Videos to help improving players break 1000, feedback welcome!

Hi everyone. I've been playing chess for most of my life, only regularly in the past couple of years. I find I learn best by working through games... but not games played by masters, following players who are a bit better than I am.

As has been said before, players trying to break the 1000 barrier really don't need to study openings or theory. Most games are decided by who makes the fewest blunders, so studying the most beautiful and intricate GM games ever played really won't help you.

So I thought I'd start making a video series specifically to help sub-1000 players. I've made a list of just 25 tips to remember, which I keep visible throughout the videos.

Please check out the two (now 3) videos I've put up already. One takes you through the 25 tips, and the second one works through an example game from chess.com, with a 500 vs a 1000 rated player.

I'd love to get your feedback. Do you think this format will be helpful to you? How could I make it better? And would anyone be interested in having me coach you live through a few games?

Here's the link to the very new YouTube channel.

Hi, Ben! Just watched your video. Nice try!

1) But... I think there are too many rules . I would clean tactical motives (forks, pins etc...) couse you cannot enumerate all of them. There are to many of them.

2) Some of these rules are conterversial. For example, "castle early". In my eyes, it should sound like "keep your king in safety". Becouse, in some positions its better to keep your king in the center then castle. For example with closed center. Imagine, your opponent launching an attacking on the flank in position with closed center. Will you "castle early" in this position right into his attack? I think, no...

3) Try to construct thinking algoritm which will apply most important principles from your list. It can help you in your chess as well. Couse you're neglecting those principles very often in your games.

Good job!

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. Remember, these are guidelines for sub-1000 players, and they clearly do not always apply. I have tried to keep the list short, and agree that maybe the tactics could be removed or bundled together. However, if you're going to get into the habit of running through a few basic ideas each turn, I believe the basic tactical principles deserve consideration.

Later, of course, you'll learn when the rules can and should be broken.

I agree that "get your king safe" is a good general principle and could be better than "castle early".

Actually, studying master games helps the beginner learn to formulate plans so that they will make fewer blunders.

In my opinion, a person rated 500 will gain nothing from studying games played at the 1000 level.  Perhaps they will learn things at the 1500 level, however, I still believe going over master games is the single best thing someone can do to improve their game.  Learning the correct way to play is the best solution, rather than studying second rate moves, though.  However, I do believe if a beginner is going to study games at let's say the 1500 level and they are let's say a rating of 500, then they will need someone of at least 2000 rating explaining the moves for them, or else they will be in danger of learning the wrong things.  ie 1500 rated players don't play too well they may learn bad habits or quirks that they really shouldn't be doing.  Annotated master games are the best things for beginners because they are played by masters.  They don't make too many mistakes, when they do make mistakes, the annotater will explain it, along with the ideas and plans of the play the master chose to do.

I'm all for developing good habits by learning an memorizing a checklist to follow.  I've never done anything like this so I can't speak for myself but it seems like if someone is devoted to actually applying a list like this to their thinking on every move I can see how it can help, but I disagree with you in that beginners should learn from games slightly above their rating.  For reasons I already explained.

how do u get the 3D glasses award?

JIMS CHESS CHANNEL!!!!!

Saint Louis Chess

Agadmator Chess

Thanks. I'm actually seriously considering reducing the list to just three main points:

1. Take your time.
2. King safety.
3. Control the board... which is the key to so many other points.

Watch this space.

I don't think I'm familiar with Jim's channel, so will check it out.

Saint Louis can be useful, they've got some great content, but does tend to be GM-led, so some of the material is too advanced.

Agadmator tends to show games from right at the top level, so focuses on very subtle edges, rather than the blunt basics that sub-1000 players need.

How this ad fits the topic?