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Hello Chess improvement center! I’m rated 481 in rapid and have a goal of 800 elo. I’ve been looking for the best study plans, tips, and advice. Anyone can give me so I can reach my goal. I play the London for white and the kings Indian for black. I think where I struggle most is my middle game. Once I finish my opening I’m kinda lost? Also looking for a good study plan. In conclusion if anyone can help I would be forever grateful

What kind of advice does anyone have on the endgame?

Hi everyone !I just join this group, so here's my ChIP1. Evaluation Openings: I think I have decent positions out of the opening.Tactics: there are basic patterns I'm not familiar with, and sometimes fall for one-movers because of that.Strategy: when I can identify more than one strategic theme in the position, I don't know which one is more important and struggle to find a plan.Endgames: too many half-points (and even full points) lost during this phase.Thought process: I don't have a structured thought-process.2. NeedsI have a lot of gaps in my basic knowledge of the game. I think I need to start from scratch to rebuild a strong fondation.3. PrioritiesTactics first, then endgame and everything else4. GoalsDefine a thought-process and use it.Build a strong basic knowledge.Update my progress on my blog ( http://chessfromscratch.blogspot.fr/ ).5. Action PlanI'll divide my study time between practice, problem solving and book study.Practice : OTB-> chess club + tournaments chess.com-> reduce number of CC games to 6 to really dig into the positions and have time to practice my thought-process Problem solving : Chess camp vol.1-7 (Igor Sukhin) Chess tactics for beginners (convekta)Book study: Build up your chess - fundamentals (Artur Yussupov) Boost your chess - fundamentals (Artur Yussupov) Chess evolution - fundamentals (Artur Yussupov)

<1000 tournament prmt kekesia how can i develop the best? thanks in advance

What type of Principles do you go by? And any other type of Principles you know about? I know some for opening and endgame like do not move a piece twice, or if you do have a good reason, and the rook belong passed pawns and passed pawns should be pushed, and some other like trade down when up material or up in space(I think this one's wrong oo) or don't trade down  when less space. And the rook, bishop pawns are usually draws in a q+k vs Rp/Bp+k and knights pawn usually are won/lose(depending). I sometimes go around the principles like bending the truth for a position. Anyways. What types of principles do you know?

i sometime lose concentration

What's your plan for improvement? What is your short and long terms goals for rating? What about areas of improvement? Opening, middlegame or endgame?

Join my Group www.chess.com/groups/home/chess-help this group chess help helpz begginers learn chess and become much better players if u guyz want we can join groupz and become one big chess helper group and ask all memberz to join it please im begging i really want to teach begginers to be better with other people (---- please (^_^) <-----(())-----> (||) _| |_

Well, I've been campaigning for "Best Group Manager of the Year" for many months now, but since Chesskween has thrown her hat into the mix, I haven't been able to post a single comment anywhere. I'd feel too guilty competing against her. So I'm switching my campaign to "Member of the Year" since it's the only other one that I'm in contention for (although I was a lot closer in the other one). Good Luck Jane. I'll tell people to vote for you. I hope you do the same for me. Click here to vote on Chess.com Site Trophies go to page 3 Please vote: Best Group Manager of the Year - Chesskween Most Enthusiastic Beginner of the Year - Melanerz Chess.com Member of the Year - Billium248 Thank You.

Hello, if anyone is interested in joining a group that will play in the chess world league tournament here on Chess.com who live in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, or Alabama, please join this group http://www.chess.com/groups/home/usa-south-central-group or contact me please. Thanks and good luck to all!

Hi, my friend is a chess coach. He asked me to ask if anyone knew any good sites to get some teaching material from or If anyone had some he could have such as e-book and pdf files. Thanks. If you do can you tell me so I can past it on to him. I am also in need of study material, because in 13 days I am competing in Melbourne in the Australian Nationals. Wish me luck! So I need any sites, e-book and thing at all relating to chess, including openigs, tactics and endgames any thing at all. It's all helpful. Thanks Please forward it to beaukblb@iprimus.com.au DON'T POST IT BELOW THIS MESSAGE PLEASE!

During the fall semester of my senior year in college, I went on my first trip out of the country. I was gone for three weeks to South Korea. At that point in my life, I had never been on a plane, never been to any other country than the United States and Canada, and had never eaten anything but American food. (Fairly sheltered for a 22 year-old, huh?)I had a great experience. I came to love the Korean people. They are hard workers. They treated me royally. I walked the soles off of one pair of shoes. I ate Chinese for the first time in my life. I enjoyed Korean food, even kimchi--which was surprising as picky as I am! I learned many new customs:  belching means compliments to the chef; cleaning your plate means you are still hungry; removing your shoes when you enter a home shoes respect; etc.Chess is a little like travelling. You need to be flexible. Especially in the beginning, you need to try new things. You need to try new openings. You need to try new offensive and defensive strategies. You need to try new end games.In many ways, every game is like being in a new country. Yes, the beginning may have many similarities to your homeland, but it can quickly look quite foreign. In those times, keep your eyes open. Try to learn from every experience. Make the game memorable for yourself and your opponent. Be willing to try new things!

One of the skills that strong players have is the ability to see all captures within a few seconds [or less] The variant of chess called 'take me' chess, suicide chess or 'loser's chess' is an excellent way for beginners to spot all captures quickly. I suggest the version where the punishment for not seeing a capture is instant loss! i.e no telling your opponent..."have to take"Other 'rapid skills' you must develop are spotting checks and assessing the danger posed by them quickly, as well as spotting moves that put any piece in danger. This doesn't mean you should play such moves...but you must make a mental note of such moves before moving on to the more exciting challenge of the quest for 'tactical shots' such as double attacks, discovered attacks etc etc  Others might like to add their suggestions to this framework of very basic, but important skill-set.

Hey guys! Check out my blog!I'm a Knight Errant, a guy that follows MDLM ChIP for tactics based on the seven circles and blogs it. I think it'll be nice sharing it! In the Knights Errant FAQ (see the link at the blog's sidebar) you can read the articles that describes this awesome training program, altought it's brutal and very hard to finish.  That's my program! Basically it's to do 1200 tactics exercises 7 times each. The first time 20 problems per day, in the second 40, and here it goes until 1200 exercises in just one day!It's worth take a look.Thanks! 

When touring Yellowstone National Park back in May, I was on sensory overload. There was so much to see: geysers everywhere; volcanic rock; trees I'd never seen before; eagles; osprey; bison; elk; jagged rocks; snow (yes, on the highest elevations--I even stoped and threw a snowball); rivers; deep blue lakes; fast-moving streams; dramatic waterfalls; gorgeous gorges; blue skies; flowers; and so much more! I just couldn't take it all in. Sounds filled the air: birds singing; water falling, churning, and gurgling; wind in the trees; momma animals calling their babies; geysers spraying; and so much more. And the smells filled the senses: fresh air; running water; evergreen; bison dung; and more. Even the sense of touch was overwhelmed: cold water; snow; temperature (was in the 30s when I arrived); cold handrails; rough benches around Old Faithful; rocks; and more. I tried bison and elk in restaurants. The elk was a little gamey. It took all five senses to take it all in and still it was not enough!In a similar way, we must use all of our senses to win at chess (or risk missing the win):SIGHT: Use your eyes to see the game from your perspective AND your opponent's. Flip the board. Think about what you would do if you were him/her. Look at every space to which your opponent may move. SOUND. Now, I realize that chess.com makes no sound, but try to imagine what the opponent is thinking. What is he/she saying to himself/herself? Try to get your opponent to wonder what you are up to! SMELL. Assume every move he/she makes is "fishy." Don't forget the previous move--the last move may just be a distraction (to separate the two moves that will bring your disaster)! Work for the sweet smell of victory with every move! TASTE. Avoid a bitter taste by making sure your king is protected. Protect all your pieces, even pawns. Develop a sweet plan. TOUCH. If it helps, set up a real chess set. Some find three-dimensional chess helps them to see things better. I don't know if it is the angle/perspective or something else.

There are bits of advice for winning at chess. Some of these bits, though small, can be the difference in winning or losing. Some can help a beginner take the next step toward a more solid game and improved play and rating. Consider some of the following bits of advice.Bits of advice for winning at chess:Concentrate! Play a solid opening. Make the best move every time! For most players, open with a center pawn. Develop your pieces! Gain control of the center. Avoid moving a piece twice in the opening (unless absolutely necessary). Castle quickly without sacrificing development and momentum. Don't just move; move with a plan and purpose! Plans must be short and examined from both sides of the board. Avoid trading pieces of equal value unless there is a clear advantage or you are ahead by at least five points. Where possible, prevent your opponent from castling. In the middle game, avoid moving and causing pawn chain weakness. After the opening, evaluate every possible move by considering the following: your current material, king safety, enemy attacks, ability of your pieces to move/attack, and pawn structure. When in even but cramped positions, look for strategic opportunities to exchange pieces. Knights are frequently better than bishops in cramped positions.ChIP Step 1 is to evaluate/assess your game. With which of these do you struggle? ChIP Step 2 is to identify the needs. ChIP Step 3 is to prioritize what you have identified so that you can know the best place to start to address the needs you have identified. Share your ChIP responses. Leave a comment!

     I was the first on either side of my family to finish college. I am the only one to receive a masters (besides my youngest sister a few years later) or a doctorate. Dad valued education even though he only completed his G.E.D. Mom finished high school and was an avid reader who encouraged us three children to read. Their influence on me as a learner continues today.     Learning is important in life and in chess. When a teacher stops learning, he/she stop teaching. When a leader stops learning, he/she stops leading. In many ways, when a person stops learning, they stop living. Learning is a way we stretch ourselves. It is a way to think new thoughts. Through learning we "go" to new places and see new things.     Some have had bad learning experiences in the past which resulted in apathy or dislike for learning. But life is full of learning experiences. Find one that is fun for you. Don't like to read? Then get audiobooks. Don't like to listen? Then go watch the movie. Not really into words or pictures? Then go do it! Go take lessons. Go try something new. Take someone with you. Learning something new with someone is often more fun.     Many want to improve at chess, but they do nothing about that desire. Learning takes a plan along with the desire. What is your plan? Are you going to read a book? Be honest with yourself. If you hate reading, you probably will not finish reading a chess book. Perhaps watching chess videos and working chess problems will help--there are plenty of them online and books filled with problems.     Some genuinely believe their game will improve if they just keep playing. For a few rare players, that is true. For most of us, "practice does not make perfect." As a coach once told me, "Right practice makes perfect." If we keep practicing or playing wrong, it will not help our game to improve. We must try new things. For many, that means they must learn it visually, verbally, or through hand-on application.     What is your plan to learn to win at chess this year? What one step will you take? Assess yourself and your learning preferences honestly and choose an approach that will help you enjoy learning as much as you enjoy winning. Press the comments button below to share your plan and encourage others!

1. Evaluate my Game: I feel like my pattern recognition for checkmates isn't bad as so many of the tactics I've done involve checkmates. I'm getting better at recognizing advantages and disadvantages in multiple trade situations, and this is where I win most often when I win. Other middlegame tactics are mediocre at best. I still fail to see tactics in games. Endgames need work, though I'm improving from a pitiful endgamer to fair. Openings are about where they should be. #1 problem is thought process. Playing too fast, not evaluating enough candidate moves or enough lines. 2. ID needs: Better tactics, better endgames, better thought process 3. Priorities: Finish some specific study materials to where those items I have down cold. Basic tactics, endgame ideas. 4. Set Goals: 1500 USCF by year end. (1281 now)  5. Action Plan: Daily tactics (at least 10 problems) on Chesstempo                      Complete Convekta's Chess Tactics for Beginners x 3                      Complete Pandolfini's Endgame Course  

     I was the first on either side of the family to finish college, and the only one to receive a masters (besides my youngest sister a few years later) or a doctorate. Dad valued education even though he only completed his G.E.D. Mom finished high school and was an avid reader who encouraged us three kids to read. Their influence on me as a learner remains evident.     Learning is important in life and in chess. When a teacher stops learning, he/she stop teaching. When a leader stops learning, he/she stops leading. In many ways, when persons stop learning, they stop living. Learning is a way we stretch ourselves. It is a way to think new thoughts. Through learning we "go" to new places and see new things.     Some have had bad learning experiences in the past which has resulted in an apathy or dislike for learning. But life is full of learning experiences. Find one that is fun for you. Don't like to read? Then get audiobooks. Don't like to listen? Then go watch the movie. Not really into words or pictures? Then go do it! Go take lessons. Go try something new. Take someone with you. Learning something new with someone is often more fun.     Many want to improve at chess, but they do nothing about that desire. Learning takes a plan along with the desire. What is your plan? Are you going to read a book? Be honest with yourself. If you hate reading, you probably will not finish reading a chess book. Perhaps watching chess videos and working chess problems will help--there are plenty of them online and books filled with problems.     Some genuinely believe their game will improve if they just keep playing. For a few rare players, that is true. For most of us, "practice does not make perfect." As a coach once told me, "Perfect (or right) practice makes perfect." If we keep playing wrong, it will not help our game to improve. We must try new things. For many, that means they must learn it visually, verbally, or through hand-on application. Friends may be able to help us. Coaching may help. Honestly reviewing our games may help.     What is your plan to learn to win at chess in 2008? What one step will you take this year? Assess yourself and your learning preferences honestly and choose an approach that will help you enjoy learning as much as you enjoy winning. Press the comments button below to share you plan and encourage others! Found a resource that has helped your game go to the next level? Share it!

Happy New Year! A weekly game vs a silicon based opponent is part of my plan. Yeah, a flesh and blood opponent would be nicer and perhaps better training but I have a hard time to fit in live games in my agenda. My plan is to post all my selfannotated games in this thread.