I recently went on chessgames.com and started reviewing all of Bobby Fischer's games. Next I will look at Tal's then maybe Kasparov, etc.
The goal is to assimilate as many patterns and ideas as possible without trudging through copious amounts of books and such.
Think this will work? will my skills increase or will I burn out or just not improve at all?
Doing it for "pattern recognition" or some such seems a bit specious. Doing it for its own sake however might well prove worthwhile.
I mean that's the way we all do. The source doesn't really matter. So what?
If you really want to improve pattern recognition I suggest Laszlo Polgar's "Chess." A fantastic book. And puzzles, do lots of puzzles.
But yes, by all means, study the great games of the great players as well!
I actually read that book last year. Mostly studies and esoteric endgames. I think books with lots of combinations and tactics would help more. Especially in speed games on the internet.
@KeithDenning All Polgar's books had "Chess" in the title. Which one are you talking about?
Oh look guys, another shortcut! I wonder where it will lead to this time?
Oh look guys, another MrCalderon post! I wonder where it will lead to this time?
@Grecchi80 Provided you are willing to spend up to an hour of quality time reviewing and analyzing each game, yes, it will improve you a great deal, when combined with tactics.
One could learn these patterns by playing thousands of games and taking them in like osmosis, or learn them from actual examples and use them in future games.
I improved rapidly when I read tactical puzzle books. When I tried to read positional themed books, I improved, albeit slowly.
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