I've hit a wall. Now what? - Chess Forums - Page 2

ForeverHoldYourPiece

Jun 26, 2014

0

#21

TheHoodedClaw wrote:

again; all the comments are bang your head against the wall and study even more. no comments about my pointing out to organize that learning and work on the physical and mental toughness. Magnus C. is noted more for being a grinder and calculator than for being a flamboyant sacrificial tactician. I play tennis too and one has to hang in there against tough opposition and play through a little pain, mental and physical. THC

You make a good point.

ForeverHoldYourPiece

Jun 26, 2014

0

#22

I_Am_Second wrote:

ForeverHoldYourPiece wrote:

After a little more than a year of serious studying, I've seem to hit a wall of improving.

I've done plenty of tactics, and my tactic's blade is sharp enough.

I know my openings(at least the ones I'll play at tournament level)decently, and I am in the process of increasing my opening knowledge.

My endgame is decent at this point, as I'm going through Silman's Endgame Course, it's improving.

My middle game is the best it's been in a while.

Now the question is, what's next?

Do I study openings deeper? Middlegame? Endgame? Before this, my path to improving has seemed straight forward, but now I'm not so sure.

All good questions, but Im not sure about your answers. You give vague answere to how you think you are doing in each phase of the game. Its hard to offer suggestions when you give answers like "sharp enough" "improving" "the best its been in awhile"

The obvious question...After analyzing your games, where are you going wrong?

What is your USCF rating?

Do you have a coach?

I'm only about 1600 USCF, but I don't get to as many tournaments as I would like.

I don't have a coach, been thinking about that.

ForeverHoldYourPiece

Jun 26, 2014

0

#23

halogenic wrote:

Do you study master games? How about studying the various pawn structures that are derived from the openings you play (or openings you wish to learn) and how they affect the course of the game; what kinds of strategies are derived from the Caro-Slav family of structures for example. Also, studying tactics is probably something that should be ongoing at any level of mastery.

I do study master games, primarilly only ones of my serious opening collection though.

ForeverHoldYourPiece

Jun 26, 2014

0

#24

Thanks for all the suggestions.

zjablow1

Jun 26, 2014

0

#25

Just keep working. Last year, I had the same problem, and didn't make any progress until January of this year, where everything just clicked and I jumped about 300 points, from 1500 to 1800 USCF. The same will happen for you.

Knowing you, you should probably know your openings deeper (including the ones you might not play consistently). Aside from just memorizing moves, think about ideas involved in the opening. Also, work on tactics a lot; that's what got me out of my year-long slump. Every day, just do an 30 - 60 minutes of tactics (chesstempo or tactics trainer on chess.com) and you will see improvement.

I_Am_Second

Jun 26, 2014

0

#26

ForeverHoldYourPiece wrote:

I_Am_Second wrote:

ForeverHoldYourPiece wrote:

After a little more than a year of serious studying, I've seem to hit a wall of improving.

I've done plenty of tactics, and my tactic's blade is sharp enough.

I know my openings(at least the ones I'll play at tournament level)decently, and I am in the process of increasing my opening knowledge.

My endgame is decent at this point, as I'm going through Silman's Endgame Course, it's improving.

My middle game is the best it's been in a while.

Now the question is, what's next?

Do I study openings deeper? Middlegame? Endgame? Before this, my path to improving has seemed straight forward, but now I'm not so sure.

All good questions, but Im not sure about your answers. You give vague answere to how you think you are doing in each phase of the game. Its hard to offer suggestions when you give answers like "sharp enough" "improving" "the best its been in awhile"

The obvious question...After analyzing your games, where are you going wrong?

What is your USCF rating?

Do you have a coach?

I'm only about 1600 USCF, but I don't get to as many tournaments as I would like.

I don't have a coach, been thinking about that.

So youre right at USCF B class player. Obviously this is just my suggestion, but this is what got me from B to A.

Middlegame Planning. Learning how to come up with a middle game plan is going to be very important on youre journey to A, and beyond.

Obviously tactics too

Learning to quit playing hope chess. What worked against 1300-1500, will not work now. You will need to learn to quit "hoping" your opponent doesnt see something.

zjablow1

Jun 27, 2014

0

#27

RybkaShredder wrote:

If you think you've hit a wall, I've been stuck at 1900 for a long time now

To be fair, last year you jumped like 400 points, so you were bound to slow down eventually

Perseus82

Jun 27, 2014

0

#28

Know thyself. Perhaps it's time for you to unlearn overly emphasized concepts and dogmas. During my younger years, I used to loved knights and preferred it over bishops. Then as i became more oriented with chessbooks, i was taught that the bishop slightly to be preferred over the knight specially if you possessed both colors. Years passed and i evolved as a chessplayer. I hadn't notice that i have been actually becoming more biased with this piece (the bishop). I only realized this after I got to know a strong rising player in our chessclub. He was young, aggressive, and have no noticeable preconceptions whatsoever. I observed he was very skillful in using his knights, and that is when i remembered myself back then. The the lesson? Try to question what you've learned. Be critical on the moves that come automatically to you. Maybe that will give you a good start.

"Education in Chess has to be an education in independent thinking and judgement. Chess must not be memorized, simply because it is not important enough. ... Memory is too valuable to be stocked with trifles." - Emanuel Lasker

Journification

Apr 20, 2015

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#29

Did it hurt?

The_Ghostess_Lola

Apr 20, 2015

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#30

4eva....ur ahhsum at chess. Are you just trolling ? I mean if you got this far....

NewArdweaden

Apr 20, 2015

0

#31

RonaldJosephCote

Apr 20, 2015

0

#32

I've hit a wall, now what? When your going to hell; keep going! Rehab is for quitters.

Robert_New_Alekhine

Apr 20, 2015

0

#33

Just keme plenty of times, when I was 1100, 1400, 1500, etc. At one point, you will jump 50 rating points, and then you will hit a wall again.