Learning by watching Hikaru streams - Does it work?

KacperV

When I was rated about 2300 lichess (GM Hikaru started streaming at that time)... I remember
that watching his streams seemed like a great idea to improve!

I thought to myself - Top GM will be explaining his thinking process and I'll just sink it like a sponge & implement to my games (while having fun watching stream + it's efortless).

When I asked my GM friend if it's a good idea to improve - He said it's not :P
However I tried anyways, but gave up after watching maybe 10-15 h of streams in total (didn't want to waste more time as I also started sensing it's not a good way to improve).

I think GM Hikaru himself once said that from watching his streams you are subconcusiouly learning... However I feel like it's much much less effective way compared to standard ways of learning (where you learn proactively, not passively).

I wanted to ask about your experience in that area. Have you watched someone streaming chess and how helpful was that for you?

When I was rated about 2300 lichess (GM Hikaru started streaming at that time)... I remember that watching his streams seemed like a great idea to improve! I thought to myself - Top GM will be explaining his thinking process and I'll just sink it like a sponge & implement to my games (while having fun watching stream + it's efortless). When I asked my GM friend if it's a good idea to improve - He said it's not :P However I tried anyways, but gave up after watching maybe 10-15 h of streams in total (didn't want to waste more time as I also started sensing it's not a good way to improve). I think GM Hikaru himself once said that from watching his streams you are subconcusiouly learning... However I feel like it's much much less effective way compared to standard ways of learning (where you learn proactively, not passively). I wanted to ask about your experience in that area. Have you watched someone streaming chess and how helpful was that for you?

EvilPyrokar

Sadly, life doesnt work like that...

PolerioExpert edited

"I used to watch Ben Finegold, Eric Rosen, Gothamchess, Thebiggreek and Adagmator, also Hikaru and Magnus Carlsen, but not one of those streamers taught me even half of one single Morphy game." - 2022, by me

Streamers are entertainers, not educators.

Hitsugaya

@PolerioExpert I still have learned a lot from ChessNetwork, Jerry made some great videos but it's really for beginners and focused on teaching concepts.

It's a very different format than that of Hikaru or the ones you cited, and I agree if the streamer is playing while trying to teach it's more entertainment than education.

@PolerioExpert I still have learned a lot from ChessNetwork, Jerry made some great videos but it's really for beginners and focused on teaching concepts. It's a very different format than that of Hikaru or the ones you cited, and I agree if the streamer is playing while trying to teach it's more entertainment than education.

SaltWaterRabbit edited

@KacperV said in #1:

Top GM will be explaining his thinking process
Video is a cold media and it is easy to watch without the active engagement needed for learning. It seems better to just watch the raw game boards without any stream or audio and then just play Find the Best Move (FBM) for one or several games.

I watched some of his early streams and his commentary on bullet to blitz / rapid games was very clear and relevant. However, after a little while, I could just not tolerate Hickey's precious ego and manboy behaviour. IMO The Hic is a great chess player especially at fast time controls but overall a major jerk and a waste of good skin.
PS: I try to play the KID and have lots of his games (+Kasparov) and about 10 of Hickey's games I rate as fabulous.

@KacperV said in #1: > Top GM will be explaining his thinking process Video is a cold media and it is easy to watch without the active engagement needed for learning. It seems better to just watch the raw game boards without any stream or audio and then just play Find the Best Move (FBM) for one or several games. I watched some of his early streams and his commentary on bullet to blitz / rapid games was very clear and relevant. However, after a little while, I could just not tolerate Hickey's precious ego and manboy behaviour. IMO The Hic is a great chess player especially at fast time controls but overall a major jerk and a waste of good skin. PS: I try to play the KID and have lots of his games (+Kasparov) and about 10 of Hickey's games I rate as fabulous.

NM MrPushwood

a waste of a good hickey!

cameodemon

no dude, i could 'watch' Stevie Ray Vaughn play guitar for 1000 hours and i wouldnt play like the guy.

chess is a brutal game that requires mental and physical conditioning as well as study to consistently find good moves and draw from your knowledge of openings, strategy, and endgame knowledge. that cannot be assimilated without repetition by experience.

you are better off getting a game collection by masters like Alexei Shirov - Fire on Board and playing 'guess the move' and trying to understand the point of every move than watching 100 hours of Magnus in banter blitz.

GMs can articulate their thought process on stream but you are only getting 1% of what is going on their head - not only do they probably see more moves, more variations more deeply, than almost all players, they also filter out garbage moves unconsciously. but even if they blunder or play dubious positions for adrenaline rushes (see: Magnus) their endgame technique is usually so flawless that they will grind you down.

no dude, i could 'watch' Stevie Ray Vaughn play guitar for 1000 hours and i wouldnt play like the guy. chess is a brutal game that requires mental and physical conditioning as well as study to consistently find good moves and draw from your knowledge of openings, strategy, and endgame knowledge. that cannot be assimilated without repetition by experience. you are better off getting a game collection by masters like Alexei Shirov - Fire on Board and playing 'guess the move' and trying to understand the point of every move than watching 100 hours of Magnus in banter blitz. GMs can articulate their thought process on stream but you are only getting 1% of what is going on their head - not only do they probably see more moves, more variations more deeply, than almost all players, they also filter out garbage moves unconsciously. but even if they blunder or play dubious positions for adrenaline rushes (see: Magnus) their endgame technique is usually so flawless that they will grind you down.

Alientcp

edited

When they solve puzzles, for instance, there were a couple of videos of gotham and hikaru solving the same hard puzzles and then sharing their though process. Thats what you are looking for.

However, by watching them play, they quickly can tell what they are gonna do next due their knowledge on the lines or when they do spot a tactic. Thats only the result of specific training they already have to spot them, you do have to do the grind yourself to spot the same tactics.

So, unless they actually share their thought process, you are not really going to learn much, specially with your rating, which is already high to the server standards (but low to titled standards). You need custom training to your specific needs and style to refine your strengths and cover your weaknesses and not general training (which you already have) that everyone lower 2k needs.

You do have a very good rating, but it sucks to be you i suppose (no offense), too high so almost nobody in the server can help, and so close to a titled level that you probably need to pay for that custom training. You are in a weird spot.

When they solve puzzles, for instance, there were a couple of videos of gotham and hikaru solving the same hard puzzles and then sharing their though process. Thats what you are looking for. However, by watching them play, they quickly can tell what they are gonna do next due their knowledge on the lines or when they do spot a tactic. Thats only the result of specific training they already have to spot them, you do have to do the grind yourself to spot the same tactics. So, unless they actually share their thought process, you are not really going to learn much, specially with your rating, which is already high to the server standards (but low to titled standards). You need custom training to your specific needs and style to refine your strengths and cover your weaknesses and not general training (which you already have) that everyone lower 2k needs. You do have a very good rating, but it sucks to be you i suppose (no offense), too high so almost nobody in the server can help, and so close to a titled level that you probably need to pay for that custom training. You are in a weird spot.

ibrahimmoiZOOS

Yess, chess videos like GMhakaru and Levy is very educational and very good for learning, better than anything you can learn in school.

It is definitely not the case as some disgusting people say that chess is a stupid ancient 2d 64 square board game that like a COVID virus hijacks the weak human mind, suppresses and bypasses the human immune systems to create addiction, and that every human would be better off if society moved on to more complex and interesting games with richer mechanics

We must fight such awful awful things that people are saying about the game and spreading the genius of hakaru videos and levy is a way to do that. also danya he is a very very smart man from stanford who knows many big words and always uses them very well not at all forced.

Yess, chess videos like GMhakaru and Levy is very educational and very good for learning, better than anything you can learn in school. It is definitely not the case as some disgusting people say that chess is a stupid ancient 2d 64 square board game that like a COVID virus hijacks the weak human mind, suppresses and bypasses the human immune systems to create addiction, and that every human would be better off if society moved on to more complex and interesting games with richer mechanics We must fight such awful awful things that people are saying about the game and spreading the genius of hakaru videos and levy is a way to do that. also danya he is a very very smart man from stanford who knows many big words and always uses them very well not at all forced.

PolerioExpert

#10

@Alientcp made a good point there and this reminded me of an actual good video from Anna Cramling, that analysed the same position out of the eyes of a 2000 player, a GM and a super GM. Usually she is an entertainer just like everyone else and you might fall into the youtube trap quickly again, but videos like these are actually really helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nMPNq6dhzY

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