Learning by watching
Sort:
Hi everyone. I'm fairly new to chess. I just play casually on my phome with some level of success against 1400 computer at the moment. I really enjoy and learn a lot from watching GMs like JL Hammer play live. I'm wondering if you guys have recommendations for other otheIMs, GMs, or streamers that play live games, but also take the time to educate the audience and explain their thought process in terms that a beginner could grasp. Much appreciated!
Nov 9, 2017
0
#2
Have a look on the videos by John Bartholomew, one of the best guys around to explain all aspects of the game. And try once to learn with a good book, for example How to Reassess Your Chess by Silman. Learn means to go through the book trying really to understand what the author mean. And if you finish the book, go through it again, and later again. It sounds stupid I know, but if you once understand that learning chess is part of the fun, then you will get strong in the game. Videos are funny, but you have to learn actively, otherwise your progress will be not that great.
I will have to check out John's videos. Silman; I have heard that name before. I think he is a favourite of the Backyard Professor (youtube channel). Maybe I need to pickup a book by him too. Thanks for the advice!
Nov 10, 2017
0
#4
mrizzo87 wrote:
I will have to check out John's videos. Silman; I have heard that name before. I think he is a favourite of the Backyard Professor (youtube channel). Maybe I need to pickup a book by him too. Thanks for the advice!
Your are wellcome! If you once feel the need to learn endgames (everybody should, but it is considered as boring), you should not buy a book, but go the the website Chessable. There you will find a book called "Basic Endgames". A guy did it for his students and released in Chessable...for free! You have to register, but this is also for free, so you should really have a look. If you are still fighting with opening, there you find also some great books for free. Check it out and let me know what do you think about it.
Cheers and good luck!
Nov 10, 2017
0
#6
I know that this Heisman doesn't like much HTRYC, but I think things are not black and white as he says. I don't think that anybody says that you should stop training tactics just to read Silman, at least I never heard something like this. Tactics is essential for beginners and to super GMs.
Once thing is that players can learn a lot while analysing their games; if they pay a little bit attention they will see that this or that move was not good at all, as he was just blundering a whole piece or pawn. But what about things like in which part of the board to play, or how to evaluate a position based on pawn structure, imbalances concerning minor pieces, or key files or squares? Computers will not tell you anything about this, and I think even a low rated player can get used to the idea to analyse their games according to a certain methodology.
NM Dan Heisman refers to HTRYC as an "excellent book", but he also expresses the "opinion" that it is "advanced for beginning adults".
"... Just because a book contains lots of information that you don’t know, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be extremely helpful in making you better at this point in your chess development. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2001)
Nov 10, 2017
0
#8
Absolute beginners will probably have to fight to go through the book, but they surely will begin to understand at least the general concepts. I think it is a book that we have to read from time to time. The better you get, the more you understand what is about.
Well, at any rate, I would not want one to feel that there is something seriously amiss if the book is not found to be immediately helpful.
I have heard that it's not good to study strategy before mastering tactics. I'm not sure what the reasoning behind this is or how one is to objectively identify whether they have "mastered" tactics. In any case, I am worried that if I start reading these books too early that I will be bogged down in strategy. Thoughts?
mrizzo87 wrote:
I have heard that it's not good to study strategy before mastering tactics. ...
That seems like the sort of advice that is too rigid to be sensible. I would expect the real truth to depend on the degree to which one has learned tactics, the specific strategy that one might try to learn, and the qualities and circumstances of the student.
Nov 11, 2017
0
#12
mrizzo87 wrote:
I have heard that it's not good to study strategy before mastering tactics. I'm not sure what the reasoning behind this is or how one is to objectively identify whether they have "mastered" tactics. In any case, I am worried that if I start reading these books too early that I will be bogged down in strategy. Thoughts?
I think the important thing is to study a little bit of everything. Whether you do tactics or strategy first I don't think it matters. Do whatever's interesting or motivating.
So if you're motivated to "master tactics" first, then go for it. Just be sure after a few months you round out your education with some strategy, openings, endgames, etc. After that you could go back to tactics again.
"... This book is the first volume in a series of manuals designed for players who are building the foundations of their chess knowledge. The reader will receive the necessary basic knowledge in six areas of the game - tactcs, positional play, strategy, the calculation of variations, the opening and the endgame. ... To make the book entertaining and varied, I have mixed up these different areas, ..." - GM Artur Yusupov
Silman's strategy book is excellent. But i think Winning Chess Strategy by Seirawan or Winning Chess Strategy for Kids by Coackley is an ideal beginner's first chess strategy book.