How To Improve Middlegame Play For 1750 Player

Hi, I'm about a 1750ish player in OTB chess. I was wondering what is the best way to improve general middlegame play/stategy/planning etc. It's easy to work on tactics, just do loads of them, and you can buy loads of different endgame books and even more opening books. But how do you improve your general play. I'm thinking possibly going through annotated games? I'm currently working through Bobby Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games and think it's brilliant and also have Learn From the Legends my Mihail Marin. I have heard that's a good book but haven't started it yet. I'd like to know what kind of things improve your positional play as well as specifics(e.g. specific books). Also doesn't have to be just books, advice on which chess.com videos or chess mentor courses etc would also be much appreciated. Thanks.

chess mentor is pretty decent, very hard but very illuminating, were you see masters get something out of positions were you see like nothing

Yeah true, any specific courses you'd recommend?

I think you should start using Chessbase or Fritz family chess programs. These programs are indespensible for those playing in serious competition. If you prefer reading, 1000 The Best of the Best by Chess Informant is an excellent game collections of annotated masters' games.

well i just did in category games blatny vs donaldson and marc leski against art wang. i think they were very illuminating to me. i think all courses are good, when not necessarily for the middle game.

Yes mandy Fritz is good, but i dont see how Chessbase or Fritz family programs help you  improve middlegame play??

i mean those games are just an example, maybe they are not that suited for you, you can just skip lessons and see till something you need comes your way. I definetly highly recomment it, i pretty much like the verbal explanation and the side stories.

But yes annotated games are great too, you could check out chessgames.com. I dont know if this site here has an annotated games library.

also chess informant has no verbal information i think, also you get the same information for free on the internet.

Ok thanks guys, and yeah I agree, database programs are good but don't help you improve you middlegame, mainly for openings and looking over your games for tactical blunders and perhaps preparing for opponents etc.

Thanks, but how would you suggest studying these pawn structures. I know there are some very good videos on this site categorised by different pawn structures, some of which I have watched and founnd very instructive, any other ways to study them though?

Any ideas?

the books pawn structure chess by soltis and pawn power in chess by kmoch spring to mind.

Well, you can read a book e.g. Andrew Soltis Pawn Structure Chess, play through model games in certain structures etc.

Ok, thanks, and yeah I've heard of those books Moyiba and Scottrf, supposed to be good I think.

Seriously though, don't buy the Kmoch book, it may be useful advice, but you have to put up with so many nonsense terms it can't be worth it.

Haha really, think I've heard that actually too.

Lev Alburt's Chess Tactics Pocket Trainer. I tear the pages out or make flash cards of the puzzles so i do not have the answers with me. it has 300 exercises and they are not in any order.

Ludek Pachmann's 3 volume chess series was released as a single volume. That is a good one as well.

i cannot remember the name exactly but I think that it is called "Kasparov's Chess Challenge" and also is 3 volumes.

Kmoch is very dry and his Pawn Power in Chess book might be a bit above the 1750 level.

Does anyone know if Jacob Aagaard put out any middlegame tutorials as well?

gaprindashvili's ''critical moments'' is a way to improve your skill.

nothing better then toiling over exercises

Improve Openings= Read The Books

Improve Tactics= Solve The Puzzels

Improve Positional= Look over YOUR games

Improve Endgame= Both Opening and endgames require more technical knowledge so just Read The Books for both. 

Modern Chess Strategy  by Pachman was the single volume originally copyrighted in 1963.  It was the first and original, then reprinted by Dover in 1971.  The 3 volume set named Complete Chess Strategy was copyrighted in 1975 and is a total re-write of the original, expanded and updated twelve years later.  They are almost completely different works with the 3 volume set being the most recent and most complete.  I have both of these in my library for comparison.

Here is a short blog by NM Dan Heisman that may help.

http://www.chess.com/blog/danheisman/middlegame-book-suggestions