Sequential ... you avoid gaps in your chess knowledge by being more thorough.
I've noticed that the adaptive mode over-estimates your skill, gives you this inflated mentor rating and quizzes you about advanced Silman-esque strategic/positional concepts (which you may or may not get right) when in fact, you've still got horrible holes in your basic chess knowledge that will bite you when you're actually playing a real chess game.
Sequential ... you avoid gaps in your chess knowledge by being more thorough.
I've noticed that the adaptive mode over-estimates your skill, gives you this inflated mentor rating and quizzes you about advanced Silman-esque strategic/positional concepts (which you may or may not get right) when in fact, you've still got horrible holes in your basic chess knowledge that will bite you when you're actually playing a real chess game.
Sequential over estemates your ratings too. Mine is at 2000, and I feel I'm wasting my time. So is this chess mentor crap, then?
Sequential ... you avoid gaps in your chess knowledge by being more thorough.
I've noticed that the adaptive mode over-estimates your skill, gives you this inflated mentor rating and quizzes you about advanced Silman-esque strategic/positional concepts (which you may or may not get right) when in fact, you've still got horrible holes in your basic chess knowledge that will bite you when you're actually playing a real chess game.
Sequential over estemates your ratings too. Mine is at 2000, and I feel I'm wasting my time. So is this chess mentor crap, then?
1. You're missing the point. When I said "overestimating ratings" I implied that Chess Mentor will use this rating number to find tougher lessons for you when you may NEED more fundamental stuff to cover.
2. For that matter, the chess mentor rating is of really little for those who seriously want to work at improving. It's more of a distraction.
3. The adaptive mode has one merit for me => if you're bored of a deep study session on one theme and want to hop around different topics, it wouldn't hurt. "Random topic chess studying" is still better than "no chess studying" :)
4. Chess Mentor is not cr#p by any means. Like any good tool, it needs to be used in the right manner to extract maximum benefit. What's right for you may be different based on your current level, your goals and the time you can devote to study.
The example of the classic D-player (who has stayed at the D class for years and years) getting excited about upgrading from Rybka 3 to Deepest Rybka 4 saying "this is sure to make me better!" comes to mind. I'm sure we all know somebody in our clubs who thinks this way.
Update: You're doing them sequentially and you still feel you're wasting your time? That's really surprising ... when I'm going through a slump and losing a ton of games, I re-do everything from the very basic mentor programs .. it's literally a way of telling myself to "go back to the drawing board" :)
I agree that Chess Mentor ratings mean nothing. As for your club player, I wouldn't know. Never been in a club. As for your update, I did just that just before I asked this question.
No more opinions?
the ratings are there just to help give you the right lessons. we probably need to tweak the formula some to make the ratings better, but that has no impact on if the lessons are good or not. that's like saying that a book is worthless because the title on the cover is misspelled.
If you are using mentor diligently in the sequential mode, you should see a steady improvement to your skill. I can't read minds or figure out "why" it's not just working for you, but I'd say keep working at it ...
One last thought, try using the computer workout and finding relevant training workouts based on Mentor lessons. (e.g. King and Pawn endings). That'll help you verify how well your lessons worked out for you.
It needs more low level lessons, though not rank beginner.
Why can't they get more lessons rated from 1100 to perhaps 1400?
I love mentor, but also agree lessons from 1100 to 1400 would help a ton, that being said, I'm sure it's hard to get someone to come up with lessons.
To the original poster, I am doing it sequentially because the adaptive mode got me to really advanced (for me at least) topics without telling me it switched from whatever lesson I was working on to some other lesson.
I feel the rating system is WAY off, meaning I just started playing semi-seriously, and it has me at a rating of 1600+, when my USCF rating would probably be under 700. But as someone said before, I don't worry about that rating, I am more interested in learning how to play better.
I love mentor, but also agree lessons from 1100 to 1400 would help a ton, that being said, I'm sure it's hard to get someone to come up with lessons.
To the original poster, I am doing it sequentially because the adaptive mode got me to really advanced (for me at least) topics without telling me it switched from whatever lesson I was working on to some other lesson.
I feel the rating system is WAY off, meaning I just started playing semi-seriously, and it has me at a rating of 1600+, when my USCF rating would probably be under 700. But as someone said before, I don't worry about that rating, I am more interested in learning how to play better.
I'm not worried about the rating on it either. I just wanted more lessons like I stated.
Why can't they get more lessons rated from 1100 to perhaps 1400?
noted!
Why can't they get more lessons rated from 1100 to perhaps 1400?
noted!
Thanks!!!
Why can't they get more lessons rated from 1100 to perhaps 1400?
noted!
Thanks!!!
Thanks from me too!
I love sequential! I love doing courses the most because the ideas are repeated and the level slowly increases. That way you really get a hang of it. Not just shooting blanks (sorry to all adaptive lovers!)
I was just wandering; is there a way to make it easier to do a whole course? because I find it hard to find the next lesson after I finish one. Could someone make a subscribe button for each course and make a 'take next lesson in subscribed course'-button. That would be very much appreciated.
@maartenderie
The method I use is:
1. go to chess mentor
2. go to courses
3. sort courses easiest to hardest. (I have a low rating.. :)
4. fine the course you are interested in or presently taking
5. Click on the course name, not "study course"
6. find your last lesson and click on the one not done yet.
It will keep going in sequential order if you have your preferences set up that way...
B
The sequential way or adaptive way? Which do you think is best?