Fine tune your study methods
As I Understand the position
GrizwoldZed’s report on chess activities
Issue No 10
1/18/2025
Fine tune your study methods
The Chess.com Daily Game chess tournament Report
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# My personal status: I finished all my games!
>>> I ended up in 5th place with a score of 15½-6½.
Three other players in my group are still playing.
Commentary: I’m busy analyzing my games in this tournament. I agreed to a draw with the current leader, who will likely move on to the second round, since he has two games left and is the only undefeated player in the group. I hope to do better next year.
>> In all my losses I resigned and congratulated my opponents. All but one of my wins were by timeout. Why? I don’t get it.
=!!!= IDEA: Join a chess club. I’m playing a match (at 3rd board) in the Knights Chess club -vs- King’s Fury, which has already started. Join up if you want to play. There are lots of clubs to check out, and friends to be made from all over the world. Don’t miss out. I just joined another club.
>> I also joined in another tournament. I couldn’t find out when it starts, but oh well. The time limit is listed as 14 days, but I’m not sure what that means. At least I get another 11 more games to play.
=+= Online playing tips: Consider the time… on daily games, please don’t time out! Most OTB tournaments consider leaving without resigning in poor taste. It’s bad chess etiquette. I will understand if you have online connection problems, though. It has happened to me as well… I won’t judge, but I’m “old school” about respecting the game and your opponent.
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My personal Training Logbook
Theory is what I study, practice is when I put it all to the test in an actual game. Today I spent more than five hours studying (aside from making moves in my ongoing daily games), but now I’m hoping to be regularly studying about two or three hours a day. Thanks to Chess.com, I will always have at least a half-dozen games going on.
~ You might notice in the future that I will be playing more training games. It’s all according to the plan I am currently developing. This is what my blog is all about… following a plan to get better at playing the greatest game ever! If it works for me, it might just work for you too. ;o)
>> Of course, I play practice games with the Bots and Fritz. I also play practice matches with my online friends, say in a 20/20 format, or a Blitz frenzy. Ideally, we play a specific opening for practical experience. There is nothing like playing against a real human being!
>> BTW: I have a lot of chess books in my personal library.
I plan on selling most of them before I pass on.
… Contact me if you’re interested. 😉
>> to all my new-found online chess friends: challenge me anytime.
I won’t refuse, unless it’s Blitz and I’m not sitting at my computer. Perhaps I should load the Chess.com app on my iPhone?!
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Training Log:
1/17/25 30min Puzzles
1/17/25 30min study Master endgame, K+Q vs K+R+P
1/17/25 30min Endgame lesson, King activity (Romain Edouard)
1/17/25 30min study endgames, R+P vs R
1/17/25 60min study Master game Alekhine-Yates, Budapest, 1922
1/17/25 90min study Master game Alekhine-Rubinstein, Hague, 1921
1/17/25 30min Analyze games from Daily Championship
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Endgame study
Bear with me, I’m still learning how to paste games in this blog the way they are posted in Chess.com. I’m on a learning curve here folks.
Position from a game: Alekhine-Steiner, Budapest, 1922
”The ensuing endgame, although won for Black, nevertheless offers several technical difficulties, and is not devoid of interest.” ~Alekhine
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Resources
(1) https://www.chess.com/home (number one best so far)
(2) https://www.zedwaldo.com/take-action/chess
(my other chess blog)
(3) https://theweekinchess.com/
(weekly update with thousands of free game downloads available)
CyaL8r
