DanlsTheMan wrote:
You're on the right track. Maybe just in the wrong direction.
Hi Dan, thanks for replying. :-D
Hi Dan, thanks for replying. :-D
Wanting to learn the ideas, plans, structures, and positions for different openings and apply them in actual games. Maybe Rapid is not the best time control for first applications though. Improve your thinking quality at a slower thought pace, then improve your efficiency of time quantity. Themed tournaments help, but they can take over a year on this site. A club is a good idea. Need a paid membership here to create one (I think).
You're right, rapid is not the optimal time control for my chess development, but it's what works best with my ebbing/flowing schedule and stress levels.
You're right, rapid is not the optimal time control for my chess development, but it's what works best with my ebbing/flowing schedule and stress levels.
Learning tactics is great! I noticed you ID them with a number in a blog. Don't they have names? Here's a list of names (aka tags):
I don't actually draw up a spreadsheet, I just copy and paste the "Summary" page from chesstempo. But I think that labelling the kinds of tactics would be a valuable addition to the tactics training, as then I can see which I have most trouble with. Thanks!
I don't actually draw up a spreadsheet, I just copy and paste the "Summary" page from chesstempo. But I think that labelling the kinds of tactics would be a valuable addition to the tactics training, as then I can see which I have most trouble with. Thanks!
Pawn structures- You have Soltis's book. Have you read Kmoch's Pawn Power in Chess? I think much of what you're trying to do has been started for you. Regardless, here's a site that's in-progress of identifying pawn structures & plans/ideas of some openings:
I do not have "Pawn Power", it comes with mixed recommendations, as he evidently uses a great deal of jargon.
I do not have "Pawn Power", it comes with mixed recommendations, as he evidently uses a great deal of jargon.
If you have a paid membership on chess.com, I think they have videos "Pawn Structure 101". What I do is; go through master level games like watching sports replays. Slow-motion forward, watching structures until the endgame; take notes and repeat for the bishops/knights; repeat for rooks/queens.
Yeah, I've found I get the most out of going over games first in blitz mode, a few seconds to look at each move, get a feel for the trend of the game, then go back and look slowly for the actual pivotal moments that the trend solidified, and what allowed each player to grab what foothold they managed to. (Or, as many games go, how they tried to get a foothold, but were rebuffed by their alert opponent and held to a draw.)
Your plan vs what the board says- Silman's HTRYC and the Workbook are a good place to improve. You learn how to access a position.
I've discovered, after a few months of blogging, that I'm actually quite a good player, and at my peak, I'm able to access the position at a decent level. (Not perfectly, but I'd say I'm upwards of 1800 at my best.) But my plague is LAZINESS. And when I drop the ball, it's like Thor's Hammer to pick back up again.
Yeah, I've found I get the most out of going over games first in blitz mode, a few seconds to look at each move, get a feel for the trend of the game, then go back and look slowly for the actual pivotal moments that the trend solidified, and what allowed each player to grab what foothold they managed to. (Or, as many games go, how they tried to get a foothold, but were rebuffed by their alert opponent and held to a draw.)
Your plan vs what the board says- Silman's HTRYC and the Workbook are a good place to improve. You learn how to access a position.
I've discovered, after a few months of blogging, that I'm actually quite a good player, and at my peak, I'm able to access the position at a decent level. (Not perfectly, but I'd say I'm upwards of 1800 at my best.) But my plague is LAZINESS. And when I drop the ball, it's like Thor's Hammer to pick back up again.
Silman also has an endgame course. Ok, maybe it's not 100% "complete". It's a good structured book though, it's all about the process.
Oh yes, it's a great book. I discovered a lot of cavities in my endgame knowledge by reading it. Currently up to the 1600 - 1799 level, and finding it substantially more difficult than the previous chapters.
In review:
Oh yes, it's a great book. I discovered a lot of cavities in my endgame knowledge by reading it. Currently up to the 1600 - 1799 level, and finding it substantially more difficult than the previous chapters.
In review:
Identify structures/openings you're familiar/comfortable with and their ideas/plans.
Evaluate/Calculate/Plan using your process with opening theory and endgame positions in mind. Here's a site with a decent process to start with (in conjunction with Silman's):
And they have some free courses. Bookmark the page, navigate the links on it.
As you get better at tactics and endgames, you'll find the plans come a lot easier to "see". The trick is (IMO) to repeat a motif/theme several times in different situations. Not to randomly solve tactics puzzles. Going over those master level games again, identify these or make a note to revisit later.
To somewhat quote Bruce Lee: "I don't fear the man who practiced 100 kicks 100 times. I fear the man who practiced 1 kick 10,000 times." Jack-Of-All vs Master of One mentality.
To somewhat quote Bruce Lee: "I don't fear the man who practiced 100 kicks 100 times. I fear the man who practiced 1 kick 10,000 times." Jack-Of-All vs Master of One mentality.
It's, basically, all about pattern recognition...more specifically, it's about having defined, detailed, and structured thinking, learning, and improvement processes.
Thanks, this has been helpful. I am following up the links now.
Thanks, this has been helpful. I am following up the links now.
Checkhover (e4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4 cxd4 Qxd4)
It teaches the power of knights and positional workings (w/ knights), along with some tactics and curing Mad Bishop's Disease (Counting bishops as 3.5 pts worth)