How do you read chess books?

I think I know my answer, but maybe someone can change my mind. My answer is real simple -- give it up, guy, you just don't have what it takes!

My question, as per my title, specifically is how can one follow the typical string of moves that authors use to illustrate their points? Typically there will be a series of moves (frequently 10 to 15 pairs) culminating in an illustration of the result at that point.  That will be followed by some verbage and then a new string will appear, etc, etc.

When I try to follow those strings I almost never end up with the result matching the illustration. Sometimes I try to do it in my head; total disaster.  Sometimes I set up a board and move the pieces.  That ends up as a minor disaster because somewhere I have made the wrong move. Also, I get rather tired and bored as I try to move the pieces.

In either case I usually give up at that point and look for something else to do.

So, do you think I am hopeless or do you know of some way to make me do it correctly?

The book may be too advanced if it's giving long lines of boring analysis.

A few things I've done.

1) Ignore the variations.  Play over the main lines only and try to remember the author's main point.

2) I form my own evaluation and decide which moves are interesting, then I look at the first few moves of the variations.  If it was a line I thought was interesting (or if it's an interesting move I hadn't thought of) I'll play over it.  Otherwise I ignore it.

3) When lots of lines are given and I want to see them all, I'll use a UCI (chess program).  That way when I'm done entering variations I can jump back and forth and even review the material whenever I want.

As for getting moves wrong, it just takes practice.  You probably wont be a GM, but I'd bet you can be much better than everyone you've ever played by a long shot.

I agree with shell_knight.  If the book has lots of long lines it could be too advanced.  Awhile ago I bought Kotov's Think Like A Grandmaster, but found it too hard.  So I put it away and read an easier book for awhile.  After awhile I came back to Kotov's book and recently finished it. I probably benefited a lot more than if I'd kept reading it.

Also, you need to find things that are interesting.  Chess is a game; it should be fun.  In you find most chess study boring I suggest lightening up on the study for awhile or adding motivation.  Whenever I'm preparing for a tournament chess study becomes much more interesting.

BTW, in answer to the 'how do you read a chess book' question, I generally use the chess board for the main game/variation.  I try to visualize short variations.  If that's too hard, I'll move the pieces.  If you have trouble getting back to the main game, having a small magnetic set to keep the position on might be a good idea.

shell_knight covers it for me.

I'd add that some chess books, notably those from Everyman, are available as ebooks and you can plug them right into a chess program, step through the main line and the variations without error.

http://www.everymanchess.com/downloads.php

In the meantime, though, give yourself permission to just play over the main lines on the board. Your accuracy will improve over time -- guaranteed.

When I was a kid, I would try to play over games from the newspaper chess column and it was so frustrating. It gets better.