Trapped in Class C

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Avatar of BrooklynBrown
I’ve been a class C rated player for years. I play and study. I am not progressing towards class B. What should I do?
Avatar of Squidward18Q

quit

Avatar of BrooklynBrown
Now that’s funny
Avatar of blueemu

You've played over 1600 blitz games and 4 Daily games.

What was the question again?

Avatar of kindaspongey

As a C player myself, I can not do more than guess about what you should do, but it might help others to help you if you give some details about what you have been studying. Also, a sample of one of your losses in the analysis section.

https://www.chess.com/forum/category/game-analysis

Of course, slow games are usually regarded as being best for improvement.

Avatar of Monie49
Study more
Avatar of Nwap111

Go to Washington Square Park , play everyday, you will no longer be a c player.

Avatar of pfren

1600+ blitz games, and 35 rapid ones...

It should be the other way round.

Avatar of BrooklynBrown
Right now I am studying Chess Praxis. In the past, I studied My System, Chess Fundamentals by Capablanca, The Game of Chess by Tarrasch, and The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings by Fine.
Avatar of BrooklynBrown
I use to play chess at Washington Square Park and McNair in Brooklyn.
Avatar of BrooklynBrown
IM pfren has a point. When I played in USCF over-the-board tournaments, my rating was higher.
Avatar of EscherehcsE

Try not to drop into Class D.

Avatar of kindaspongey

One can get some idea of the lasting scope of the respect for My System by looking at:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever
Still, it might be noted that My System apparently did not occur to GM Yasser Seirawan as something to include in his list of personal favorites, and Aaron Nimzowitsch was not identified by the GM as a very worthy author.

https://www.chess.com/blog/RoaringPawn/an-open-letter-to-the-four-time-us-chess-champion-gm-yasser-seirawan

https://www.chess.com/blog/GMYAZ/open-letter-response-user-radovics-letter-to-me

My System has accumulated some direct negative commentary over the years.
"... I found [the books of Aaron Nimzowitsch to be] very difficult to read or understand. ... [Nimzowitsch: A Reappraisal by Raymond Keene explains his] thinking and influence on the modern game in a far more lucid and accessible way. ... The books that are most highly thought of are not necessarily the most useful. Go with those that you find to be readable; ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2010)
In 2016, IM pfren wrote:
"My System is an iconoclastic book. A lot of things in there is sheer provocation, and it does need an expereienced player to know what exactly must be taken at its face value.
I love 'My System', and I have read it cover to cover one dozen times, but suggesting it to a class player is an entirely different matter."
Also: "[Some things] ARE wrong, and it's not easy for a non-advanced player to discover those wrong claims.
Nigel Short has claimed that 'My System' should be banned. Stratos Grivas says that the book is very bad. I don't share their opinion, but I am pretty sure that there are more useful reads for class players out there."
Although he is a fan of My System, IM John Watson similarly acknowledged (2013) that:
"... Not everything in it has stood the test of time, ..."
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-108-of-eplus-books-part-2-nimzowitsch-classics
One last point to keep in mind is that, even if My System would eventually help a player, it might not necessarily be helpful to a player now.
"... Just because a book contains lots of information that you don’t know, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be extremely helpful in making you better at this point in your chess development. ..." - Dan Heisman (2001)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626180930/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf

Avatar of kindaspongey
RussBell wrote (June 1, 2019):

"My System is of course one of the great masterpieces of chess literature, compulsory reading for generations of players...I recommend My System[...]as strongly as I do any other chess book.  These days most classic works are no longer essential to a chess education, especially since the Internet; but if there's an exception, Nimzowitch's work is it." - from IM John Watson's book review here...

https://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-108-of-eplus-books-part-2-nimzowitsch-classics

Perspective on Aron Nimzowitsch's "My System"...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/perspective-on-my-system-by-aron-nimzowitsch

 

Avatar of kindaspongey

"... Ideas Behind the Chess Openings ... cannot be recommended to the modern student seeking to improve his or her understanding of opening theory."

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708112658/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review315.pdf

About half a century ago, I think the Fine book was considered to be nearly essential reading, but now, I fear that its information is seriously out-of-date. Also, I do not think it has much in the way of sample games.

Avatar of BrooklynBrown

Here's my take on My System, until I read this book I had no idea of the following:

1. Blockade/Over Protection

2. The Bishop Pair

3. Hanging Pawns/Pawn Chains

4. Weak Squares

5. 7th rank

6. Prophylaxis

Regarding Fine's Book, it put me on the path to recognize openings, however it did nothing to help me understand how to punish anyone that goes out of book openings.

I have forced myself to play a little slower and this has helped my game a little. Yesterday, I eclipsed my highest blitz rating of 1619 then I played a bit more and dropped a few points. During my days of playing in USCF tournaments, I played around a 1600 rating with slow time controls. Perhaps my best way towards to improvement is to play slower. My goal is to become a stronger B class player in blitz.

Avatar of StinkingHyena
pfren wrote:

1600+ blitz games, and 35 rapid ones...

It should be the other way round.

Hit the nail on the head. There was a book '10 Ways to Improve your Chess' or something close to that. Really good practical suggestions. Stuff like play higher rated opponents, physical fitness, study time etc.

One of the authors points was that blitz was detrimental especially below 2400. He believed blitz teaches bad habits (playing instinctive moves instead of thought out ones, not focusing on endgames etc.) He recommended adding 1 minute for every 25 points below 2400 the player is.

Avatar of BrooklynBrown
StinkingHyena wrote:
pfren wrote:

1600+ blitz games, and 35 rapid ones...

It should be the other way round.

Hit the nail on the head. There was a book '10 Ways to Improve your Chess' or something close to that. Really good practical suggestions. Stuff like play higher rated opponents, physical fitness, study time etc.

One of the authors points was that blitz was detrimental especially below 2400. He believed blitz teaches bad habits (playing instinctive moves instead of thought out ones, not focusing on endgames etc.) He recommended adding 1 minute for every 25 points below 2400 the player is.

(2400-1600)/25= 32 You're telling my games should be at least 32 minutes. Or 32 minutes added to classical tournament time controls?

Avatar of StinkingHyena
BrooklynBrown wrote:
StinkingHyena wrote:
pfren wrote:

1600+ blitz games, and 35 rapid ones...

It should be the other way round.

Hit the nail on the head. There was a book '10 Ways to Improve your Chess' or something close to that. Really good practical suggestions. Stuff like play higher rated opponents, physical fitness, study time etc.

One of the authors points was that blitz was detrimental especially below 2400. He believed blitz teaches bad habits (playing instinctive moves instead of thought out ones, not focusing on endgames etc.) He recommended adding 1 minute for every 25 points below 2400 the player is.

(2400-1600)/25= 32 You're telling my games should be at least 32 minutes. Or 32 minutes added to classical tournament time controls?

Yeah between 30-35 minute games should be your fastest games, you have to adjust some to find available opponents.

Avatar of StinkingHyena

The book is by Nigel Davies,