SteelyD, I like that advice too (though it definitely predates Bronstein's quote). With databases, this is my preferred method of studying openings and thematic ideas. Today's technology makes this extremely easy to do! 

I would add to avoid the temptation of turning on an engine until after you've written down some concrete analysis. The fourth pass should be with the engine, correcting your mistakes and working out whether you or the engine made a mistake and why.

one of them, the F10 feature in chessbase.

Thanks alot for a really good comment especially the part on ruy lopez, I friend of mine own Marin's book and I'm getting it tomorrow, I'm curious though if you use any method when you are reading chess books or do you just go over it cover to cover.

m1lk wrote on 03/26/11 at 19:10:51:


keep your cool. The moderator will step in soon to deal with the real troll (uhohspaghettio) a second time.

I wish I had something real to contribute to your quest but since i'm at the same rating level you are... its hard. However, I made it to your rating level in a completely different way. With no coach, I used almost entirely books and strong otb games. I played 150+ otb games for three years straight always seeking out players stronger than myself and playing a section up. I then brutally analyzed every game (especially losses). However, my supplemented study time was pure books. I read in order: How to Force checkmate by Reinfeld (when I was rated 1000), The Amateur's Mind (when I was rated 1000), Capablanca's Best games (1300), Zurich 1953 (when I was 1500), Practical Rookendgames (1600), Essential Chess Endings (1700), Art of Attack (1800), Seven Deadly Chess Sins (1800), , Psychology in Chess (Krogius) (1800), Chess for Zebras (1900),  100 endgames you must know (1900), Analyzing the endgame (1900), How to Think in Chess (2000), Road to Chess Improvement (2000), Perfect your chess (2000). And i've perused numerous other books for particular chapters as needed (mostly opening books) as I went along. I mostly used correspondence chess as a way to learn and bulk up my openings for practice at OTB chess.

I think there are many paths to improvement but they are all hard and all require ENJOYING spending the time and the ability to be honest with one's self about what you think your weaknesses are. 

But the long winded answer to your question, are books helpful? I found them so yes given that I read 15 books on my way to gain 1000 rating pts over 3 years (however this only brings me up to the level you are at now). I would say it largely depends on if reading is enjoyable to you and you can learn material from this method. Then it is just a matter of finding the right books to address the right issues.

I do want to make the opening suggestion though of switching to the Ruy Lopez as black (maybe Closed or Breyer) since you said A) you like things where you can just quietly develop first and B) you have a great intuition for just 'knowing' where the pieces should go. These two things to me scream RUY LOPEZ. I strongly suggest getting Marin's book on the Lopez playing through some of the mainlines til you find a system you like.

The hedgehog isn't a serious opening? This is just plain stupid to say. And I know the hedgehog is a set up, I mentioned that in my threat and also that doesn't change the fact it is also an opening.

Hi I'm rated 2050 elo and haven't been playing at all for 4 years, maybe around 10 games max each year (tournament games) and therefore my rating have not changed during this time. Before that I was one of the best at my age level in my country and my rating was skyrocketing. I recently played for my team in the national league (only 3 games though) and surprisingly didn't lose a game and scored 2/3 against higher rated players. This motivated my extremly to take up chess again and I set myself a goal to get a fide master title in 2-3 years.

Here's how the sketch of my repertoire looks like:

White: I used to play 1.Nf3 almost exclusively (inspired by Kramnik) but now I play 1.d4 just as often after reading Avrukh's grandmaster repertoire 1 and 2.

Black: 1.e4 = (sicilian ...e6 variations) and philidor (pirc move order) as back up. I've played every single opening against 1.e4 as I was having a really hard time choosing which one suits me the best. Finally I choose sicilian over ...e5 and I really like the philidor also now and then.
1.d4/c4/Nf3 = Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian and Hedgehog setups.

The openings I love the most are those who are kind of quiet and I can develop all my pieces before I start doing anything, for example the hedgehog. If you have other openings like that in mind I would really appreciate some idea's. I should also add though It's generally said it's not such a good idea to play openings the super grandmasters are playing at my level I tend to score better with them, I for example hate playing openings like the stonewall which gives me weaknesses.

My strongest side of the game is undoubtly that I know on which squares the pieces belong to and also I'm good at making them work together and I also have a good patience. I really like to play like the old players and this kind of style have earned me a victory and a draw against two grandmaster and few draws against IM's.

I'm trying to find out which part of my game I need to work on and it would be really helpful if you tell me about a program, book or something like that which highlights the weakest part of my game.

Before the break (4 years ago) I used to study with a coach and therefore I have never read a chess book in my life, apart from looking at some lines in opening books. I own alot of good chess books though and I would like to ask if you think you really gain much from reading books?

At last I would like to ask, which training method improved your chess the most?