Why is studying chess so tedious and how can it be made more fun

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Lyudmil_Tsvetkov

Oct 31, 2018

#61

kaspariano wrote:

Lyudmil_Tsvetkov wrote:

ForgottenAmericans wrote:

haha @ "hard on him." He writes that he's written the best new book in the world on chess and has the secret to chess, but he has no clients, isn't good at chess himself, and has no new ideas in the entire book, then he gets a bunch of people to write fake reviews by sending them the book for free. Sorry man, being a 2000-rated author in chess just doesn't work, especially when you shill hard, saying you're the best in the world. That tactics book presents nothing new in the world of tactics, and nothing at all that helps an amateur solve tactics. No value is added.

On the contrary - it is the only book that includes ALL types of opening, middlegame and endgame

patterns, so one can learn everything on tactics from a single book.

Nice, is not it?

Polgar's Chess is just mates.

The only other book at 3000 puzzles is an edition of the Chess Informant, but the

paperback costs $60.

The kindle of Neverending Tactics is just 5 currently, so

you get 12:1 added value.

How I hate hollow haters.

Man, that is my life.

I am more passionate on chess than everyone else, and probably also know more.

Yes, informant's encyclopedia of chess combination 5th edition has 3001 combinations, and you can get it in CD version and read it in fritz or chessbase reader software. HERE

So, my has 2 more.

I have been very cognizant in preparing the largest puzzle collection...

Lyudmil_Tsvetkov

Oct 31, 2018

#62

ForgottenAmericans wrote:

Lyudmil claims his book is the only one that has tactics that cover all phases of the game. This is a pathetic lie from someone who has never looked in tactics books before. Tons of books cover all aspects of the game. The Polgar book CHESS does in fact have plenty of endgame combinations as well as opening miniatures. How stupid is this Lyudmil guy? Does he just openly lie assuming we don't know any of this?

I bet Polgar's has less than 3003, or am I wrong?

My claim is it covers 1000-1500 major tactical patterns, that is, almost all -

and you CAN NOT cover 1500 different patterns in a book including 300, or 1000 puzzles, right?

I wanted my book to be complete tactical trainer, with no loose ends attached, so, when you are finished, you know everything, how to draw and how to win.

That's why I included so many puzzles.

madratter7

Oct 31, 2018

#63

I have to say that the examples of this book I have seen look good. And I am certainly not a Tsvetkov fan-boy (far from it). He had to make some choices that all tactics books must make.

1) Where to put the solutions

2) Whether to put problems into categories like pins, etc.

3) What threshold to use in order to decide to include a puzzle (do you need to win 2 pawns, can just a positional gain be enough, etc.)

4) How hard are the positions to solve.

There pretty much isn't a right way/wrong way to make those choices. They suit different audiences.

If a tactics book in competently executed, it can have value to a certain audience regardless of those choices.

I think his pricing is quite reasonable. We can argue about whether the book has been competently executed (things like how many errors are there in the puzzles). But the arguments I have seen to this point aren't about whether the book was competently executed but about choices like the above.

jjupiter6

Oct 31, 2018

#64

ForgottenAmericans wrote:

I don't have any reason to think he's very smart. He seems like a pathological liar, and frequently says things that are easy to verify as false. Professional or intelligent people don't do that. Someone of quality wouldn't need to lie. He's a 2000 player who never achieved anything in chess, and doesn't have any playing skill or teaching skill. He isn't a famous chess trainer. He's a random guy who didn't use his material to get good at chess and didn't coach anyone good or who got good. It's just pure scamming honestly.

Ok ok - we get the message. You don't like this author. There's no need to go on and on about it and detail a thread in the process. One post expressing your disagreement is enough. Geez...

madratter7

Oct 31, 2018

#65

ForgottenAmericans wrote:

madratter7 -- Your argument is that any random tactics puzzle book must be good. That's a ridiculous argument. Lyudmil's is among the worst I've seen before. No publishing company would put the solutions right under the exercises like that. It's a rookie mistake that ruins the experience. His categorization only shows that he doesn't know that much about tactics. He doesn't say that this is a beginner's book. He claims he has the secret to chess that can make you a Grandmaster. He doesn't. If he had any secrets about chess, he wouldn't be a 2000 idiot on the internet who has to lie to try to make himself famous

My argument is nothing of the kind. Give specific examples of how his work is incompetent as opposed to something not in your taste. Solutions under the problem IS taste .... obviously not yours. As for "Secrets of Chess", that isn't what I was talking about. Keep on topic.

Demonstrate incompetence (i.e. poor puzzles with wrong solutions) or quit yapping about it.

I'm prepared to admit incompetence is possible here. I don't have the book so can only judge on what little I have seen.

A simple index card when used with the book can eliminate the problem you seem to be so worried about with the answers under the diagram.

jjupiter6

Oct 31, 2018

#66

ForgottenAmericans wrote:

jjupiter6, he came here to promote his work and replied back to what I said. He's a scam artist. He likes to just make up stuff. I don't think a 2000 player like that has anything to offer chess. I know because I'm also 2000 and I don't have the gall or arrogance to think I'm God's gift to chess. Personally, I have nothing against Lyudmil, so you got it wrong. I just disagree with his methods and his "knowledge" of chess and "secrets" that don't really exist. It's not just marketing. I get exaggerating a bit. He just lies.

As I said, we get the message. Give it a rest.

najdorf96

Nov 1, 2018

#67

Indeed. You should have a variety of chess books: tactics, MCOs, positional & strategy, endgame compositions, Silman, Chernev, Alekhine, My 60 games (Fischer), Pandolfinis, Horowitz, Euwe...Not just a few focused on one aspect. Annotate some games of Capablanca, Lasker, Karpov on your own as you play over them as an example. Get to know Rubinstein, Reshevsky, Fine, man. Enjoy the Grob by Basman. Attack with Tal. Read and Play the KID with Ponzetti (I probably misquoted that sorry)

najdorf96

Nov 1, 2018

#68

Point is, there is a lot to enjoy in studying. Finding the muse is really the hardest. Guess it's finding out what piques your interest at any given time and go with that. Don't focus on getting better per se but enjoy chess and it's layers. Best wishes

DrFrank124c

Nov 1, 2018

#69

The way I improved is through using the chess trainer on chesstempo and by watching videos, especially Dan Heisman's videos. I also analyze the games I lose with Lucas Chess.