On Oct 4, 6:10 am, David Richerby
wrote:
Terry Terry wrote:

For me to study a opening line, I have to first set up the board. I
then have to make a move, look at the book, make a move, look at the
book.

Sure. I've not seen anyone have a problem with that. (I'm not trying
to criticize you; just to point out why I'm finding it a bit tricky to
figure out your needs.)

Computers should show each move instead of the notation. Am I
missing something or does one not need to actually need to make the
moves on the chessboard to understand the notation? I sure do.

With practice, it becomes more natural. I would find it very hard to
follow a whole game just from the notation but I can follow five or
six moves without too much difficulty. I still prefer to make the
moves on the board but I don't have to think about it: if I see
something like `Nd5', I immediately know which move to make; I don't
need to work out which square is d5 and which knight is supposed to be
moving there.

BTW I never said I was a beginner.

I know. I was just saying that you already understand a reasonable
amount about what is a pretty complex game. I find it a bit
surprising that you have such a problem with the notation, given the
difficulty of what you've already grasped.

Having a game explained move by move would seem to be more
information and less work.

I am sure there are sites out there. I was asking where they are.

I don't know of any tutorial sites. If you want to look through some
master games, which is an excellent way to learn, go to

http://www.chessgames.com/

You can choose a game from a database of thousands (millions?) and use
a java applet to go through the moves without needing to read any
notation. I'd recommend starting with Morphy's games and then
whichever of Capablanca and Alekhine is more to your taste. However,
without annotations, you're not really getting the full picture.
Maybe the best thing to do would be to get a book of games (say,
Chernev's _The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played_ or a
collection of Capablanca's or Alekhine's games) and use chessgames.com
to go through the moves, rather than a board?

I am not really interested in learning more about notation.

OK. I think that'll hold you back a bit but the important thing is
that you enjoy the game.


Thanks for your suggestions, but I really don't learn much from
studying the masters either.

I might give it a try again, but I don't use Java as I have confirmed
that is has caused me to be infected. I use F Secure and still get
infected with a nasty pop up virus.

I am at a point where the basics are not enough, but the masters are
too much.

The analysis of master games is just too deep for me.

Trying to work out openings is hard for me too. My memory is just not
very good.

I guess I will just have to live with getting my ass owned at
Yahoo.

I would like to buy a book that furnished a disk with a stored book of
moves and throw the notation out the window, but I guess there is just
not a market for it.

I would think chess players would be hungry for such a feature.

Thanks for your time

BTW the opening I always play is Queen's Gambit with white, and I try
the Sicilian with black, but I usually don't have much luck with
black.

I do know I am stronger in open games than closed ones.