Yes of course you can reach 1800.
It is just a matter of tactics.
Is it possible for me to reach 1800?
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tygxc wrote:
Yes of course you can reach 1800.
It is just a matter of tactics.
A lot of opponents play quiet openings without much tactics like exchange french or nimzovich system. Tactics alone aren't enough.
#3
Try to play the exchange french or nimzovich system against a strong engine, it will destroy you with middle game tactics. Tactics are everywhere even where you would not expect them. The main point is not to allow tactics for your opponent and to seize the opportunity whenever your opponent allows you a tactic.
As tygxc said, tactics are very important. But according to world champion Bobby Fischer: “Tactics flow from a superior position”.
Here are my tips:
Understanding positional play comes from understanding what each piece should be doing, what each piece’s job is.
Holes: This is a square that can no longer be controlled by pawns. If you can get a minor piece (or even major), supported by a pawn, on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can literally resign. Having a piece cemented in your opponent’s position can prove to be truly disruptive to their coordination.
Weaknesses: You need to know what it a weakness, and realize what pieces can target it. A backwards pawn, doubled pawn and isolated pawn are all examples of weak pawns. A square can also be weakened if only one pawn is controlling it. This is because if that pawn moves, the square is now a hole.
Captures: Understanding what the game plan is comes in here. Let’s say you have a closed Italian Game, and want to expand on the Queenside. You might understand that doing so will come with some pawn exchanges. So you keep the bishop pair, because bishops work best on long, open diagonals, where they control a lot of squares.
Bad bishop: why should my bishop be hiding behind pawns? It’s an attacking piece, made for pressuring and slicing. Get your bishop outside the pawn chain, or advance your pawns to let it out. If you can’t, be willing to have a trade, in fact, look for a trade. It’s a useless piece. If an opponent wants to trade a bad bishop for your good bishop, decline (unless you have a massive winning advantage).
Good bishop: The opposite. Strong attacking piece, outside the pawns, pressuring pieces, in the game.
Bad Knight: it’s just not in the game. Sitting on the second rank, chilling at home. Be willing to trade it.
Good knight: I think I mentioned it before, but if you have a knight on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can resign.
Rooks: Want to get the rook in the game? Double them up on an open file. When the time is right, you can consider infiltrating on the other side of the board. A nice outpost square might be on c6, supported by a pawn, where it’s difficult for your opponent to remove you.
Queen: Your pieces need to be harmonious. Your Queen is not the strongest piece, it’s the weakest. Every time it’s attacked, you have to move or block it! So annoying! Your Queen doesn’t always have to be at the heart of an attack. It can play a supporting role from the background.
Targeting pawn structures: you need to know how you can weaken a pawn structure. For example, in a rapid game I played, I captured a knight, doubling my opponents pawns. This doubling of pawns also locked in my opponent’s bishop for the rest of the game. The doubled pawns could not move. And I had a pawn chain on the other side. A pawn structure can change the game.
Clamping on a pawn structure: Have a pawn on A5? Consider moving it to A6. This might disallow the opponents pawns to move any farther if it’s a 2 on 1 majority situation. 1 pawn hindering 2 can limit their ability to create a passed pawn.
The element of time: Understand that in the opening your goal is to safeguard the king, and prepare your troops for battle. No time for one move threats. A tempo in chess is a move. Make sure your pieces are on stable squares. Before you make a move, ask yourself “can this piece be attacked by my opponent in the future? If so, is it worth placing it here right now?”
Here are my tips:
Understanding positional play comes from understanding what each piece should be doing, what each piece’s job is.
Holes: This is a square that can no longer be controlled by pawns. If you can get a minor piece (or even major), supported by a pawn, on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can literally resign. Having a piece cemented in your opponent’s position can prove to be truly disruptive to their coordination.
Weaknesses: You need to know what it a weakness, and realize what pieces can target it. A backwards pawn, doubled pawn and isolated pawn are all examples of weak pawns. A square can also be weakened if only one pawn is controlling it. This is because if that pawn moves, the square is now a hole.
Captures: Understanding what the game plan is comes in here. Let’s say you have a closed Italian Game, and want to expand on the Queenside. You might understand that doing so will come with some pawn exchanges. So you keep the bishop pair, because bishops work best on long, open diagonals, where they control a lot of squares.
Bad bishop: why should my bishop be hiding behind pawns? It’s an attacking piece, made for pressuring and slicing. Get your bishop outside the pawn chain, or advance your pawns to let it out. If you can’t, be willing to have a trade, in fact, look for a trade. It’s a useless piece. If an opponent wants to trade a bad bishop for your good bishop, decline (unless you have a massive winning advantage).
Good bishop: The opposite. Strong attacking piece, outside the pawns, pressuring pieces, in the game.
Bad Knight: it’s just not in the game. Sitting on the second rank, chilling at home. Be willing to trade it.
Good knight: I think I mentioned it before, but if you have a knight on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can resign.
Rooks: Want to get the rook in the game? Double them up on an open file. When the time is right, you can consider infiltrating on the other side of the board. A nice outpost square might be on c6, supported by a pawn, where it’s difficult for your opponent to remove you.
Queen: Your pieces need to be harmonious. Your Queen is not the strongest piece, it’s the weakest. Every time it’s attacked, you have to move or block it! So annoying! Your Queen doesn’t always have to be at the heart of an attack. It can play a supporting role from the background.
Targeting pawn structures: you need to know how you can weaken a pawn structure. For example, in a rapid game I played, I captured a knight, doubling my opponents pawns. This doubling of pawns also locked in my opponent’s bishop for the rest of the game. The doubled pawns could not move. And I had a pawn chain on the other side. A pawn structure can change the game.
Clamping on a pawn structure: Have a pawn on A5? Consider moving it to A6. This might disallow the opponents pawns to move any farther if it’s a 2 on 1 majority situation. 1 pawn hindering 2 can limit their ability to create a passed pawn.
The element of time: Understand that in the opening your goal is to safeguard the king, and prepare your troops for battle. No time for one move threats. A tempo in chess is a move. Make sure your pieces are on stable squares. Before you make a move, ask yourself “can this piece be attacked by my opponent in the future? If so, is it worth placing it here right now?”
Supreme_Gamer_Girl wrote:
I've been stuck in the 1500-1700 range since age 10.
I just wanna be able to say I'm good at chess.
You are good at chess.
Repeat after me "I am good at chess"
Jalex13 wrote:
As tygxc said, tactics are very important. But according to world champion Bobby Fischer: “Tactics flow from a superior position”.
Here are my tips:
Understanding positional play comes from understanding what each piece should be doing, what each piece’s job is.
Holes: This is a square that can no longer be controlled by pawns. If you can get a minor piece (or even major), supported by a pawn, on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can literally resign. Having a piece cemented in your opponent’s position can prove to be truly disruptive to their coordination.
Weaknesses: You need to know what it a weakness, and realize what pieces can target it. A backwards pawn, doubled pawn and isolated pawn are all examples of weak pawns. A square can also be weakened if only one pawn is controlling it. This is because if that pawn moves, the square is now a hole.
Captures: Understanding what the game plan is comes in here. Let’s say you have a closed Italian Game, and want to expand on the Queenside. You might understand that doing so will come with some pawn exchanges. So you keep the bishop pair, because bishops work best on long, open diagonals, where they control a lot of squares.
Bad bishop: why should my bishop be hiding behind pawns? It’s an attacking piece, made for pressuring and slicing. Get your bishop outside the pawn chain, or advance your pawns to let it out. If you can’t, be willing to have a trade, in fact, look for a trade. It’s a useless piece. If an opponent wants to trade a bad bishop for your good bishop, decline (unless you have a massive winning advantage).
Good bishop: The opposite. Strong attacking piece, outside the pawns, pressuring pieces, in the game.
Bad Knight: it’s just not in the game. Sitting on the second rank, chilling at home. Be willing to trade it.
Good knight: I think I mentioned it before, but if you have a knight on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can resign.
Rooks: Want to get the rook in the game? Double them up on an open file. When the time is right, you can consider infiltrating on the other side of the board. A nice outpost square might be on c6, supported by a pawn, where it’s difficult for your opponent to remove you.
Queen: Your pieces need to be harmonious. Your Queen is not the strongest piece, it’s the weakest. Every time it’s attacked, you have to move or block it! So annoying! Your Queen doesn’t always have to be at the heart of an attack. It can play a supporting role from the background.
Targeting pawn structures: you need to know how you can weaken a pawn structure. For example, in a rapid game I played, I captured a knight, doubling my opponents pawns. This doubling of pawns also locked in my opponent’s bishop for the rest of the game. The doubled pawns could not move. And I had a pawn chain on the other side. A pawn structure can change the game.
Clamping on a pawn structure: Have a pawn on A5? Consider moving it to A6. This might disallow the opponents pawns to move any farther if it’s a 2 on 1 majority situation. 1 pawn hindering 2 can limit their ability to create a passed pawn.
The element of time: Understand that in the opening your goal is to safeguard the king, and prepare your troops for battle. No time for one move threats. A tempo in chess is a move. Make sure your pieces are on stable squares. Before you make a move, ask yourself “can this piece be attacked by my opponent in the future? If so, is it worth placing it here right now?”
Here are my tips:
Understanding positional play comes from understanding what each piece should be doing, what each piece’s job is.
Holes: This is a square that can no longer be controlled by pawns. If you can get a minor piece (or even major), supported by a pawn, on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can literally resign. Having a piece cemented in your opponent’s position can prove to be truly disruptive to their coordination.
Weaknesses: You need to know what it a weakness, and realize what pieces can target it. A backwards pawn, doubled pawn and isolated pawn are all examples of weak pawns. A square can also be weakened if only one pawn is controlling it. This is because if that pawn moves, the square is now a hole.
Captures: Understanding what the game plan is comes in here. Let’s say you have a closed Italian Game, and want to expand on the Queenside. You might understand that doing so will come with some pawn exchanges. So you keep the bishop pair, because bishops work best on long, open diagonals, where they control a lot of squares.
Bad bishop: why should my bishop be hiding behind pawns? It’s an attacking piece, made for pressuring and slicing. Get your bishop outside the pawn chain, or advance your pawns to let it out. If you can’t, be willing to have a trade, in fact, look for a trade. It’s a useless piece. If an opponent wants to trade a bad bishop for your good bishop, decline (unless you have a massive winning advantage).
Good bishop: The opposite. Strong attacking piece, outside the pawns, pressuring pieces, in the game.
Bad Knight: it’s just not in the game. Sitting on the second rank, chilling at home. Be willing to trade it.
Good knight: I think I mentioned it before, but if you have a knight on the fifth or sixth rank, your opponent can resign.
Rooks: Want to get the rook in the game? Double them up on an open file. When the time is right, you can consider infiltrating on the other side of the board. A nice outpost square might be on c6, supported by a pawn, where it’s difficult for your opponent to remove you.
Queen: Your pieces need to be harmonious. Your Queen is not the strongest piece, it’s the weakest. Every time it’s attacked, you have to move or block it! So annoying! Your Queen doesn’t always have to be at the heart of an attack. It can play a supporting role from the background.
Targeting pawn structures: you need to know how you can weaken a pawn structure. For example, in a rapid game I played, I captured a knight, doubling my opponents pawns. This doubling of pawns also locked in my opponent’s bishop for the rest of the game. The doubled pawns could not move. And I had a pawn chain on the other side. A pawn structure can change the game.
Clamping on a pawn structure: Have a pawn on A5? Consider moving it to A6. This might disallow the opponents pawns to move any farther if it’s a 2 on 1 majority situation. 1 pawn hindering 2 can limit their ability to create a passed pawn.
The element of time: Understand that in the opening your goal is to safeguard the king, and prepare your troops for battle. No time for one move threats. A tempo in chess is a move. Make sure your pieces are on stable squares. Before you make a move, ask yourself “can this piece be attacked by my opponent in the future? If so, is it worth placing it here right now?”
Is this from a Silman book? I've seen this entire text before.
Must be rough
It’s not from Silman, I compiled it and frequently copy and paste it to send to others.
It’s from a Silman book.
NMRhino…it’s not though. You will never see that in a Silman book unless he likes my writing….
“For example, in a rapid game I played, I captured a knight, doubling my opponents pawns.”
Does that sound like Silman to you?
Or are you joking? (I can’t tell)
“For example, in a rapid game I played, I captured a knight, doubling my opponents pawns.”
Does that sound like Silman to you?
Or are you joking? (I can’t tell)
is Caro-Kann good for Intermediate level? I played really bad when I played as Black
The Caro-Kann is considered a solid opening, and playable at all levels.
Jalex13 wrote:
The Caro-Kann is considered a solid opening, and playable at all levels.
Ofc But it's difficult to apply in the game for me... maybe playing Rapid is more comfortable for adaptation
HM_R10 skrev:
Jalex13 wrote:
The Caro-Kann is considered a solid opening, and playable at all levels.
Ofc But it's difficult to apply in the game for me... maybe playing Rapid is more comfortable for adaptation
Yeah I think it is better to practice an opening in slower time controls before playing it in Blitz and bullet.
Most of the 1800s rapid on this site have a strength of 2300+ tactics on here.
Tactics might not be the only thing but under 2000 they are very important.
#17
The tactics rating is inflated on this site.
Regardless of that, unlike in a game in a tactics puzzle you know there is a tactics and you know for which side.
I've been stuck in the 1500-1700 range since age 10.
I just wanna be able to say I'm good at chess.