I don't know how good you are, but Pachman's Modern Chess Strategy is a very good book. Not for beginning players, but good for players who might be new to strategy.
How do I get better at positional chess or strategy?
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Mar 15, 2017
0
#3
You say you're willing to work hard, so let me mention also the Zurich 1953 book which is an annotated collection of games. You could do these books together (learn some strategy, then play over some games to see great players in action).
Add a basic endgame book (lets say Seirawan's Winning Chess Endings) and you'll be a well rounded player, able to make educated guesses about the underlying ideas and good candidate moves in just about any position.
Mar 15, 2017
0
#4
The one and only true way of getting better at chess strategy and chess tactics is to pray to goddess Caissa. No chess player can improve unless she decides to grant him or her the skill necessary. To properly pray to Caissa you should setup a shrine somewhere at home where you put up a kind of totem made from chess pieces and boards. For example take a board and put it on its side facing you on some table in the corner. So the board is the background and in front of you should be some kind of surface like a shelf or a table. You could also use some carving of a woman that looks like a Greek mythological dryad. Just nothing too naughty! Maybe a printed picture or art could work too. You could put another board in front of the upright board as a surface.
Then take a bunch of chess pieces and either stick them together with glue to create some kind of abstract chess sculpture or arrange them in some meaningful way in front of the board. Putting a chess clock there also helps. Maybe you could also take a string and tie some pawns and major pieces together like a garland or a wreath. You could add some flowers together with chess pieces. Use some nice flowers that match the pieces and boardin color. Caissa is inspired by Greek mythology about dryads. So something like Christmas tree branches might be good. Make it look nice.
Caissa prefers wooden pieces of the highest quality. She may even be offended if you use some crappy club plastic pieces. She knows if you are cheap.
You can also add other decorations to make your altar to goddess Caissa nicer and to show your dedication. You can use decorative candles. Make sure they look nice. Scented and unscented. Doesn't matter. You can get some kind of incense sticks too. Make sure to follow fire safety rules. Only use candles or incense sticks if they are away from the wooden board, pieces, or any plant decorations. Do not leave lit candles unattended. Candles should have some kind of plate or metal tray under them. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. If fire safety is an issue or too much hassle then use electric Christmas lights. Just make sure to get very nice onesguess in the daytime the incense works better because there is beautiful smoke filling the room. At night candles may look nicer.
Then find some poems written about Caissa by various authors in history. There is a poem Scaccia by Ludus, some poem by a polish Lithuanian poet, some other by an English guy. Make sure you put it into your memory to be able to recite it. Get on your knees in front of Caissa and recite the poem dedicated to her. Maybe write one to your own. You can put some good quality food as a symbolic offering the goddess of chess. Don't offer her some rotten apples or wilted bananas! Get the good stuff. Ask Caissa to make you smart and proficient at chess. Request her to grant you the skills of a master. Ask for victory over opponents so that you vanquish your enemies, drive them out before you, and hear the lamentation of their women!
Do that at least twice a day. If you can, three or five times. You will soon start winning and defeating almost every opponent you face. You'll be taking their pieces left and right and checkmate them in most awesome ways. Blessings of Caissa will start pouring on you as long as you diligently pray to her.
So forget about reading those dumb chess books, chess videos, tricks, or looking over your games. You have to make a shrine to chess goddess.
(Satire)
Then take a bunch of chess pieces and either stick them together with glue to create some kind of abstract chess sculpture or arrange them in some meaningful way in front of the board. Putting a chess clock there also helps. Maybe you could also take a string and tie some pawns and major pieces together like a garland or a wreath. You could add some flowers together with chess pieces. Use some nice flowers that match the pieces and boardin color. Caissa is inspired by Greek mythology about dryads. So something like Christmas tree branches might be good. Make it look nice.
Caissa prefers wooden pieces of the highest quality. She may even be offended if you use some crappy club plastic pieces. She knows if you are cheap.
You can also add other decorations to make your altar to goddess Caissa nicer and to show your dedication. You can use decorative candles. Make sure they look nice. Scented and unscented. Doesn't matter. You can get some kind of incense sticks too. Make sure to follow fire safety rules. Only use candles or incense sticks if they are away from the wooden board, pieces, or any plant decorations. Do not leave lit candles unattended. Candles should have some kind of plate or metal tray under them. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. If fire safety is an issue or too much hassle then use electric Christmas lights. Just make sure to get very nice onesguess in the daytime the incense works better because there is beautiful smoke filling the room. At night candles may look nicer.
Then find some poems written about Caissa by various authors in history. There is a poem Scaccia by Ludus, some poem by a polish Lithuanian poet, some other by an English guy. Make sure you put it into your memory to be able to recite it. Get on your knees in front of Caissa and recite the poem dedicated to her. Maybe write one to your own. You can put some good quality food as a symbolic offering the goddess of chess. Don't offer her some rotten apples or wilted bananas! Get the good stuff. Ask Caissa to make you smart and proficient at chess. Request her to grant you the skills of a master. Ask for victory over opponents so that you vanquish your enemies, drive them out before you, and hear the lamentation of their women!
Do that at least twice a day. If you can, three or five times. You will soon start winning and defeating almost every opponent you face. You'll be taking their pieces left and right and checkmate them in most awesome ways. Blessings of Caissa will start pouring on you as long as you diligently pray to her.
So forget about reading those dumb chess books, chess videos, tricks, or looking over your games. You have to make a shrine to chess goddess.
(Satire)
From what I've been taught there are 2 general areas in chess, your tactical and strategic ability. I'm not trying to say I'm special or anything but compared to the people I play chess with there is a clear big difference in tactical ability and visualization/calculation type skills. But despite this they can still give me some trouble in games which suggests I'm lacking in certain areas. To describe my situation I get uncomfortable in positions way too easily and feel like I am lost and don't know what to do. A lot of games it also seems like my edge in tactics doesn't make a big of a difference as I expect it to. I would love to achieve the adaptability chess masters seem to have and am willing to work hard for it. I feel like this is the one thing stopping me from absolutely destroying my peers.