Chess is a game of patterns. Over time, players learn patterns for every aspect of chess: opening traps, checkmates, tactics, endgames, and strategies. It is very pleasing and satisfying as a player when we recognize one of these patterns in our g...
I started playing correspondence chess years ago through the now defunct Internet Email Chess Group (IECG). I admittedly wasn't diligent about finishing my games and thus didn't do so well. I picked it up again a few years ago as I wanted a way to...
Today, I'm going to be taking a break from analyzing one of my games and discuss something I've been studying for the last few years - how to practice and get better at chess. I think we all have a few opinions on what the best way to go about it ...
I have to admit, most of my exchange sacrifices are unintentional. I'm going to guess a bunch of yours are too - unless you are one of my Titled readers, in which case perhaps not. Sometimes they can lead to interesting games. Today I'll discuss s...
Years ago, I was part of a "teaching ladder" where players of different ratings classes would analyze games of players who were lower rated than them. I think I was rated around 1600 USCF when I was a member of this and so I would get games to ana...
Early in 2020, I changed from my trusty 1.d4 to start playing 1.e4. In my youth, I used to play 1.e4 but mainly played gambits and off-beat openings. This year, I wanted to play 1.e4 "properly" and learn the Ruy Lopez as White and play the Open Si...
Positional and strategic play is often not a strong suit for amateur chess players. I know it is not for me - at least comparing myself to the masters whose games I study. Often amateur games are decided by a big blunder that could have been avoid...
One of my first chess books was Irving Chernev's Logical Chess: Move by Move. Some of the games in this book were less then 25 moves long. Sometimes, I wondered why one would include these short games in an instructive book. However, now...
There are many elements or imbalances in chess. Although many different masters over the years have used different terms to identify these such as pawn structure, king safety, development, material, and several others I like Garry Kasparov's syste...
This weekend, I had the opportunity to play in the Progress with Chess Mustard Seed Cloud tournament after my friend and fellow chess improver Stacia Pugh invited me. I am a little curious as to why the tournament was named "Mustard Seed Clou...
