Hello everyone,
i heard that one of strongest top gm in the world,called Hikaru Nakamura,once told that he never studied chess books?If it is true,how can he be so strong?Is there a better way to get improve without read chess books?
Thanks in advance!
A better way ? Playing and studying GMs games.
I never read chess books.
1. A lot of analysis of games help.
2. Nakamura had a teacher all his childhood rated >2300. So, he could give him a training/materials based on books, but technically he could never read any book.
3. He could still read articles.
So, even if it's true that he didn't read books, it doesn't matter it will be good for anyone, if you don't have a personal chess teacher.
I humbly disagree on the point that reading books is of less or no importance. As Chesstroll_Berserk has already mentioned, he was coached by a FIDE Master in his childhood.
Many people aren't that privileged to have a coach or any other proper training for chess. (especially in countries like mine where chess isn't given much importance at all.) For them, any instructive material would be amazing.
So I would really urge all the beginners and intermediate players to STUDY chess. That can be achieved by books, articles, lectures, etc.
About Analyzing games, I believe if you analyze your own games rather than those of the Masters. As GM Igor Smirnov told, it is so because they are too strong players which we are not. Yes, we will be entertained, amazed and inspired, but that is not studying. We are not understanding exactly why a move is being played instead of another in our mind; or why did they do something that is against the things that are taught to us.
But if the Masters' games are analyzed in order to study a specific theme, then it would be a great tool. In fact thats how the ideas are explained, even in books and articles,
So its better if we analyze our own game with a critical point of view. Another friend of yours can help you in this. You can also use computer but its better if you do it once the manual analysis is complete. That will help you understand where do you need to improve and where are your strengths so that you can exploit them.
In the end, I would like to recommend to books which are really well written and cover many important details in an easy and effective method.
The first is "The Complete Idiot's guide to Chess" by Patrick Wolff. It has all the basic components of studying chess; from basic moves and rules to tactics and strategies. Intermediate players (below 1400) should read it, while others can read it to refresh the ideas and for solving its exercises.
The other is "My System" by none other than the positional genius itself ARON NIMZOWITSCH. Just when I thought I have studied all the strategic ideas and now I just need to improve my calculations and stuff, I was blown away by how much less I knew. And I am through the first chapter only!!
So all of you must study this book as GM Mikhail Tal (a tactical magician) has quoted, "is full of elixir of youth of chess." No further words are needed afterwards.
Whoa!! That was a huge post! Sorry for that... :p
Experience > Theory.
#6 "Experience > Theory" normally say people who didn't study any theory in their lifes, except maybe some opening move orders (not even opening theory really)
Yes, no study can ever compensate for experience, I totally agree on that... but the study is a tool for gaining better experience out of your games.
A person, playing without any study for a long time can be defeated by players with much lesser experience but better knowledge of the game. Of course he must also know how to apply that knowledge practically.
