This is a good article, and it does set things out in a fine way. I read it and it gave some ideas for an actually organized chess training program. However, it is a good thing to remember that even though you are online, you should proofread or edit your materials before you post them. That is the joy of the "Save & Preview" button. When you forget to, even though your article ay be useful and interesting, you look a little bit silly. I do not mean to be offensive, but it is something I thought I should point out. This way, your next article will be even better than this one :)

 

"When I started to learn how to play chess, I can remember the one question I would ask my coaches often," How can I get stronger at playing chess?". They would always tell me,"by playing stronger opponents, and by reading the assigned chess books we prescribed to you." Well, this question became a burning issue in me so I really sank my teeth into the books to see if I could find the real answer. What I have found out is they were only telling me a half truth. The fact is that getting stronger in chess is more than just playing stronger opponents and reading the mere prescribed books. It entails having to analyze both master games and your games, to pick the flaws out so you know how to recognize when not to make those mistakes again, and study various chess situations in the middle and endgame to pick out the golden jewels that will empower you to play better and stronger the next session around. Some of the things I do in my training schedule is to pick a few days a week and set time aside, about 4 hours a day, and really dig into the "meat and potatoes", so to speak, of the game. I will show you how to set up a nice, basic training schedule to help you to improve your game.

1. Endgame study = 1 Hour
2. middlegame study = 1.5 hours
3. opening preparation = .5 hour
4. Game analyzation = 1 to 3 hours (This aspect will take the longest as it does deal with finding the best possible move, and does include your own games.)
5. Play regularly at a chess club or with a stronger chess sparring partner. (A chess coach is the ideal person for this part).

 This should help the novice to club players develop their games in a nice and orderly fashion. But if you would like to become stronger it will take more time and more lessons from a trainer that knows how to help you in the various areas you need the prescribed help for your game skills to grow. "

The middle game section and endgame sections would include tactics also Yoshtodd.

 

i recently lost a long term chess opponent,a man whom i played against forty odd years. we played whenever our schedules allowed.He studied books and belonged to various clubs over the years.as his game improved so did mine .When he died i thought of giving up the game.chess.com has replaced him as my primary foe,and my game is once more improving as i get more confidence.im going to always miss my dad but you guys have made it a lot easier.thanks and i hope to play you all eventually                                                                     ilearnedat7 (dave)

Should tactics training go in there somewhere, or does that fall under middlegame?

Well on chess.com you should use chess mentor and try too improve!

Hay what do u do if you are the strongest chess player in your area? Thats what happen to me i out grew them and the only challange i got was from chessmaster 7000 and extreme chess. So i got bored and stopped playing serious chess for yrs. Thank God for sites like this and the net thats all i can say. But studying your own games is probebly the first big important step to improvment because it helps u to find not only the mistakes in your games but also the area's u seem the be lacking in. Good training module mate in any case....

Great advice thanks!!!