National Master: Ask Me Anything
Sort:
Abtectous
1 day ago
0
#21
Thoughts on Pineapple on pizza?
1 day ago
0
#22
Abtectous wrote:
Thoughts on Pineapple on pizza?
sure, why not. Are you offering? 
1 day ago
0
#23
I’m heading to my second classical tournament, I went to the same one around 4-5 months ago and although had a winning a position in every game, only got 2.5/5, I feel like I’ve improved a lot since then (and at keeping advantages) but I want to know any other advice I should have to try and get the full 5/5 in my tournament. I’m playing in the scholastic U1200 section
1 day ago
0
#24
Abtectous wrote:
I’m heading to my second classical tournament, I went to the same one around 4-5 months ago and although had a winning a position in every game, only got 2.5/5, I feel like I’ve improved a lot since then (and at keeping advantages) but I want to know any other advice I should have to try and get the full 5/5 in my tournament. I’m playing in the scholastic U1200 section
Good luck! We can discuss the games in a trial lesson: https://bookme.name/chessknight
That might help me have more context to answer you properly. Solving tons of tactics is pretty universally offered advice for club players. My brother Gus made it from 1200 to 1700 relatively quickly by just solving a lot, although he was putting some 2-3 hrs per day in, and also doing other chess. We combined this with Chessable/game analysis and Aagaard puzzles later for further development, and he did who knows how much independent analysis. Up to 2200 blitz!
These are online ratings, as his otb uscf is inactive. Quickly got to ~1400+ though.
For you, U1200 isn't that difficult of a section. Given your 1500+ rating in fast chess (1/0, maybe other peaks), you might be the clear favorite already, although who knows with kids these days.
Abtectous wrote:
I’m heading to my second classical tournament, I went to the same one around 4-5 months ago and although had a winning a position in every game, only got , I feel like I’ve improved a lot since then (and at keeping advantages) but I want to know any other advice I should have to try and get the full 5/5 in my tournament. I’m playing in the scholastic U1200 section
sounds like you are letting your opponents off the hook, feeling sorry for them. start by ruthlessly queening all your pawns to develop more desire to win.
1 day ago
0
#26
Thank you for your time, hope to get high enough rated to get paired against you 
1 day ago
0
#27
#24, thanks for the advice! Mostly what I’ve been doing to prepare is memorizing and studying opening lines (and analyzing the imbalances to understand the middle game plans) and doing tactics training, I think doing some endgame training would also be wise though. I feel like I’m pretty strong positionally at the moment (for me level at least) thanks to deep study of Silman’s Reassess Your Chess book.
1 day ago
0
#28
My friend NM Julian Proleiko has been making fun of Silman's book for how easy and redundant it seems to him, although I've heard good things for club players, maybe especially adults, and I've studied some of it.
1 day ago
0
#29
Also, after the tournament I’d love to discuss the games in a trial lesson! I’ve never had a coach before but think having somebody who can help point out imbalances and middlegame plans in certain opening positions and help give me guidance on what I should train would be very helpful! My question, what is your coaching style like?
How do you learn from reading matches on books? I always feel like "Ok, what is to be learned from this match? Ok, this Anderssen Immortal match is cool, but the book doesn't explain why they moved the pieces like they did, except for the main moves"
1 day ago
0
#31
#28, I’ve heard other high rated players make fun of Silman’s book although there seems to be more that praise it then hate it, I heard someone say once that Silman “spoon feeds” to players.
1 day ago
0
#32
I definitely think it’s a fantastic book for anyone around 1300-2100 though assuming they don’t have an understanding of imbalances, to be honest there isn’t much material that summarizes imbalances like he does and he introduced the concept to me in the first place.
1 day ago
0
#33
Abtectous wrote:
Also, after the tournament I’d love to discuss the games in a trial lesson! I’ve never had a coach before but think having somebody who can help point out imbalances and middlegame plans in certain opening positions and help give me guidance on what I should train would be very helpful! My question, what is your coaching style like?
Sure! My friend Ian thinks I should drop the trial lesson and just charge, however I've decided to keep it up for now. https://bookme.name/chessknight/free-trial-lesson
When I was active at coaching some years ago, my enthusiasm would catch fire, I remember one time a parent of an indian kid student of mine wanted a break from lessons because she was concerned that Darshan wouldn't want to do anything except chess, and he had school. 
Showed up to Zaeem's house to teach (carried a stack of ~20 books, he was like 10)... great times!
Yeah, my rate is discounted because I want to be more active as a coach again, I took a break.
1 day ago
0
#34
JackDeRip wrote:
How do you learn from reading books on matches? I always feel like "Ok, what is to be learned from this match? Ok, this Anderssen Immortal match is cool, but the book doesn't explain why they moved the pieces like they did, except for the main moves"
They actually do explain the moves. If not to your satisfaction, I can!
ElijahLogozarStudent escreveu:
JackDeRip wrote:
How do you learn from reading books on matches? I always feel like "Ok, what is to be learned from this match? Ok, this Anderssen Immortal match is cool, but the book doesn't explain why they moved the pieces like they did, except for the main moves"
They actually do explain the moves. If not to your satisfaction, I can!
I would like the books to explain the moves like the "chess.com review" does, lol
"You played this to try to catch a free pawn"
"Opponent played this because your piece is hanging"
"This move is good to control the center and defend your X knight"
1 day ago
0
#36
Fair enough. Some do, actually. Or maybe they assume you see that, and explain more advanced concepts.
1 day ago
0
#37
#35, sometimes it’s more informing to do that analysis yourself rather than filling the book with too many words. (In my opinion)
1 day ago
0
#38
#33, I’m glad to hear that! I’ve been trying to look for a coach who is as passionate about teaching chess as I am learning it! I have a lot more free time for chess as well since I’m homeschooled and am able to complete my school in around 3 hours since I can work at my own pace instead of following a class. My parents arnt too enthusiastic about getting me a coach but if I win my tournament I’d be able to pay for it with my own earnings! (I don’t know if it matters but I’ll just let you know my age now, 16)
1 day ago
0
#39
My brother Gus started taking chess more seriously at age 16. I remember sometimes I'd go on these "passionate rants" about chess concepts (for example, in this interview here)
Some of my reviews might seem overkill with how much I cared, for example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXXDD0YKIDMH
1 day ago
0
#40
#35, for example I was reading a book on the King’s Indian yesterday and the book said nothing else about the move Qc2 for white except (Qc2, Na6) I looked at it for a minute trying to understand why, then I realized it’s because black would be able to jump the knight to b4 and attack the queen, white should most definitely block this of course by a3, but I realized the move deeply weakened white’s position because of black’s bishop on g7 lazering down the a1-h8 diagonal that was clear of pawns except the near backward one on b2 which was only a weakness.