Patzer to Grandmaster: Improvement is possible.

To those of you who are struggling at chess, a word of encouragement. To those of you who feel like you cannot improve, a word of advice. 

Back in the 2010's I started playing chess. Sure, I had played a little as a boy, but in 2010 I bought a chess program. I think it was called Chessmaster. At the time I soon came to realize that if I had any natural strength, it was strategic rather than tactical. I avoided lines that were highly tactical.  Pins, forks, x-ray, skewers, sacrifices were like magic.  And I had a difficult time breaking the 1000 mark.

Somewhere around 2013 I joined chess.com. My first pseudonym somehow got lost and I rejoined in 2015 as Excheqquer.  At the time I read that chess is 99% tactical, but I didn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to waste my time studying chess puzzles. I sucked at chess puzzles. I was going to develop my game without becoming a tactical whiz. 

Yeah right!

Eventually I realized I had would have to embark on learning tactical puzzles. At first anything above 1000 was very difficult.  I would look at the board and see nothing! I remember the joy I had when I broke 1300 for the first time.

But it was frustrating, how could I be engaged in a highly thinking career and be such a dumbass. It was hard to take. But I stuck to it.

Now, I am not going to tell you that I am the top puzzle solver on chess.com. Far from it, but...!

Today, as I was doing my daily puzzles, I noted that I had solved 17 puzzles in a row. And when I looked at the statistics on those puzzles all seventeen of them were above 1900 in difficulty. 

So, from an ignoramus to... a somewhat respectable puzzle solver is possible.

If you are one of those chess players who does have aspirations for improving, my recommendation is to do as many puzzles on chess.com as you are allowed, and if you have the money buy a subscription. And watch your game improve. 

By the way a little plug. Raven Croaks Publishing has contracted with me to publish my next book of poetry, Brauer's Book of Hours. Watch for it later this spring!