My System

No Karpov?

 Here we hit upon the main thing that most chess book readers aren't wanting to do. Once I finally started seriously working on the book I've begun with, I am noticing significant progress. Combined with tactics trainer, that is, and mentor. Many players, myself included, want to purchase a chess book and flip through it when you're sleepy, or tired. Looking at it lots of times doesn't do almost anything. Gotta do the work, get out the board and play through all of it, with the variations. We will see if I can stick to it, but I'm positive if I do, it will make a gigantic difference. I haven't read or purchased My System, but I've heard the hype, all the big boys praise it, so maybe I will go for that one at some point, too. 

I'm baffled why players higher rated than me struggle to understand My System. It's easy to understand if you consider yourself as a static player. The only problem I have with is attack, attack, attack players. I'm hoping deep research in overprotection will put an end to this then my rating will climb.

 The OP startled me a bit. He's 1800 CC and finds My System difficult to comprehend? I'd imagine he just attacks constantly which wins him games.

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amilton542 wrote:

No Karpov?

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Karpov was represented in the World Championship matches book that I mentioned.

Listen, I feel you on a few points and understand where you're coming from but I myself am just starting to realize where the attack, attack, attack mindset comes from and I've now start to adopt it a bit myself. Of course, the game isn't static - and yet dynamic - so of course I'll deviate when absolutely necessary. The thing is that in tournament chess with, by FIDE standards, rapid chess being the overwhelming amount of games played (USCF), the attacking player (or counterattacking player as black) has a huge advantage. If you can put your opponent on his heels and calculating early on in a 25/5 for example, he's already in trouble. He has to attack your superior position (and fail) if he falls behind on too much time, as well. Attacking puts you in the driver's seat in rapid chess.

Once again though, I know what kind of players you're talking about and they don't bother me one bit now that I have some tactical vision. The Queen + Bishop attempt gets old fast, you know?

Don't get me wrong I do attack and go for the mate, but when it's called for. My chess style is quiet and patient hence why I love Karpov's games so much. I don't like to feel under pressure with you're counter play, this is why it's taking me longer than I thought to get good with my style because of the attack, attack, attack guy. I just hope in the long run this guy will be like "Oh shit he's shut me down!".

I can only echo Reb, SmysovFan and MorraMeister. Similar occurances also happened to me; that is, improving after reading "My System." However, I would also include "Blockade" as an text that also leads to improvement.

I'm 30 pages into it and it's already helped me. I really don't know what these guys are reading. Not even 1/3'rd into the first chapter is the center, development, time and tempo, material imbalances, etc are all covered with a game to demonstrate each motif.

Who are you going to study instead - Silman? Great but why not study both? Further, Seirawan > Silman since most of Silman = misunderstood Seirawan teachings.

Another thing or two to consider (as I'm studying it) is the following:

1) Part one is about the elements of chess. Part two is arguably the bible of positional chess.

2) It's one thing to explore My System by itself, and to explore both it and Chess Praxis together. I've just been told, vehemently, by multiple titled players that it would be bizarre for me to have the long term goals in place that I do and not read them both cover to cover.

It could also be that you only think you understand it.

I think that's the case for a lot of us the first time through some of this material. It's just part of the learning process. You have to crack the egg at some point.

Actually some context would be needed to properly evaluate that claim. Like how many chess books Reb had read before My System? Any other books on strategy? How long had he played? What other training he did? Did he have any former familiarity with the concepts presented in My System?

After all, if a player is at reasonable level tactically but has almost no idea about strategy then any proper book on the subject should bring considerable improvement.

"... a list of recommended reading. ... Inevitably this is a personal selection. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)

My System is not on the list. Silman's Reassess book is.

"... Jeremy Silman's How to Reassess Your Chess is an example of a good book which explains many important ideas in clear terms. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)

Here's a series of videos on youtube that deal with My System that might help you with the book:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW-ubDuosu7UKDXI6KF7XIMdzaStaVEIL

Good luck!

I plan to study this masterpiece, but which edition should I order?  I hear that some translations are far superior to others.  A quick internet search found no less than 7 different editions:

Sorry for the clumsy formatting above -- I resized all the pics to keep them small, and tried to minimize the white space, but the forum software here resisted my efforts.

See post #23 for some links to views on translation issues.