Nova's 2025 Kick-Off

Happy New Year!

Last year I decided to give this blogging a go. I tend to use it a bit like a journal, with the intention of providing my own game analysis daily. Not because I think that this would be interesting, but as a way to hold myself accountable for my own mistakes. I want to get better at this game, and I learned that in order to achieve this aim I have to put in the work. There are no substitutes for the work. There are no shortcuts to mastery. Elbow grease, the drudgery of the grind.

To summarise all of my 2024 blogs into one line: I'm okay at chess but my approach to it has been far too lazy. The results were usually favourable, but natural talent can only give me a head start. I cannot hope to be able to keep this winning streak going and break through to the higher ranks without putting in the work. I need to use my time and resources in a much more  effective and disciplined way if I want to achieve my goals.

New year's resolutions

I have never made New Year's resolutions ever in my life, but today that will change. The reason why I share them with you here is to make myself accountable and responsible for putting in the work that I hereby promise I'll do.

This year I will:
1. Play at least 300 rapid games online and annotate them for this blog. Monday to Saturday for games, Sunday for a weekly recap, end of the month for a quick progress tracker.
2. Read at least one chess book cover to cover every month.
3. Grind my openings, tactics, endgames and calculation exercises daily, and include this in my blog. Sunday Recap Day may be an exception.

Wherever you are on the globe: I appreciate it that you're reading my blogs. All the best for the new year!

Nova Stone