There has recently been a few very good post you might enjoy:
http://www.chess.com/article/view/creating-a-study-program
http://blog.chess.com/DeepGreene/a-simple-defence-against-aimless-chess-training
Chessmaster contains a lot of good material but you might want to consider a full mebership at this site. Chess Mentor and full tactics trainer is Golden!
This coming from a beginner, but I understand personal improvement of various other things. Play, alot. You have access to this site, so play as many games as you possibly can on here. Then try to find the best people locally and play them. You need that aspect of sitting down at a real table if you ever want to compete. Read that book, and take from it what you can... and use Chessmaster to go over openings and such.
Most importantly, play.
This coming from a beginner, but I understand personal improvement of various other things. Play, alot. You have access to this site, so play as many games as you possibly can on here. Then try to find the best people locally and play them. You need that aspect of sitting down at a real table if you ever want to compete. Read that book, and take from it what you can... and use Chessmaster to go over openings and such.
Most importantly, play.
Maybe this advice is from a self proclaimed beginner, but it might as well have come from a GM
Agreed! Play, analyze you own games and HAVE FUN!
There has recently been a few very good post you might enjoy:
http://www.chess.com/article/view/creating-a-study-program
http://blog.chess.com/DeepGreene/a-simple-defence-against-aimless-chess-training
Chessmaster contains a lot of good material but you might want to consider a full mebership at this site. Chess Mentor and full tactics trainer is Golden!
Good links. I haven't seen them before. Thanks for posting
Dear to whomever shall read this,
I have recently taken up the game of chess seriously, as in last week
after a year of break ( long story short:
1) Picked game up two years ago 2) Had a club of ' good ' players for a year 3) Won a few first place trophies in unrated, scholastic tournaments 4) Chess club dissolved after a year 5) No real play or improvement for over a year 6) And recently have found an elderly Gentleman at a New Library willing to play and mentor me ( he used to be expert, but is now in the 1900s)
I was wondering how can I efficiently use what materials I have on hand in order to improve? I have only one program: Chessmaster tenth edition. I have only one book: My System.
They both have tons of material: where and how do I effectively start and then keep at it? Are they insufficient and need I supplement them with other things?
Sincerely, Averbach 555