It looks like some think they can read a chess book, like they read fiction books. (One read, in a short time). I think this a mistake.
Many strong players says, weaker player doesn't need more information. Instead they need learn how to use their current understanding in practical play. Reading and gathering new information is not top priority. Instead they recommend weaker (=club) players to play lot of games AND analyse these.
Look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp2bH0WS0Ko
Finally broke 1700 in tactics here. 
It takes a while at 5 problems a day.
@K_Brown
You are right that Black should have delayed taking the poison pawn one move. As you say, White is still better, but it isn't anywhere near total position meltdown, and at an amateur level, there are plenty of ways for White to blow it. The first couple moves are quite natural. But after that, White needs to find a way to keep the advantage.
That was what the computer said. I never noticed that nuance myself when I was looking at the position. It's always fun to dissect positions like this where a mistake occurred. Thanks for posting the position.
Thanks SmyslovFan!
I played another 120s/move game today against Komodo 12.2.2 skill level 11 (starts at zero so actually the 12th level of 20). I was reminded yet again how much I still have to learn. I ended up in an endgame where I could not find the win. In my defense, I think this one is pretty tough. The table bases say mate in 41. Black to move.
Trent: I'm without. I know I'm never going to be a first rate chess player. But I love to learn. Feel free to post your progress as you go along.
Thanks for the encouragement! I had an intense couple of weeks at work and pretty much had to set everything that didn't have flames licking around it aside, but I just finished working through chapter 2 of Build 1. I picked up a copy of one of the books Yusupov recommends--How to Beat Your Dad At Chess--and read through it at bedtime. It's really useful. Between the two of them, I'm making slow, steady progress at tactics at chesstempo.
Wow, difficult end indeed. Seems to be the following 6 step plan:
1. Get the king to where it can go to e5 at the right time (the d6 square).
2. Get the rook to where it can check the white king and defend the f-pawn (the f2 square)
3. Check the king and attack the bishop using the tempos gained to move the king to e5 at the right time.
4. Win the e-pawn.
5. Advance your pawn using common endgame tactics and make white sac their bishop for the pawn.
6. Mate the enemy king with K+R vs K endgame.
In some lines it is possible that you exchange the rook for the bishop and have a winning K+P vs K endgame as well.
Very interesting. This endgame revolves around the dark squares and attacking to create tempos in a way that reminds me of the K+Q vs K+P endgame where one side wins.
What surprised me with this ending was how narrow the path was to victory. I would have thought that Black could diddle around before starting the correct moves. But it turns out that is not the case.
Oh? I thought the same thing. I would think black could diddle all day until the rook was moved. After the rook is moved you probably have to start finding the right moves.
Yeah. Kh6 wins. Kh4 draws. As you say, my intuition would say any winning chances are preserved until a rook move is made. But that is apparently not the case. That is per Komodo 12.2.2 and per Chessbase.
There's a cool draw that not many people know with R+Cpawn vs B that's a draw. I discovered it in a book by Botvinnik. Here's one of the basic positions:
Interesting. Would it work on the e-file?
Appears so, but there is probably rook tricks. I'll put it in a tablebase and find out.
It does work for the same reason.
I finished up Chapter 3 of Boost Your Chess, The Fundamentals. This chapter was on back rank combinations. I scored 14 of 19, which is a Good for the chapter. The last problem had me well and truly stumped for quite a while but I eventually worked it out.
My tactics score at Chess Tempo is currently sitting at 1661, which is reasonably near my high of 1672.
Likewise my tactics score here is also near its high and is at 1715. High ever was 1717 set a week ago.
Overall, I feel like I am making progress with my chess. I wish it was perhaps a little faster (a lot faster) but I imagine most people feel that way.
For those who are curious, here is a picture of my work area for chess.
It is directly across from my computer so I can swivel my chair and be at the chess table by moving about 3 feet. That is very convenient when I play against the computer and want to use a regular board for the pieces.
That is a nice chess set. There aren't many people who own chess table. That is really cool.
I finished Chapter 4 of Book 2 on exploiting weakness. Final score was 9 of 19 for a pass. Fortunately, I already had the 9 points before going into the final problem. I fell for a line he talked about as tempting but that had no advantage with best defense.
The 9 points was good enough for a pass. I'll take that since the chapters on positional play tend to be among the hardest, at least for me. I generally understand and know the concepts. The problem is that the answers are typically not as clear cut as tactics and it is harder to know for sure you have the right line.
I continue to work on other stuff as well. I set a new high of 1687.8 in tactics on chess tempo this morning.
I think my tactics there have benefited somewhat from some ideas that have clarified for me recently. In particular, when approaching tactics, I now do two things:
1) Make sure I know the material balance.
2) I look for weaknesses to exploit before starting a search for moves.
My study plan continues to morph slightly:
1) Yusupov Book 2.
2) Tactics here and Chess.com
3) DEM on chessable, making sure I understand the ideas. It is a good way to work through the book in a methodical way. You do need to be careful you really understand the ideas rather than just memorizing the line.
4) I'm also going through Sam Shankland's "Small Step's to Giant Improvement" on pawn play.
5) I'm going to give the Woodpecker method on tactics a try for a bit.
I made a new high score of 1702.1 today in tactics on Chess Tempo. Now to try and hold it.
That is exactly what I meant. Beyond the basics 1 is the first blue book to be read from the blue series, ant at the same time it's the fourth book to be read overall after you're finished with the orange ones.
I guess the point is that there is not a book called Beyond the basics 1. I guess that it was intended, by that, to refer to Build Up Your Chess 2 (the 5th or 4th book, depending on whether or not one includes the Exam 1 book as the 4th). This confused me. Sorry.