Yes. This thread also exemplifies another issue that occurs. This is the tension that is created when someone has 'outgrown' their understanding. The models they have are no longer adequate. I think this is the point Ripley was making. It's a natural part of the development process and a good sign that a student is ready for progression. It also leads to frustration. Good coaching fixes it. Students who know how to study and reflect can fix these problems themselves up to a point.
IMBacon’s beginners advise
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Oct 4, 2020
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#23
I like Bacons advise and appreciate his or her effort to promote development and basic endgames for beginners. People around 800-1000 who are asking for some advise and direction.
In my OP I try to formulate a small suggestion (emphasize castling more and connecting rooks a bit less). And I have a question indeed: how to formulate an advise to 800-1000 beginners on when to attack.
I thought my comments were taken too personally. It wasn't my intention. I simply thought that to dismiss the advice as "very, very missleading" was unfair. The guidelines may have mislead Ripley (and others no doubt) but that does not make them inherently wrong. When at school I was taught the "plum pudding" model of an atom. Later on this was revised into the "onion model" with layers. Later still this became a probability model. I'm sure it's more complicated but I never got past probability. Chess is no different. As students learn, simple models are torn up and more complex ideas introduced. The simple model has served its purpose and can be dropped. It's the same for guidelines. There comes a point when the student moves on but this does not make the guidelines wrong or misleading.
Exactly.
Beginners need simple models and simple rules of thumb in order to understand stuff conceptually.
You don't tell an 800 rated player "it depends" as an answer to every single one of their questions. That's not going to teach them anything.
Instead, you give them an answer that will apply to their situation. "Control the centre, move every piece once, castle quickly and connect your rooks as fast as you can."
That's a far more useful answer than just saying "it depends", "every situation is different".