I became a member because I really like the tactics trainer and only three problems a day was just not enough. Not only is it a lot of fun, but I think my game has improved some as well since I began doing the training everyday.

What I wonder is how much it actually helps a persons game. I know that my rating has gone up some since I started doing the 25 problems a day, but the biggest gains I have noticed are not in the improvement of my game, but in the improvement of my tactics trainer rating.

I am positive that it helps me play better, but I am just wondering if anyone has some insight into how effective a learning tool it actually is or if there is a more effective way to spend the time I allocate to chess.

I use the tactics trainer every  day . But I hate the way you have to be so quick. I'd rather ponder the situation a little - then move. If you do that, your goose is cooked.

stwils

Alot of even higher rated players spend most of there time on tactics. So it must help. YOu read over and over agian, that if you are under 2000 then you need to spend like 90% of your time on tactics. Not only doing tactics trainer. But reading books on tactics, so you know why you are doing the moves.

  If you are anything under about 1800. you dont need much opening work, just some basics. Some understanding of normal endgames, and tons of tactics work. Lower level games are won on tactics.

well once you get to about 1600 learning openings more really helps. I think it's a good time to come up with an opening repertoire that suits your style (of course it's not permenant but maybe for a year to understand them and chess middlegames better) and then study the critical variations. The more the better, but you probably won't get as punished for knowing less.

It's much deeper than just chess principles, because the opening is so much more complex and basically you should be picking on a choice of plans while you play the opening, not just develop to squares that just look good because at that point you may not have a plan and can only rely on cheap tactics.

I just got over the 2000 mark on tactics trainer today , doing 3 problems a day. I still suck at proper chess though.