Holy crap. I just realized you are 400 on Tactics Trainer. The last thing you need to be doing is finding a book on positional chess. Tactics are the language of chess. If you don't speak the language, you won't understand anything about it.
Hello. What Tactics Trainer level, do you think, would be sufficient to start with (simple) positional book?
Too low, I admit. I suppose I should wait on positional training. Work on tactics.
You can check the combinational motifs, improve your tactics or test your tactical ability
Holy crap. I just realized you are 400 on Tactics Trainer. The last thing you need to be doing is finding a book on positional chess. Tactics are the language of chess. If you don't speak the language, you won't understand anything about it.
Hello. What Tactics Trainer level, do you think, would be sufficient to start with (simple) positional book?
I don't know. TT doesn't have a FIDE approximate rating like CT does. Probably 1300ish or so at a guess?
Too low, I admit. I suppose I should wait on positional training. Work on tactics.
I'm being deadly serious here. Follow this advice to the letter. Do not deviate. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200 until you've done it.
You can use Bright Knight's tactics experiment as a guide on how to make a schedule to do your tactics:
http://empiricalrabbit.blogspot.com/2011/03/bain-experiment.html
It should take you ~7 weeks to do that book 6 times. You will be a lot better in tactics at the end of that 7 weeks.
Well then, what about strategy? Can't just try to defend or attack by tactics alone.
I am just repeating what dan Heisman has said numerous times. Sadly it's not available in kindle. He says don't let "kids" in the title fool you.
Well then, what about strategy? Can't just try to defend or attack by tactics alone.
You can study basic opening, middlegame, and endgame principles a small amount, but the bulk of your study time at this point should be tactics. It's sort of like trying to learn how to change the channels on your car's radio when you haven't yet learned how to steer the car. Making a strategy mistake usually won't hurt you too much, but a tactical mistake will at least put you a pawn down, and often a full piece down.
So I agree with SilentKnighte5, with one added prerequisite. If you haven't already done so, first make sure you've learned the basics of counting tactics, as I mentioned in another previous thread. (I gave some Heisman-related links in that thread.) Then spend the bulk of your time with the Bain book (or a similarly easy tactics set).
Stwils, you are diamond, so you have access to all the videos in the training section. I believe they are very good to improve your game. I would also do the tactics training. You will learn much more from those than from any book. Have a great year.
...I would also do the tactics training. You will learn much more from those than from any book. Have a great year.
The Bain book is an easy tactical set, which is what is needed if your tactics rating is low. I have no idea whether the Chess.com Tactics Trainer is easy or hard. If there's a way to pick the easier tactics, it might be a decent substitute.
l can't do the TT FAST ENOUGH to improve.why the time pressure/?????
You have the choice to ignore the clock and concentrate on understanding the position.
Otherwise you can find on this site https://chesslessonsfree.wordpress.com/ a few other places to solve tactics.
bgianis
Or do tactics here unrated and adjust the level of the tactics to your liking in the options
I found what might be the perfect positional primer for 1500...found a friend of mine with it (he is around 1500).
CHESS TRAINING FOR POST-BEGINNERS - Basic Course in Positional Understanding. By Yaroslav Srokorski
Published by New In Chess.
This looks to be very good for getting to grip with the basics.
I have seen this book advertised online and thought it might be a good book for me PLUS tactics. What about it?
What is a " post beginner? ". Am I one?
If you know how the pieces move as well as the basic rules and your standard (slow) rating is below 1200, then you should be considered as a post beginner.
I meant 1600 - 1350. That's bad enough!