Watching Chess Videos = Reading Chess Books?

@kindaspongey said in #40:

The question for me is whether or not Smerdon took in all of the book's detail at the rate of ~1.1 pages per minute for 4 hours. Here is a fraction of page 132, commenting on 11...exd5, in the position after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6 6 d5 Qb6 7 e4 Qxb2 8 Nd2 Qxc3 9 Bc7 e6 10 Ne2 Qa3 11 Rb1:
"[a dubious move]
Black should probably prefer 11...c4 12.dxe6 and:
a) 12...fxe6 13.Nxc4 Qc5 14.Nd6+ [White stands slightly better]
b) 12...Qc5 13.exf7+ Kxf7 14.Bf4 c3 [(a mistake)] 15.Nxc3 Qxc3 16.Rc1 Qd4 17.Rxc8 [White has a decisive advantage]
c) 12...dxe6 13.Nxc4 Bb4+ 14.Kf2 Bc5+ 15.Nd4 Qc3 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.N6b5 Bxd4 [(a very good move)] 18.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 19.Nxd4 Nbd7 20.Be2 [White stands slightly better]"
Hope he didn't miss the stop in Bruges.
I don't think you can calculate all that in your mind.

@a_Tauri said in #23:

... a video chess lesson ... the comments are more detailed than those that can be written, there is more information); ...
@kindaspongey said in #27:
... Really? My guess is that a typical Evans Gambit video is not going to have as much detail as the 28 pages on the subject in First Steps: 1 e4 e5.
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7790.pdf
@a_Tauri said in #35:
... I'm not sure, in fact, and I certainly could be wrong. My impression was formed based on the books and videos I had in my hands, let's say at the level of the classic beginner's manual or a little higher.
Leaving aside the many rubbish videos of the “How to destroy the XY Opening” type, I have seen well-made videos presenting more detailed explanations, more illustrated examples, than what is found in manuals aimed at players of the same level;
It is hard to say more without specific examples. Suffice to say that a safe assumption cannot be made without identifying a specific book and a specific video.
@a_Tauri said in #35:
a content that can also remain more easily imprinted in the memory, in this case purely visual-auditory. I think this applies to learning essential concepts ( I underline: "essential")
Obviously I agree with you on the fact that understanding is much more important than memorizing, but as I was saying I found very well made videos also in terms of promoting understanding.
I myself think that I would have a better chance of understanding and remembering an essential concept after examining it on a board during a pause in reading.
@a_Tauri said in #35:
... To learn from books one must also be used to reading, and studying on books. Those who read little will generally learn little from books. ...
One can continue to read little, presuming that the video experience is more effective for understanding and memory, but another option is to work on acquiring the reading habit.
@a_Tauri said in #35:
... the fact always remain that a book enriches you more than anything else, in any case.

Obviously a Good Chess Book is better than a Bad Chess Video & A Good Chess Video is better than a Bad Chess Book . Sometimes both can be Good as well . Obviously these days there are more training methods than in the past including websites with practice features with computer engine interaction as well when Studying Chess

@kindaspongey said in #27:

... "... The way I suggest you study this book is to play through the main games once, relatively quickly, and then start playing the variation in actual games. Playing an opening in real games is of vital importance - without this kind of live practice it is impossible to get a 'feel' for the kind of game it leads to. There is time enough later for involvement with the details, after playing your games it is good to look up the line. ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2005)
In 2014, GM David Smerdon wrote, "... Looking for a book to keep me occupied for the four hour ride, I remembered ... Richard Pert’s Playing the Trompowsky ... And indeed, I was able to read the whole book, cover to cover, during the ride; ... It’s only 260 pages ... I decided to reread the book on the four hour return journey ..."
One can look at some typical pages at:
https://qualitychess.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/PlayingtheTrompowsky-excerpt.pdf
Does it seem at all likely that Smerdon was really taking in all that material at the rate of ~1.1 pages per minute for 4 hours? My guess is that he was using the Davies suggested reading method. ...
@kindaspongey said in #40:
... Here is a fraction of page 132, commenting on 11...exd5, in the position after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6 6 d5 Qb6 7 e4 Qxb2 8 Nd2 Qxc3 9 Bc7 e6 10 Ne2 Qa3 11 Rb1:
"[a dubious move]
Black should probably prefer 11...c4 12.dxe6 and:
a) 12...fxe6 13.Nxc4 Qc5 14.Nd6+ [White stands slightly better]
b) 12...Qc5 13.exf7+ Kxf7 14.Bf4 c3 [(a mistake)] 15.Nxc3 Qxc3 16.Rc1 Qd4 17.Rxc8 [White has a decisive advantage]
c) 12...dxe6 13.Nxc4 Bb4+ 14.Kf2 Bc5+ 15.Nd4 Qc3 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.N6b5 Bxd4 [(a very good move)] 18.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 19.Nxd4 Nbd7 20.Be2 [White stands slightly better]" ...
@MatthewLikesChess said in #41:
... I don't think you can calculate all that in your mind.
Certainly, not my mind.

@kindaspongey said in #44:

Certainly, not my mind.
Oh alright, btw there are some annotation inaccuricies in your sequences.

@MatthewLikesChess said in #45:

... there are some annotation inaccuricies in your sequences.
I can't comment without specifics.

@kindaspongey said in #40:

... Bxd4 [(a very good move)] ...
That should have been Bxd4+. Pert made no comment about it being a very good move.

@kindaspongey said in #47:

That should have been Bxd4+. Pert made no comment about it being a very good move.
And also there's no n6b5 since the knight on d4 is pinned, the algebric notation is simply Nb5.

@ThunderClap said in #43:

Obviously a Good Chess Book is better than a Bad Chess Video & A Good Chess Video is better than a Bad Chess Book . Sometimes both can be Good as well . Obviously these days there are more training methods than in the past including websites with practice features with computer engine interaction as well when Studying Chess
@ThunderClap In your opinion, what's better between a good chess book or a good chess video (not both)? There gotta be an answer.

Just watched GM Igor Smirnov free video on u tube called learn the English opening in 15 minutes then his grand prix attack video . I would suggest watching the video after ordering a chess book as well on positional complete games like Capablanca's Best Chess Endings in 60 complete games . If you want a nore comprehensive English opening book you can go over complete games in The English Opening by A Karpov where he covers many games against players like Jan Tinman & G Kasparov . with both colors & sometimes even losses he examines . Then you might consider two middlegame chess books as well like Modern Chess Strategy by L Pachman & or another Chess Book by Boris Zlotnik called Zlotnik's Middlegame Manual or Plan Like a GM by A Suetin which didn't get great reviews many years ago but I found helpful for ME or Three Steps to Chess Mastery by Suetin as well I liked . Of course I woud say watch the video then go over the Capablanca book by Irving Chernev first . There are so many ways to go' for example u could choose some GM like Illescases Miguel Cordoba (Spain0 or Ulf Andersen (Sweden) & go through many COMPLETE Games of theirs or even look at & experiment with trying new ideas against stockfish & see why they are ok or not' @MatthewLikesChess Since you like Chess u should Study Play Play Play Study Chess & Enjoy the ride Good Luck If I may' "Ideas & Playing over Complete Games " Is a good way to go