This is always funny:
https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/haefzc/ben_finegold_speaking_the_truth_about_why_people/
Another beginner stuck
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Jul 1, 2021
0
#62
Jul 2, 2021
0
#63
gambler1650 wrote:
3. Daily chess. I've started doing these, and they've really helped me. And don't get caught in the trap of 'play a move, see your opponent's played 10 - 15 minutes later, so quickly scan the position and think about it for 5-10 minutes before making your move'. It's daily chess. Take your time. Preferably set up the position in the analysis board (without computer analysis turned on) and run through alternative lines that seem reasonable to you. And really THINK about what will happen if you make such and such a move. Use books or the internet as resources for your openings. If your opponent makes a move while still in the 'opening', by all means scour online and in books for possible responses and their strengths and weaknesses. Again, no computer help. But using books and theory discussions is perfectly fine. Some people disagree, but the daily games mimic correspondence games which were done by e-mail (or snail mail) and the point wasn't rapid play, it was to take your time and study during the game.
Hey Gambler, great post. I agree re puzzles and a real chess board - I recently got a good deal on a Centaur and, despite having a few other boards, the Centaur can be used as "just a board" to work through games but also to play a game or two (though I'm yet to beat it).
But the interesting bit, for me, is the daily chess quote above - I've taken the opposite approach and whilst in a game I deliberately don't look at anything to do with the opening/position/ending in books / on-line. I stick to the same process as I would for any other game - albeit with massively long time controls. My thinking is to replicate a faster game without the pressure of time. I don't even set it up on a board and move pieces around to see how different lines would unfold - again, I'm just trying to replicate a normal game, without time pressures. I suppose it's all about working out what we are trying to take from the exercise.
Cheers
Derek
Hi good
I would welcome any advice as I am starting to wonder whether chess is not for me. I can’t seem to think ahead/see moves ahead and I am constantly making blunders.
Majinn
Before I read anyone else's reply, I want to tell you my story and take it for whatever it is worth to you. I have ADD. I simply am unable to work through every possibility when there are a lot of pieces on the board. I lose track. I often miss a piece and blunder, because I stopped thinking about it. I lack focus. It is hard for me to even complete this reply in one pass.
I don't know if this will help, but you can't play any worse than I do. PS--Watch a lot of playing videos.
Hi everyone,
Thank you to all that were kind enough to reply and share some thoughts and ideas as a reply to this post over the past couple of weeks.
I really took everyone's advice to heart and I am now only playing either 30 minute games or daily games and I have slowed down my thinking a lot. Whilst I haven't been very successful thus far, I did feel like I have reduce (somewhat) my number of blunders per game. Specifically, I seem to leave less of my pieces undefended.
I have also being trying hard to complete 20 puzzles in a row every day. That's still a work-in-progress though as I haven't been able to get passed 11 in puzzle rush survivor thus far.
I will keep working at this and keep studying and hopefully things will click at some point.
Majinn
Jul 5, 2021
0
#67
Majinn182 wrote:
Hi everyone,
Thank you to all that were kind enough to reply and share some thoughts and ideas as a reply to this post over the past couple of weeks.
I really took everyone's advice to heart and I am now only playing either 30 minute games or daily games and I have slowed down my thinking a lot. Whilst I haven't been very successful thus far, I did feel like I have reduce (somewhat) my number of blunders per game. Specifically, I seem to leave less of my pieces undefended.
I have also being trying hard to complete 20 puzzles in a row every day. That's still a work-in-progress though as I haven't been able to get passed 11 in puzzle rush survivor thus far.
I will keep working at this and keep studying and hopefully things will click at some point.
Majinn
Nice, good job and good luck!!
tactics exists when something is unsafe. that "something" could be:
the king (having either no defenders near it or fewer than the attackers you have)
a queen, rook, knight or bishop, (either hanging which can be taken on this turn, or defended but not as much as it is attacked, or simply exposed to attack by weaker units, or sometimes just not enough squares to go to so it can be trapped.)
a pawn (this should be easy)
a square (this one may take a while for you to get accustomed to. but you'll get it at some point.)
you can use this hierarchy. opponent's king>queen>rook>bishop>knight>pawn>square when searching for tactics. you shouldn't have to reach the end every single time and you will find something unsafe. later you will develop a feel for it that you don't need the hierarchy anymore but for now it should help.
Jul 5, 2021
0
#71
Majinn182 wrote:
Hi everyone,
I have been on chess.com for nearly 7 months now. I read a lot of similar beginner posts and suggestions on the forum yet I am still stuck and rather than playing better, I am getting worse.
I have worked through a lot of the free lessons on chess.com, I have done most of the ones on lichess as well.
As I read on other posts, instead of learning a ton of openings I have studied one in-depth before moving on, I have watched and re-watched John Bartholomew’s YouTube chess fundamentals videos (the one on I undefended pieces 3x at least). I am working through the book Predator at the chessboard to work on tactics specifically and I am doing puzzles everyday. I have slowed down my playing a lot but now I constantly run out or time.
I known I should get a chess coach but I am masters student and right now can’t afford one until I finish my degree and get a job.
I would welcome any advice as I am starting to wonder whether chess is not for me. I can’t seem to think ahead/see moves ahead and I am constantly making blunders.
The more I try and think about the next move the more I appear to be blind sided my something else.
Thank you in advance.
Majinn
I have been on chess.com for nearly 7 months now. I read a lot of similar beginner posts and suggestions on the forum yet I am still stuck and rather than playing better, I am getting worse.
I have worked through a lot of the free lessons on chess.com, I have done most of the ones on lichess as well.
As I read on other posts, instead of learning a ton of openings I have studied one in-depth before moving on, I have watched and re-watched John Bartholomew’s YouTube chess fundamentals videos (the one on I undefended pieces 3x at least). I am working through the book Predator at the chessboard to work on tactics specifically and I am doing puzzles everyday. I have slowed down my playing a lot but now I constantly run out or time.
I known I should get a chess coach but I am masters student and right now can’t afford one until I finish my degree and get a job.
I would welcome any advice as I am starting to wonder whether chess is not for me. I can’t seem to think ahead/see moves ahead and I am constantly making blunders.
The more I try and think about the next move the more I appear to be blind sided my something else.
Thank you in advance.
Majinn
Opening Principles:
- Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
- Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
- Castle
- Connect your rooks
Tactics...tactics...tactics...
The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles. Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.
Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.
They are:
- Give priority to your least active pieces.
- Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
- Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)
- Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
- Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
- Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
- Secure strong squares for your pieces.
Don’t help your opponent develop.
There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:
- Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
- Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece
Pre Move Checklist:
- Make sure all your pieces are safe.
- Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
- If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
- If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
- After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
Jul 5, 2021
0
#73
IMBacon wrote:
Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.
They are:
- Give priority to your least active pieces.
- Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
- Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)
- Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
- Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
- Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
- Secure strong squares for your pieces.
Don’t help your opponent develop.
There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:
- Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
- Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece
Pre Move Checklist:
- Make sure all your pieces are safe.
- Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
- If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
- If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
- After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
Thanks, I have printed this out... sometimes simple pointers are better.
his series is all focused on center play and he intentionally lets some “habits” put his position into a worse spot; much like brand new players do
and his endgame explanations (aside from the ever persistent push passed pawns) is top notch
if one thinks he is just saying “make random pawn moves” then one hasnt really watched