Three levels of chess improvement

One hundred days of Adult Chess Improvement #37

If we are going to improve then we need to learn something. However, I think we need to take a broader view of what that something is.

Our chess performance is based on three nested levels. 

Level 1 The position itself

• Our knowledge of chess
• Our skill, the ability to execute that knowledge

Level 2 How we think about the position

• Calculation and visualisation
• Evaluation of positions

Level 3 How we manage our thoughts

• Our mental state: psychology and calmness
• Our energy levels

I suspect that most amateurs focus their energies on the first level, dabble with the second and ignore the third. However, there are gains to be made from all three. If you have played (and loosely speaking, studied) chess for a long time, there is a law of diminishing returns that kicks in. Keep on doing what you have always done and the benefits dwindle to nothing! 

It might be time to devote your energies to the second and third levels. 

I am STILL not doing a good job of sticking to the plan. I was distracted by a new online rapid tournament with top player commentary. These are enjoyable and give you the illusion of "learning". Yes, you are learning something, but bang for your buck it is a poor use of your time.

Session 1: Solving puzzles + Chessable study (Hellsten's Mastering Chess Endgames)

Session 2: Analysing one of my games + Playing through a game 

Session 3: Chessable study (Hellsten's Mastering Chess Endgames) + Studying from a book 

Yesterday I tempted fate. A mistake of course. Today fate bit back. Two disastrous puzzles before I steadied the ship. You can never let down your guard; chess problems are tricky beasts!

A Chess Mistakes

A1 Knowledge 

I missed a clever quiet move at the end of a forcing line*

I missed the point of the puzzle*

A2 Skill  

Miscalculated a pawn ending *****

B Mental Errors

B1 Thinking 

I treated a capture as if it were a forced move *

I didn't calculate through to the end ****

Difficulty in visualising a position during analysis**

I didn't consider all the attacking options - fixated on one tactical idea*****

I didn't determine all the candidate moves *

I didn't look for my opponent's threat

I didn't consider all the defensive responses - I missed interposing a piece***

I didn't consider all the defensive responses - I didn't analyse all escape squares*

B2 Psychology 

I played a move too quickly without checking all available replies ******

I got carried away with my "solution" *