The 2200+ people investigate their own games systematically and critically, figuring out what their weaknesses are and what to do about them.
Many eternal 1900 players have shelves full of chess books, while young masters often have none at all. Or just a few random ones that never got great reviews, but that they analyzed to death.
Read chess books for fun, do actual hard work to improve.
Strongly suggest the "beyond the basics" from Yusupov (the Blue ones). They are for 1800+ players trying to get to 2100+ (note: the ratings are based on chess on the board, so they should be perfect for a 1900 blitz player here. (Rather too advanced then "to easy").
It's a set of 3 books with whatever he thinks you need to know to go from 1800 to 2100. It got a FIDE award for best (general) training books. It touches many subjects and it's primary goal is to close any gap your chess knowledge has.
Table of contents of one of the 3 books:
1. Mating combinations
2. General endgame principles
3. Combinations involving the back rank
4. General opening principles
5. The double attack
6. Good and bad bishops
7. Candidate moves
8. The centre
9. The pin and the discovered attack
10. Zugzwang
11. Deflection
12. The Greek gift sacrifice
13. Evaluating the position
14. Planning in chess
15. An opening repertoire for White after 1.e4 e5
16. Destroying the castled position
17. an opening repertoire against 1.e4
18. Exchanging
19. Priorities when calculating variations
20. Pawn endings 1
21. Decoying
22. Time in the opening
23. Improving the position of your pieces
24. Pawn endings 2
If you struggle with one section (for example: strategy), you now know where your weakness is and can develop a studyplan to work on it (Studying My system for example).
...I seem to have plateaued at around 1900-2000 (blitz).
I'm wondering what the critical differences between 1900~ and 2200~ players are
Are there any books that helped you improve to this level? There are so many that I don't know where to start; nimzowich, pachman, watson, silman, kotov...
My time's pretty limited so I'm looking for the books with the most value :)
Thanks!
Well, if you want specific recommendations because you're short on time, I think we need some more information. You say you're 1900 in Blitz, what's your normal rating? You say you've read no books, do you know any chess theory at all? For example, do you know what a bad bishop is, an isolated pawn, the endgame concept of Opposition, etc? Do you feel you're weak in the opening, middlegame/strategy, endgame, tactics, none of these or all (you really should be familiar with the basics of all of these)?
My guess would be you need to improve your endgame, that's usually what separates the good player from the master. You might start with Jesus DE LA VILLA - 100 Endgames You Must Know (covers must-know winning endgame positions) and Mikhail Shereshevsky - Endgame Strategy (covers endgame strategy).
If it's middlegame you're weak on Silman, Nimzo or Pachman are all very good.
I've been very lucky to get to a good level by just playing and never touching a chess book. Over the last few months I seem to have plateaued at around 1900-2000 (blitz).
I'm wondering what the critical differences between 1900~ and 2200~ players are
Are there any books that helped you improve to this level? There are so many that I don't know where to start; nimzowich, pachman, watson, silman, kotov...
My time's pretty limited so I'm looking for the books with the most value :)
Thanks!