Another how to improve thread, with a (long) story by a new member

My strength:

I am a former beginning, approaching intermediate player 24 years ago. Last USCF rating was/is 1271, with 32 rated games played I haven’t played in a tournament since 1993; other than some random pickup games with some friends who have never played tournaments themselves.

My History:

Prior to 1992 I knew how the pieces moved, but had no idea how to win at chess prior to meeting the high school chess coach. I had played some with my dad, who always beat me so I had that level of interest of learning how to play. Our High School was small (I graduated with 98) so it was not a developed club, but one that would often times not have a team compete. Since I had some level of interest he got me into playing, and we ended up with a club of 4 players to have a team.

Our first qualifying tournament for the state tournament, were my first rated matches in April 1992.

I don’t remember the details of that tournament but my provisional rating after that tournament was 1188. The state championships, which we somehow barely qualified to participate I won 1 and lost 4, and my rating dropped to 1140. Then that year we went to the national scholastic high school tournament in Lexington in May, 1992. I went 3-0-4 and my rating went up to 1237. I finished 69th in the U1300 division. While we were there I bought my first chess set and my first chess book. It was End Game Course by Bruce Pandolfini.

The following year, I became first chair (yes, our team was pretty weak) with that rating. I read the book on the bus ride home from school and become strong enough to beat my chess coach (I would estimate his rating at that time to be around 1150 – 1200). The regional qualifier was eliminated and all teams went to the state tournament. Playing first board, I got beat badly again, going 1-4-0. My rating dropped to 1213. I went to the national chess tournament alone, since it was in Dallas and the team couldn’t drive. I went 4-0-3 and ended up 26th in the u1300 division. My rating as mentioned earlier went up to 1271.

My time away:

Graduating and going to college and then career etc caused me to put chess down, and until I watched Netflix documentary of Magnus Carlsen, I hadn’t even thought about playing serious. I just played when someone would bring it up and I would pack my old chess board. Now I am ready to devote myself to some unknown degree due to loss of interest in other hobbies. I lost all of my chess stuff (books, notation pad, etc. except my vinyl board and wood pieces I bought in Lexington.

Current status:

I am rusty but playing some rapid games on here and a few OTB with a friend of similar strength I am getting the dust off my game. I also reached out and contacted the local chess club, and will be attending a meeting very soon. So I look like a valuable member I bought a clock, a bag, and a new notation pad, since my old one was lost. I do the daily puzzle and the 5 tactics problems daily.

My self critique:

My opening is weak and I use most of my time getting through it without a compromised position as best I can. If I can gain a material advantage I attempt to shorten the middlegame and get to the end game that I feel confident because of my reading of the end game book.

My attacks seem predicated on my opponent making a mistake. I can win when he or she doesn’t make a blunder and if simple combinations are available. My opening lack of knowledge seems to lead to an absence of a plan.

My plan to begin improving:

In addition to going to the local club I have ordered the following based on other thread research:

The Amateur’s mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions into Chess Mastery - Silman

How to Reassess Your Chess: Chess Mastery Through Chess Imbalances - Silman
Silman seems to get mixed reviews from titled players. Consider Reti's Masters of the chessboard or Bronstein's Zurich 1953.
Silman’s Complete Endgame Course: From Beginning to Master
Great book

I also got Back to Basics: Openings - Carsten Hansen

Based on further reading, I need to practice tactics and since I am in the ordering mood I have the following in my cart but I haven’t purchased because I felt I needed some feedback.

The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book – Emms
I went thought this book, I enjoyed it. A wide range of difficulty in puzzles. If you can't solve one in 5 to 10 minutes, go ahead and give up and look up the solution. It's better to lean the patttern and move on than trying to solve it with brute force calculation.

Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games - Polgar

The Complete Chess workout: Train your brain with 1200 puzzles! - Palliser

My System (Chess Classics) - Nimzowich
It's the quinteseential classic, but it may surprise you that some modern pros give this book a thumbs down. For strategy consider Pachman's Modern Chess Strategy instead.

Pawn Power in Chess – Hans Kmoch
Great book

I have about 15-20 hours a week to devote to study/online play

My Goal(s):

I would like to hit a 1400 by end of the year, and play in the rated tournaments to track my progress
Good. OTB tournaments games are important, and you'll sometimes get the chance to analyze with strong players after the game to see how they thought.

Stretch goal (3-5 year) is to reach 1600, and be able to feel competent in all phases of the game.
Getting a strong foundation takes about that long. I think that's a great goal. However at 15-20 hours a week I think you will be rated higher than 1600 after 3-5 years.

My Questions:

Does my stated plan correlate to my strength, my history, and my current status?

If not, do you have a recommendation?
Yes, I think so. My basic advice is to read 1 book in each of the following areas: openings, tactics, strategy, endgame, annotated game collection.

Is the advanced memberships on chess.com better investment than these books?
Chess.com is great. But my answer is no. Books are better for sure.

When I begin getting games OTB to analyze, is the website an adequate resource?
It's hit and miss. Sometimes titles players pass by and give a thorough analysis, sometimes you get some... not so strong player trying to push their way of thinking onto you... but what can you do? Short of paying for a coach this site's analysis forum is probably the next best thing.

Other than a goal, what am I missing?

Thank you for any feedback,

Steve

"Assymetrical pawn structures" generally means "majorities" - when a player has more pawns on one side and fewer on the other side, relative to his opponent. 

This is a particular case of "imbalances" - but "imbalances" is a wider concept which includes also other ideas. 

One cannot claim that "imbalances" is a new name for "assymetrical pawn structures". Imbalances are also possible with symmetrical pawn structures.

I didn't read Pachman, who was probably a great writer. 

Silman's materials are easily understandable for the better-than-average amateur, who can learn many important lessons with them. Many people owe their progress to his materials.

If he's a best selling author it's because he's clear and friendly - people enjoy reading him, and they learn in the process. 

I can't see any reason to criticize him - other than personal jealousy of his well-deserved success.

I personally love Harry Potter. 

Doritos are a question of taste - but people don't improve their elo rating by 300 points after eating some...

I guess that we finally disagree on IM Jeremy Silman - and of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion...

Doritos are a question of taste - but people don't improve their elo rating by 300 points after eating some...

The concept of imbalances has been used in every serious middlegame book but with different term.

Pachman for example talks about "assymetrical pawn structures" and "majorities".

Silman took what others had said before him , added a new word , lots of advertising  , and voila , we have a best seller.

If one reads Pachman's books realises that Silman said nothing that hasn't been said already and with much better way. 

While  Pachman's books contain carefully chosen games from the top players of his era(and before), Silman used the games of  guys  like "Indiana Jones" played on the internet.

Could someone enlighten me on what opening trees are and how one builds them, and why they are so essential to chess improvement? Because this noob got to 2300+ FIDE / 2400+ USCF without having ever heard of them.

Yeah.. Don't do read those books^.

The player recommending them should be 2000+ easily if he/she has digested the material thoroughly from any two of those books, but instead plays rapid at a lower level than you do (checking out the recent rapid games).

Imbalances by silman is a *difficult* book which I didn't finish because I skipped many parts of it because it was too difficult for me. This was back when I was 1900s, and I'm considering trying to read it again at my current level.

Speed chess is hardly a credential.

Based on how you jump to conclutions I'm not suprised you like these crappy Silman books. Waste of money. For what it's worth I don't like you or Jengaias. You're both total dufusses.