chess training program

awesome GreatOogieBoogie. You give great forum response. 

Gannicus_The_God2 wrote:

Lately... I've been doing 30 hours a week in study time along with 600 tactics per week.... with 6 master games studied per week... was wondering is this kind of training any good... is there a better way to train... are there any websites that can help you design a chess program for yourself? Also just curious... how do the strong players make there training programs???? Thanks

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It is almost imperceptible, but as you get better at chess your brain focuses back and forth first on the pieces and pawns then on the squares they control with their imaginary powers. When you are concentrating on the squares they come into clear focus and the pawns and pieces become blurry. When you are concentrating on the pawns and pieces the squares become blurry.

As you become a a better and better player your CONTROL over this alternating process going on in your brain becomes stronger and stronger.

ernestosim01 wrote:

Yaroslavl,

Yes, I'd like to know more. What's your training method for reaching that goal?

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First, there are 3 things you need to know:

1.Chess is Modified Siege Warfare on a chessboard. It is all about 3 methods/strategies (restrain, blockade and execute, the enemy)

2.Pawn Structure/Formation is the terrain (mountains, hills, valleys of the battlefield). There are 6 characterisitc pawn structures/formations that the position assumes form any opening within 6-10 moves. Learning how to play either side of those 6 structures is essential.

3.There are 5 visualization pattern memory banks which you must build into your brain:

a.Tactics visualization pattern memory bank

b.Mating Net visualization pattern memory bank

c.Endgame visualization pattern memory bank

d.Opening visualization pattern memory bank

e.Middlegame visualization pattern memory bank

Start with 2 basic tools to organize and control your thinking and play:

1.A Before I Make A Move Checklist which you will expand as your knowledge of chess increases:

a. What is my opponent's Threat?

b. What is the pawn structure that the position has assumed on the board?

2.SIT ON YOUR HANDS when you are at the chessboard.

good to read these again Yaroslavl. hi. 

hahahahahaha, sit on your hands when you are at the chessboard. I like it, very true at my level.

Hello.  I have been scanning lightly your  thread. 

I'm turning 32 in just a week and I have started on a path of serious improvement, as well. 

Since I'm an ~1150 player right now I'm using ChessTempo to work on tactics and endgame, studying tons of master games, and playing a lot of long live games online. Very shortly, I'm going to begin showing up to local chess clubs and posting a USCF rating. 

Fun stuff. 

Yaroslavl wrote:

"First, there are 3 things you need to know..."

How does the ability to visualize the board and calculate fit into the framework you describe? It's different than the 5 pattern recognition areas (I think). For instance, when I play correspondence chess and use an analysis board (not a computer), I play significantly better. Is the ability to move the pieces around in your mind, and see clearly the final position, its own skill that can be learned and improved? Or is it limited to natural visualization ability?

rtr1129 wrote:

Yaroslavl wrote:

"First, there are 3 things you need to know..."

How does the ability to visualize the board and calculate fit into the framework you describe? It's different than the 5 pattern recognition areas (I think). For instance, when I play correspondence chess and use an analysis board (not a computer), I play significantly better. Is the ability to move the pieces around in your mind, and see clearly the final position, its own skill that can be learned and improved? Or is it limited to natural visualization ability?

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Campaigning for a candidate in a congressional race for a vacant seat in the Federal House of Representatives has kept me very busy lately and will continue until March 11th.

When I have more time I will share a detailed answer to your questions complete with diagrams. For now I will briefly answer the question and use generalized examples to explain the reasons for the answer.

Beginning with your second question, " Is the ability to move the pieces around in your mind, and see clearly the final position, its own skill that can be learned and improved?", the short answer is YES it is it's own skill. NO, it is NOT limitedby natural visualization ability. With practice you will be able to play an entire game in your head using only the algebraic chess notation of the game. And, you will be able to read a chess book without having to use a physical chessboard. The only diagram you will need is the one in your head. It CAN be learned and improved. The ability to move the pieces around in your mind, and see clearly the final position improves with practice and learning some signposts and shortcuts. Several examples of shortcuts are:

1.determining what is the PAWN STRUCTURE of the position. This will make it possible to analyze the position from the correct perspective. This knowledge alone makes it possible to cut out extraneous analysis.

2.knowing that backward isolated pawns on half-open files, isolated pawns on half-open file,double isolanis on adjacent half-open files, doubled pawns, etc. are weaknesses and how to exploit them.

3.knowing that one of our own pawns that is a protected passer, an outside passer, etc. are advantages and how to exploit them.

4.the 5 visualization pattern memory banks causes a move to jump up off of the position and strike you on the forehead in a flash.

Several examples of signposts are:

1.pawns CANNOT MOVE BACKWARDS. Any pawn move alters the position PERMANENTLY. Analyze long and hard any pawn move, yours as well as your opponent's.

2.PIECES CAN MOVE BACKWARDS. Check the position being analyzed exhaustively for the possibility of BACKWARD CAPTURES by enemy pieces. Also check exhaustively for SQUARES that enemy pieces are DEFENDING BACKWARDS.

3.knowing the difference between DIRECT and INDIRECT DEFENSE and being aware of those 2 possibilities in your analysis. Especially the knowledge that INDIRECT DEFENSE keeps the initiative/attack.

Now and in conclusion to your initial question, "How does the ability to visualize the board and calculate fit into the framework you describe?". The explanation above, I believe, makes clear that the framework I describe is a system of signposts and shortcuts that enhances considerably the ability to visualize the board and calculate. That is how they fit together.