How Good Is the Chess Exam by Igor Khmelnitsky As A Guidance to Self-Improvement?

Finished the third section of Khmelnitsky and did the best yet: estimated ELO rating of 1951. The positions in this book are not easy. On the answer page for each one is a chart showing the percentage of players in each rating category who gave each of the answers. Even those in the 2400+ rating range did not all get every question right. 

There are 7 more sets of 10 questions. It will be very interesting to see my final evaluations in the various areas. Meanwhile, I continue to learn a lot from this book.

I have read the book. And surprise, in my next tournament my rating shoots up! The book revealed that I was weak in tactics and calculation. I did tons of tactics trainer, and it improved my playing considerably!

It’s great to hear that. Of course, I am a long way from the evaluations, but the book is a wonderful learning experience as you work through the questions. 

Results

Skill/elo

Overall 1020

Attack 1150

Counter attack 1100

Defence 980

Opening 1500

Middlegame 1050

Endgame 1000

Tactics 1374

Strategy 900

Calculation 1179

Standard patterns 1045

Recognising threats 960

Sacrifice 1300

The distant opposition question was straight out of Capablancas book so that helped me because it used the exact same example. I will take it again in the future after some basic strategy and endgame study.

I use to know Igor (for a short while) when I lived in Philadelphia.  I didn't check his book out though.  I'd kind of drifted away from studying chess.

It's a very good book. You have to have the motivation and will-power to finish it, and you will be a better player for it. I am currently about a third of the way through it, aiming to finish it by end of year or early 2023.

I definitely recommend it.

I would be interested in your results when you finish it.

heres mine in best to worst--

1.Tactics --- 44.57%

2.Opening---43.3%

3.Attack----40.95%

4.Sacrifice--- 40.83%

5.Calculation--38.8%

6.Overall--  --------- 34.2%

7.Middlegame 33.4%

8.Endgame--- 33%

9.Standard positions-- 32.3%

10.Counter attack--- 32.1%

11.Recognizing threats-- 31.4%

12.Defence---  27.69%

13.Strategy-- 22.8%

Interesting quote---

""Most players (1200-2200 chess.com rating) are strong in tactics and openings, but their ratings don’t show it because their positional knowledge just isn’t up to par. In other words, they can never create the circumstances to execute those tactical knockouts. Everyone has it: that one part of their game where once they get a grip on it, everything clicks and their results improve dramatically. And for a lot of players, that area is positional play. """-Tijana Blagojevic

Hello , I would like to know from which level , expressed in ELO , does it make sense to read the book ?

Hi, beware the minimum rating considered in the calculation table is 800. The calculation table lets you know where your strengths and weaknesses are. At 800 Elo the odds are high you won't be able to provide correct enough answers, which would be much frustrating and counter-productive. I guess 1000 Elo to be a good starting point; the test should report some weaker domains valued somewhere between 800 and 1000 ; and some better skills valued higher than 1000. You then know where your efforts should be aimed at.