tactics improvement

How can I improve my chess tactical skills? This is the only area which I am consistently weak on. I am 2100 uscf...and I have got here basically through pure positional strength...however in order to become better I need to learn to become a strong tactician. Does anyone know of the best ways to bring your tactics to the next level?

What all have you tried?  (When are you playing at the BCF again?)

Tried a lot of things xD

I am not a strong tactician either but once I tried to do systematic exercise by solving different kind of puzzles in mixed pace. I mean speed tactics that involves two-three combos to been solved and at a separate time puzzles that involves more complex solutions. In meantime I was working one hour before tactics session my anticipation on the board recognizing in speed and visualize.

I had improvement but when I stopped I fallen down again. I believe consistency in systematic work is the key....for everything.

I have tried practicing tactics on chess.com and a number of different books on tactics

Yeah, but what kind of volume?  What methods?  How much speed chess are you playing, and in which openings (i.e., closed/open or whatever)?

Yes but not systematic! Try to work in specific concepts each time. It's different to solve one hour mixed tactics and different to solve one hour for example only decoy-deflection-X Ray. The memory in your brain accumulate each idea more effective.

Before doing tactics try to work in vision and visualization. Warm up your brain neurons.

One of the finest books on tactics I have read is GM Bojkov's and GM Georgiev's : A course on tactics.

The themes are devided so harmonious in the book that is easy to understand practice with them.

No way.  USCF 2100 is  an expert.  What OTB tournaments have you played in?

How are your calculation skills would you say, Wizardofdarkness? At your level you obviously recognize patterns, you know to consider all checks and captures instinctively, and you can spot a weakness a mile away. Is it calculation that's holding you back? You are a much stronger player than me that's for sure. I find it interesting that you got this far from grinding out games positionally.  I wonder if long, sharp calculated lines are your weakness. 

lol that is the problem...it might just be calculation...I often can see all of my opponents moves...but can't calculate basic sequences...however I am only 1700 tactics.

I have played tournaments in Massachusetts..I have beat a number of masters...but mostly because they hang a piece...or make an obvious strategical blunder. I know my basic tactics(pins, skewers, forks etc) but I sometimes fail to recognize them in games and in puzzles. I know that there are a lot who are better than me in tactics...and I sometimes lose to much weaker players because they can spot tactics quicker.

To answer your question, Milliern, I am not sure when I am going to playing at the BCC again

I would suggest 10 tactics a day at chesstempo for a good number of months. Standard untimed tactics, where you should calculate until you see what seems to you to be a solution. No guessing, although I suppose you can set some limit to how long you are willing to work on a problem, like 10-15 minutes, then you can play your best guess. This tactical and calculation based training is very good for your chess, and it should help to improve patience at the board. Also the tactics all come from master/gm games, so you'd get used to seeing tactics where both sides have interesting plans and counterplans. Tactics trainer here is a good way to get some extra tactics in beyond the ten  and get a set of different patterns than you'd get on chesstempo, they also go faster since they are timed so it wont take nearly as long to do say 10 or so.