chess books is that the text is usually pretty neutral. You're given the moves, some diagrams, and some annotations to explain the ideas behind the moves ... and not much else.
You can read at your own speed, and move ahead to different chapters, to focus on what you want to study.
In a lot of videos, though, you aren't just exposed to the chess content, but also to the presentation style of whomever is making the video. Sometimes this means suffering through time-wasting jokes or irrelevant anecdotes ... or adjusting the video speed based on their rate of speaking ... or perhaps even having to ignore a strange piece style or color scheme that they like to use on their digital board ... they might drone on and on about a particular variation that you're not interested in ... then say only a few words about the one you actually hoped to learn about ... and so on, and so forth ... with videos, it can often be hit or miss.
Have you read any books by Cyrus Lakdawala? His prose certainly is his and his alone.
Not everyone is a fan. See https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/rematch-by-proxy/
His books are awesome!
Annotated game collections are awesome. I don’t know if you can find the quality online.
CooloutAC wrote:
Jenium wrote:
CooloutAC wrote:
blueemu wrote:
CooloutAC wrote:
I think its a waste of time.
For someone who lacks the attention-span to make it to the bottom of the page, they are probably a waste of time.
The books I read were Jeremy silmans endgame says to not even bother going past chapter 1 unless over 2000 rating.
Pretty sure that's not what Silman says in his endgame book
I meant 1000. But most of the book is for 2000. Its my Patrick Wolff book that says don't even study opening theory until over 2000. Guys like Gm Finegold and chesscoach.net and most experts would agree. Again the book is not going to improve your play unless you are a brand new beginner or expert player. Anybody in between just needs to keep playing and practicing their tactics and strategies while analyzing their own games.
I think Silman is doing a good job selecting the material for the rating levels. And I am sure that a 1500 will benefit from the knowledge how to win with an outside passed pawn, or how to draw K vs. K+P. Actually the book might be too easy for experts...
Dec 13, 2021
0
#86
IMKeto skrev:
Using books with real board and pieces is active learning.
Watching videos, using software is passive learning.
Depends on what you mean by "watching videos, using software". Active learning is independent of the medium, what is important is that one is an ... active ... participant who, in the case of chess, would write down the basic concept in their own words, try the examples as one is reading, write down any questions or thoughts, try to answer those by reading further or rereading same chapter and so on.
Videos and software are more interactive than a book. Just sitting looking through youtube playlist going "yeah, yeah I get that now" without any notetaking or analysis is on the other hand not that interactive or active.
Yea, I guess it is a matter of taste whether to study online or in a book...
Dec 13, 2021
0
#88
CooloutAC wrote:
Jenium wrote:
CooloutAC wrote:
Jenium wrote:
CooloutAC wrote:
blueemu wrote:
CooloutAC wrote:
I think its a waste of time.
For someone who lacks the attention-span to make it to the bottom of the page, they are probably a waste of time.
The books I read were Jeremy silmans endgame says to not even bother going past chapter 1 unless over 2000 rating.
Pretty sure that's not what Silman says in his endgame book
I meant 1000. But most of the book is for 2000. Its my Patrick Wolff book that says don't even study opening theory until over 2000. Guys like Gm Finegold and chesscoach.net and most experts would agree. Again the book is not going to improve your play unless you are a brand new beginner or expert player. Anybody in between just needs to keep playing and practicing their tactics and strategies while analyzing their own games.
I think Silman is doing a good job selecting the material for the rating levels. And I am sure that a 1500 will benefit from the knowledge how to win with an outside passed pawn, or how to draw K vs. K+P. Actually the book might be too easy for experts...
He definitely has the right idea. It is the most recommended book for a reason. But for example for me as a below 1000 his book wasn't any more beneficial then what I already got on chess.com and lichess. I would say its iffy for a 1500. I still think its most beneficial for higher levels.
I'm only USCF A Class, have worked up to and through Silman's "expert" section, mostly more than ten years ago, and found very little that I did not already know quite well. In my opinion, his book is well-suited for those who want to get a little endgame knowledge--really the minimum that one ought to have at each level--and do not want to invest the time. I had been studying some portions of Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual for several years before Silman's book was published.
I think it is a good book, but am often surprised at the level of enthusiasm some people express for it. Like his The Complete Book of Chess Strategy it is poorly organized as a reference work. Every chess book eventually becomes a reference work. Silman's need better indices.
Silman’s book is fine as an introduction but it suffers from not having a lot of practical examples to work from.
Dec 13, 2021
0
#90
Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual is hard work and I've only scratched its surface in many hours of study. It is exceptionally well-organized, such that I can find things I remember in a few seconds. Dvoretsky offers blue diagrams for what he believes are the most important positions. I made 72 flash cards for 48 pawn and 24 rook endings that are in blue and review them from time to time. This work has strengthened my game, turning many losses into draws and draws into wins because I know the most critical positions well enough I could seek them when it works in my favor.