Don’t Just Master Openings and Endgames—Master Your Mind

Dear Improvers,

We have an interesting and useful blog post for you! It was written by IM Alan-Safar Ramoutar:
A Self-Taught IM's 5-Step Guide To A Growth Mindset

Alan's main idea:

The best chess players don’t just master openings and endgames, they master their minds. A growth mindset—the belief that ability can improve through effort and learning—is essential for success in competitive chess.

There are five key principles of a growth mindset for chess players:

1. Effort

• • Mindset: Success comes from consistent, deliberate effort, not just talent.
  • Practice Tip: Keep a chess journal using a 3-point format: the key takeaway, a sticking point, and a small win
  • Shift Focus: Control the process (study, effort), not just results (wins/losses).

2. Embracing Mistakes

• • Mindset: Mistakes are learning opportunities, not failures.
  • Practice Tip: Create a Blunder Database: Save positions with mistakes and notes about what went wrong.
  • Use analysis tools to find patterns in your errors and tailor your training to them.

3. Resilience and Perseverance

• • Mindset: Setbacks (rating drops, burnout) are normal. The key is to bounce back.
  • Practice Tip: Rebuild with small, manageable goals (e.g., 10 tactics/day), and reconnect with what makes chess fun.
  • Track Progress: Use habits and tracking to see momentum build over time.

4. Curiosity and Love of Learning

• • Mindset: Stay curious and passionate. Always ask questions, even about basic things.
  • Practice Tip: After each game, jot down questions; explore fun topics weekly; talk chess with friends.
  • Learning can be social and enjoyable, not just practical.

5. Patience with the Learning Process

• • Mindset: Improvement is non-linear. Trust the process, even through plateaus.
  • Practice Tip: Keep a collection of your best games for motivation. Re-analyze older games to see growth.
  • Focus on Skill-Based Goals: Instead of rating goals, aim for mastery in areas (e.g., "confident in rook endgames").

The blog gives you great insight to the fact that to truly grow in chess, you need to shift your focus from short-term results to long-term skill development. Use daily habits, reflective study, and mindset training to fuel your climb—even through setbacks and plateaus.

Visit the blog to read the full article!

Comment below with your thoughts and experiences!