Improving in Chess

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Improving in Chess

BTW, when I mean "weakness as a person" I mean things that are not directly related to chess.

Examples:

[1]- poor diet
[2]- sleep poorly during tournaments or in general
[3]- lousy memory for details
[4]- overly optimistic/pessimistic

Anything that could affect your performance but aren't things that you would likely learn from any amount of chess study.

The examples given by Tom are quite common weaknesses. I've experienced all of them myself.

The solution to [1] is obvious; in case of [2], in recent years it's been less of a problem for me since taking medication (for an unrelated problem) that makes me drowsy at night faster - plus I try to refuse to think about any of my game(s) played during the day, thinking pleasant thoughts instead (if that won't do, try camomile tea or warm milk...). In any case, don't be a fool and stay up all night playing poker, or watching the Leafs lose in triple overtime...

In case of [3] my powers of memory (as I have perceived them) have waxed and waned over the years. Normally I choose easy-to-play/remember lines if I can, yet those having hopefully plenty of room for the opponent to go wrong first instead of me. That's where my opening research is often directed, rather than always trying to get the maximum edge (through fashionably approved openings) at all costs. I understand some things that are available, say at a pharmacy, can actually improve memory, besides better physical fitness, and besides memory training methods that aren't necessarily dependent on chess skills.

As for [4], a lot of people aren't objective enough in chess, let alone in life. If you're generally too optimistic, try to sit on your hands longer before making what looks like a critical decision. If you're generally too pessimistic, try to keep looking for a way out of any difficulties you think your position is suffering from. You may experience either optimism or pessimism throughout your life. Fwiw, I seem to recall Lasker was described somewhere as being a cheerful pessimist. :)

[Rene Preotu]

Re: Improving in Chess

Very nice. What book was he using for classical games?

He studied almost 200 classic games selected by his coach.
Also Kasparov My Great Predecessors (all 5 volumes) were recommended by his coach for individual study.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Improving in Chess

The four games collections I might have taken the most away from in my youth were ones on/by Botvinnik, Capablanca, and Rubinstein, plus a compilation of all of Fischer's games, up to his 1972 match win vs. Spassky (though Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games had far more notes, for the 60 games selected). I may have absorbed something of each player's style/openings as if by osmosis. Plenty of classic games in these collections.

I spent at least one summer going through games collections on/by various other players as well, even setting up more than one board to play over the games with (no databases back then :( ) . Korchnoi was one player whose games seemed very exciting, whereas Karpov's games, up until then anyway, seemed the least exciting, of the many players I looked at.

[Adam Cormier]

Re: Improving in Chess

BTW, when I mean "weakness as a person" I mean things that are not directly related to chess.

Examples:

- poor diet
- sleep poorly during tournaments or in general
- lousy memory for details
- overly optimistic/pessimistic

Anything that could affect your performance but aren't things that you would likely learn from any amount of chess study.

I definitely notice a change in my results depending on 4 (I need to stop losing objectivity).
and I have plenty of trouble with sleep during tournaments.
1 and 3 I think I'm alright though.

Kevin Pacy, Botvinnik and Capablanca are two players I feel would definitely help improve my abilities as well if I studied them indepthly.

Rene, I thought about getting My Great Predecessors just for the great history of the game contained in its pages, but knowing a coach recommended it for improvement as well makes me definitely consider getting them. Also I'm glad to hear my first 3 ideas worked out so well for Razvan it seems like I have at least some idea at what I should be doing next to improve my own abilities.

Andy Shaw, I want to get better simply because I love to play the game of chess and I like winning more than losing. If I could I'd just play chess but seeing as that is not realistic I have to divide my attention with university to make sure I can secure a living in the future.

Matthew Nicholson, yeah we have followed very similar chess improvement stages, and the main difference is the reason I'm at my peak now (2278) was because instead of getting bored with openings I just changed up my repertoire and I've been having much better results with my new choices (but I still have a lot to learn in them). I agree you can never have enough tactics training, but I think my problem is the parts of chess I'm not passionate about are probably the reasons why I'm losing games (they are my weakest parts most likely) so I need to be able to find a way to enjoy the aspects of chess I find less interesting (most endgames and certain openings for example).

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Improving in Chess

While many of Capablanca's games are positional models, and Botvinnik's show logical reasoning, Rubinstein's games can provide excellent examples of technique (at least in the endgame, if not in earlier phases as well); I studied the old book on him by Kmoch, if nothing else has come out since.

One of Fischer's strong points throughout much of his career was the opening phase. I particularly used to like the Sozin setups he used, for example, when I started to play more aggressively with White in my college days, by switching to 1.e4 from flank openings in my tournament games. Fischer had less of an influence on my conduct of the Black pieces then. I was behind the times in the way I handled the Sozin with White, but menacing setups sometimes often work, even when they're obsolete against the right line(s).

On something I wrote about in an earlier post, an example of a way I cut down on memory work for my repertoire choices, without necessarily playing quite theoretically unapproved openings (though I use those at least occasionally, e.g. 1.b3 as White), would be how to handle various Hydra setups against the Grunfeld, as GM Rowson calls them (i.e. various lines involving Bf4 by White).

As Black in the Grunfeld, so far I've simply played a ...c6 setup against the Hyrda, avoiding all the memory work it takes to play ...c5 (before or after ...0-0) against White's various Hydra lines. Doesn't bother me that ...c6 lines are supposed to produce a less active game (besides my having some possibly helpful Slav experience).

Sometimes/always avoiding openings or defences that you have trouble handling, or memorizing, rather than trying to learn/play them at all costs, isn't necessarily such a bad thing.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Improving in Chess

Perhaps the answer is in this documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RCJ...yer_detailpage

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Improving in Chess

Perhaps the answer is in this documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RCJ...yer_detailpage

an interesting video.

OFT
I miss clock sounds - tic tac, tic tac Manufactures should include it to digital clocks :D

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Improving in Chess

an interesting video.

OFT
I miss clock sounds - tic tac, tic tac Manufactures should include it to digital clocks :D

Just get a Timex and hold it up to your ear during games

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Improving in Chess

an interesting video.

OFT
I miss clock sounds - tic tac, tic tac Manufactures should include it to digital clocks :D

Really? It's a little bit like saying you miss the smell of cigarette in restaurants. ;)

Mathieu

[Mate Milinkovic]

Re: Improving in Chess

I think this advice I give you might help your game push passed where you are. Most people are telling you to look at your game and get rid of your weaknesses or strengthen your weaknesses so they are no longer weaknesses. I think you will get more success looking over your opponents moves and games and locating their weaknesses. You can combine your great opening preparation and Silmans imbalances to fight against your opponents tendancies and weaknesses.
You can only win a chess game if your opponent makes mistakes. Your opponents are going to make more mistakes if you complicate the position and go after their weaknesses.
Your right about coaches being to expensive a choice. Coach yourself, you obviously have some serious talent and you know how to train yourself. Save the money you dont spend on coaching and spend it on your girlfriend or buy some nice stuff for yourself.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Improving in Chess

Really? It's a little bit like saying you miss the smell of cigarette in restaurants. ;

Completely different matters.
A clocks' tic-tac for chess players is like a metronome for musicians. :D

[Garland Best]

Re: Improving in Chess

Here's a question.

I've found that when playing in a weekend tournament my play drops off sharply in the later rounds. In my last tournament, I played easily my best game in round one and should have gotten at least a draw with black against Saeid Sadeghi ( I stumbled at move 39 with less then 30 seconds on the clock in an otherwise =/+ position). I was so spent at the end of the game that in my next game I didn't even notice that I dropped a piece, and in my third game I gave away a won game.

How does one improve their 'stamina' as it were for a weekend tournament?

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Improving in Chess

Here's a question.

I've found that when playing in a weekend tournament my play drops off sharply in the later rounds. In my last tournament, I played easily my best game in round one and should have gotten at least a draw with black against Saeid Sadeghi ( I stumbled at move 39 with less then 30 seconds on the clock in an otherwise =/+ position). I was so spent at the end of the game that in my next game I didn't even notice that I dropped a piece, and in my third game I gave away a won game.

How does one improve their 'stamina' as it were for a weekend tournament?

Lots of ways to improve your stamina, I imagine, that your doctor might suggest, if no one else. That is, unless you have a frail constitution (Karpov's physique might suggest that that can be overcome too, though).

Working out at a gym or a great diet (including wise pre-game meal choices) are a start. You might talk to Bill Doubleday about what a Cuban trainer/coach educated in dietary matters suggested to him, at least.

[Tom O'Donnell]

Re: Improving in Chess

Here's a question.

I've found that when playing in a weekend tournament my play drops off sharply in the later rounds. In my last tournament, I played easily my best game in round one and should have gotten at least a draw with black against Saeid Sadeghi ( I stumbled at move 39 with less then 30 seconds on the clock in an otherwise =/+ position). I was so spent at the end of the game that in my next game I didn't even notice that I dropped a piece, and in my third game I gave away a won game.

How does one improve their 'stamina' as it were for a weekend tournament?

Strategic byes. If you aren't playing for the money, no reason to play every round, imo, if you find it exhausting. I have a middle-aged friend who raised his rating almost 200 points using this system.

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Improving in Chess

Strategic byes. If you aren't playing for the money, no reason to play every round, imo, if you find it exhausting. I have a middle-aged friend who raised his rating almost 200 points using this system.

I get tired if playing 3 games in one day and that carries over to the next day. In Europe I only at most played 2 games in a day but usually 1. There are zero points for byes though. That was a much better system, but the games were 9 rounds/7 days. Not doable in Canada probably except for the Canadian Open.