At what Elo level does one benefit from studying master games? I commented to another player that I got nothing from studying master games. He replied: :Neither do I.&quot;
One gains a little if the annotation includes mini-lessons. But terse comments are akin to a mathematician's &quot;its obvious that ...&quot;. There are many celebrated moves I could never have found in a local game.
My Elo recently peaked at 1300. What level does one need before studying master games and having it be worth the time? That other player &amp; I are both retired. Perhaps our ages are a factor.
What level does one need before studying master games is worth the
time ?

You need to have got to the stage where you stop playing &quot;hope chess&quot;. If you are not currently capable of working out the purpose of your opponent's moves as well as your own then you are not going to get much from trying to work out the purpose of the moves in a master game. Once you do reach that stage then studying master games is a good way of making further progress.