Online chess community where you can play chess, learn strategies and tactics, read chess news, see book reviews, find rules & tips, get free downloads, and more! http://www.chess.com/ 2007 Chess.com               IM Silman has written an excellent article on "Picking an Opening Style". Here is a quote from the article: "Openings like 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 and 1.e4 c5 2.d4 (2.b4!?) 2...cxd4 3.c3 might prove appeali...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/im-silman-and-the-latvian-gambitMon, 05 Oct 2009 06:04:30 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/im-silman-and-the-latvian-gambitHave any of you tried this stuff:   Jeremy Silman describes the gambit in an almost approving tone: "THE BLUMENFELD GAMBIT: This old line (popularized by Alekhine's brilliant win with it over Tarrasch in 1922) still has supporters to this day...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/blumenfeld-countergambit-accepted-e10Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:38:05 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/blumenfeld-countergambit-accepted-e10I use three different sites for tactics training and those sites give me quite different estimates of my tactics skills (approximately 1300, 1500 and 1700 at the moment). Ratings are just ratings but as a professional statistician almost any numbe...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/how-good-is-goodMon, 08 Jun 2009 21:45:11 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/how-good-is-good"Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in: but as a rule the purchase of books is mistaken for the appropriation of their contents." Arthur Schopenhauer I am (sort of) guilty of that mistake and I plan to ...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/paddy-patzerrsquos-pile-of-booksWed, 07 Jan 2009 03:39:03 -0800http://blog.chess.com/farbror/paddy-patzerrsquos-pile-of-booksHow on earth did (s)he find that move? I will never be able to play like that! My grandmother used to say: "What wrong with talking to yourself? You get wise answers all the time". Talking to yourself, an inner dialogue is very important during ...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/a-few-simple-questionsSun, 09 Nov 2008 06:50:09 -0800http://blog.chess.com/farbror/a-few-simple-questions   I am so far pretty pleased with my silicon based Study Buddies (CD-discs from Convekta) but I am not at all pleased with my sparring partner (Chessmaster). It appears to be very difficult for software to play bad and humanlike ch...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/the-study-buddy-groupWed, 19 Mar 2008 07:39:28 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/the-study-buddy-groupIt is that time of the year when you have to make plans and promises for the future. Well, "chesswise" I will go with:  100 minutes of chess studies per weekAt least one slow game (G/30+) per weekAnnotate most of my slow games (espe...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/new-years-chess-resolutionThu, 20 Dec 2007 04:13:42 -0800http://blog.chess.com/farbror/new-years-chess-resolutionDoes this sound familiar: "I really would like to read a few chess books but...." May I suggest a gentle kick in the butt? Here is my humble suggestion:   Let's create a slow shcedule for reading a book (I mean really slow!) and...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/slow-paced-online-reading-group-for-wood-pushersTue, 27 Nov 2007 06:46:04 -0800http://blog.chess.com/farbror/slow-paced-online-reading-group-for-wood-pushersWell, My Previous Training Schedule (see blog entry) failed. I have decided to try an even slower regime: 15+ minutes of Tactics every dayAt least two G/30 every weekWorking thru at least one of the semi slow games every weekMeasure "pro...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/wood-pusher-trainingSat, 24 Nov 2007 05:20:23 -0800http://blog.chess.com/farbror/wood-pusher-training  It makes a lot of sense to study Master Games but what about studying your own games? I do think self-annotated games can be a great way for the ambitious player to improve. The fact that I am a rather crappy player is not an obstacle....http://blog.chess.com/farbror/to-annotate-or-not-to-annotateTue, 19 Jun 2007 02:17:45 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/to-annotate-or-not-to-annotateChess Player? Well, please allow me to define a ”Chess Player” as someone who plays chess. It would be nice to add some quality aspects to the suggested definition or perhaps to do something to improve my Chess Skills.  Anyhow, at...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/my-diary-as-a-chess-playerMon, 11 Jun 2007 01:47:06 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/my-diary-as-a-chess-playerAn Opening Repertoire for the Beginning Player First of all: The Beginning players should not memorize openings I think that is an obvious way to get bored with chess. I tried to learn some chess as a kid but I soon got discouraged from ...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/openings-for-the-beginnerMon, 04 Jun 2007 01:08:52 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/openings-for-the-beginner  FM Steve Stoyko has suggested the following exercise: Pick a non-static Middlegame positionTry to evaluate the main variation of each possible moveWrite down the evaluation and try to estimate the "value" of each variation. You ca...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/self-studies-stoyko-exerciseSun, 03 Jun 2007 01:48:25 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/self-studies-stoyko-exerciseThis might be my only claim to chess fame. I never thought I would experience this Miniature.http://blog.chess.com/farbror/claim-to-fameFri, 01 Jun 2007 13:28:15 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/claim-to-fame  My Home Made Self Study Course (T) Littlewood: "Chess Tactics", Batsford (March 28, 2005) (S) Capablanca: "Chess Fundamentals", Everyman Chess; Algebraic edition (December 1994)  (M) McDonald: "Modern Chess M...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/my-home-made-self-study-courseTue, 29 May 2007 01:09:36 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/my-home-made-self-study-courseWell, I decided quite recently to give the Old Brain some work-out. Chess seemed like an excellent idea. I have played Backgammon and Bridge at a fairly high level. However, when I tried chess years ago I soon got discouraged from choosing a bad a...http://blog.chess.com/farbror/self-studiesTue, 29 May 2007 00:25:52 -0700http://blog.chess.com/farbror/self-studies