Good Training Advice for Class D-B players

WARNING: LONG POST

I've been doing roughly 1.5-2 hours of tactics trainer every day, and find that my rating fluctuates around 200 points up and down at a time.

However I've also been experimenting with chessimo for iphone (i'm a mac user ) for the past few days. I've rigorously trained through the first 25 or so of the first tactics module over about 2 days.

At first I was heavily turned off by chessimo, as all of its problems thus far are "mate in somethings," instead of middle game tactics (which I think are more important). I'm getting to the point where the problems are difficult to figure out at first (mate in 3-6+), but by the third or fourth repitition, I see the answer immediately. So, in a way, chessimo encourages/motivates you by itself, and is fun to train with.

I noticed improvement from the Chessimo training for the first time whilst doing my "TT" session yesterday, when I solved a few difficult problems immediatley, using ideas and themes seared into my brain from the Chessimo training. I also considered different continuations when approaching complex TT problems and ultimately solved the puzzle correctly by reflecting on similar Chessimo problems. (Occasionally I got TT problems that were EXACTLY the same as some chessimo problems! got those instantly too )

If you are already excellent at tactics, you can ignore this post. My strategical understanding was far superior to my tactical ability about a year ago, so I decided to try and attack my weakness with intense tactical training. 

If you find yourself in the same boat, or simply need to become a stronger tactician (don't really all we amateurs need to though?) I reccomend utilizing chess.com's TT tactics for 1-2 hours a day (or any other offsite equivelant, like chesstempo) supplemented by 30mins to an hour (or MORE if you can make time like me ) of Chessimo tactics training.

I understand not everyone has 3 hours in their day to devote to tactical training alone, but alot of people really do, they honestly are just lackadaisical and use the "I'm a busy adult" excuse for their laziness, and don't want to commit to an intense regimen. That's fine, more points for me. I honestly admit that there are some people that are far too busy for such a training program, and to you I reccomend a smaller ratio'd amount of training, like 30 minutes of TT (or Chesstempo) followed by 1 module of chessimo tactics training (or vice versa), which should take about an hour in total.

But if you're at my level, and you want a SERIOUS day by day routine that guarantees results (if you stick to it daily and religiously) I reccomend 1.5-2 hours of TT and 1-2 hours of chessimo every day in (any order). After only a few days of doing this I can already feel a large difference in my tactical skills. Even the problems I miss on TT are continuations that I had considered, or incorrectly thought I saw something more forcing , or I just messed the move order up. 

I'm not sure how expensive Chessimo is for the computer, but for the iPhone and iPad, it MAXES out at $3 for all 6 training modules, and has all (from what I can tell) the features from its more expensive pc counterpart. 

My last bit of warning: do NOT switch TT (or chesstempo) for CTS. If you want to do CTS (and I don't blame you, CTS is great tactical training) use it in a supplementary manner. TT gives you enough time to calculate and improve your visualization if you do not know the problem immediately, which is essential. Chessimo builds your pattern recognition, TT puts it to use in a practical situation. CTS also improves your pattern recogniction, so DO NOT replace it with TT. I also find Chessimo  a more successful pattern recognition trainer, as it focuses on repitition de la maza style, while CTS does not. So AGAIN: use CTS if you WANT, but as a SUPPLEMENTARY tool, not to REPLACE any of the training listed above.

I aplogize for any grammatical or spelling errors above!

happy training! 

Good luck, John.  I suggest you concentrate on basic checkmates.  Use a book like "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess," or the one by Polgar.  You seem like a nice person, but I have a question?  What is a beautiful girl like her doing with a guy like you?  (must be your sister).

You are pretty bad if you train that much though ;-)

xAsnl wrote, "... My strategical understanding was far superior to my tactical ability about a year ago, so I decided to try and attack my weakness with intense tactical training..." 

If you find yourself in the same boat, or simply need to become a stronger tactician (don't really all we amateurs need to though?) I reccomend utilizing chess.com's TT tactics for 1-2 hours a day (or any other offsite equivelant, like chesstempo) supplemented by 30mins to an hour (or MORE if you can make time like me ) of Chessimo tactics training.

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You probably already know everything that is written below.  But, what is an important idea, concept, principle, or theory bears repeating.

Starting with a tautology is usually not a good idea.  But, in this case, it is the best entry point to the subject you have addressed concerning strategy and tactics.

All tactics are strategy, but not all strategies are tactics.  In other words, all ants are insects, but not all insects are ants.

Strategies are the limbs and branches.  Tactics are the leaves.  Tactics can sometimes disregard pawn structure.  But, strategy (plan of attack) must conform to the pawn structure or it is almost certainly doomed to failure.  The pawn structure is the terrain of the battlefield.  It is the hills, mountains and valleys of the battlefield on the chessboard.  If your strategy calls for your army to go thru a mountain, then it will very probably fail.

Every move in chess has advantages and disadvantages.  Strategies(plans of attack) have advantages and disadvantages.  Tactics have advantages and disadvantages as they relate to the overall strategy.  Your tactic may be sound and successful, but if it is not in concert with your overall strategy, it might cost you the game.  More specifically, you may succeed in forking your opponents R and Q.  But if you get mated by force, within 2-3 moves, at the conclusion of your successful tactic, your tactic was pointless. 

There are 2 types of advantages and disadvantages in a chess position.  One advantage/disadvantage is Dynamic.  The other type of advantage/disadvantage is Static. 

Static advantage/disadvantage has to do with the physical pieces, pawns, and squares on the board. An example of a static advantage/disadvantage are doubled pawns.  They contain, relative to White's and Black's entire positions on the board, advantages and disadvantages.  Usually the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, and that is what makes them exploitable weaknessess in the opponent's position.  There is a methodology to exploiting a doubled pawn weakness.  First, you must think of the doubled pawn complex as a limp in a sitting man.  The limp is not discernible.  However, if the man rises from his seat and begins to walk, the limp becomes easy to see.  In order to exploit the static weakness of a doubled pawn complex, one must make moves that either force or strongly encourage that pawns of the doubled pawn complex to advance.  There is more to the methodology.  It is contained in a book titled "My System, by Aaron Nimzowitsch.  Yes, tactical sorties can be used against doubled pawn complexes.  But most of the time doubled pawns are exploited with strategical plans that might or might not lead to tactical culminations.

I hope this helps. Your training regimen sounds fine.  Good luck, hardwork/study in becoming a 'professional gunslinger' (a very strong player.)   

Dynamic advantages/disadvantages are inextricably interwined with the power of the pieces and the balance of power on the board.  In the final analysis the dynamic advantage/disadvantage is directly connected to a specific square, pawn on a specific square, or piece on a specific square.  In other words, Dynamic advantages/disadvantages must become static advantages/disadvantages.     

Lame.

Best training is to buy around 300 chessbooks and read them from cover to cover with all the moves in your head instead of a chess board.  Its what Carlsen did, and it works. 

If you have Carlsen's memory o.o

Hi John,

Very good training regimen, that will certainly bring you great rewards over time, and a wise analysis of the pros and cons of the tactical tools you use.

Congrats !

I convinced her somehow : )

You are a very attractive couple.  Of course, 90% of that is her.