Do few things, but do them well.

In reading these chess forums, people often ask "how can I get better?" or "Why do I suck at chess?" There can be many answers to these questions, there is one that is stunningly obvious, yet goes almost universally unheeded here: Lower Your Game Load And Spend More Time On Each Move! I'm amazed that many here people take on so many games at once. Starting a new tournament is thrilling, no doubt about it, but what happens a month in to your tournament when your work and other activities start crowding your chess time control? You make weak moves, overlook attacking opportunities, and play below the level of your natural gifts. My old habit of no more than 2-3 games at once, 7 day per move time controls, and taking the time to set up my chess board (yes...a real physical chess board!) and deeply studying my middle and endgame positions has allowed me to take advantage of my opponents mistakes, and win games that I would have normally lost. I'm not a strong player, but victory does NOT always go to the brilliant mind.



If you want your dream to be, take your time, go slowly.

Do few thing's but do them well, simple pleasures are Holy.

Brother Sun Sister Moon -1973

Originally posted by mchill
In reading these chess forums, people often ask "how can I get better?" or "Why do I suck at chess?" There can be many answers to these questions, there is one that is stunningly obvious, yet goes almost universally unheeded here: Lower Your Game Load And Spend More Time On Each Move! I'm amazed that many people take on so many games at once. Starting a new t ...[text shortened]... Do few thing's but do them well, simple pleasures are Holy.

Brother Sun Sister Moon -1973

I agree with some of what you say but game load depends on how much time you want to spend on site.
If you only have 2 or 3 games on the go there's a good chance that when you log on to play there won't be any games awaiting your move.
The trick is to have long time scales and not to try and clear your board at every visit.
I sometimes only play half a dozen moves regardless of how may games are "my move".
Also,I see you are a realatively new member.Have you tried using the anaylise board facility insread of setting up a real chess board?

Originally posted by venda
I agree with some of what you say but game load depends on how much time you want to spend on site.
If you only have 2 or 3 games on the go there's a good chance that when you log on to play there won't be any games awaiting your move.
The trick is to have long time scales and not to try and clear your board at every visit.
I sometimes only play half a doze ...[text shortened]... ember.Have you tried using the anaylise board facility insread of setting up a real chess board?

If one is retired as you are, taking on more games can be done without sacrificing quality, but many of us have jobs or in my case, run a business. Most of my opponents play fast, usually no more than 24 hours per move, so I have a game waiting my move most of the time. Yes, I use the analyze board feature for the first few moves, but as soon as the least bit of real analysis is warranted I go back to the physical board, it forces me to slow down and study. Not a very thrilling method of operation, but it has served me well. 🙂

It reminds me of what I heard a big league pitching coach say. If you have a goid fast ball and a weak curve ball, work on your fast ball. Better to have a dominating pitch than a goid fast ball and average curve.


Then there was the interview of the girl from the first transformers movie. When asked if she got the part just on her looks she replied I didn't get the job based on how well I play chess.

Originally posted by mchill
If one is retired as you are, taking on more games can be done without sacrificing quality, but many of us have jobs or in my case, run a business. Most of my opponents play fast, usually no more than 24 hours per move, so I have a game waiting my move most of the time. Yes, I use the analyze board feature for the first few moves, but as soon as the least bit ...[text shortened]... to slow down and study. Not a very thrilling method of operation, but it has served me well. 🙂

Whatever works for you

I usually hover anywhere between 30-50 games in progress, but might only make 10 or so moves a day
and - unless a move is obviously forced - I do put the study time in and tend not to blitz...

There are exceptions of course, this one courtesy of moonbus:


Learn from silly mistakes like this, and natural improvement should follow 🙂

In my experience it also helps to play stronger opponents... you will lose more, but by doing so will learn more!

A conundrum: I retired in August last year and while I was still working I would make a few moves at the end of the day after a quick look at the positions. I now have loads of time and have gone down the pan chess wise because I spend too long.

Originally posted by Forest9
A conundrum: I retired in August last year and while I was still working I would make a few moves at the end of the day after a quick look at the positions. I now have loads of time and have gone down the pan chess wise because I spend too long.

Find something new to do to keep your mind sharp. Send me a pm if you want to know a product that my mom swears by to help my dad's memory. Don't really want to do a commercial for the product.

Did you increase your game load?

Thanks but I think it is just stupidity. No increase in game load. Gone back to glancing at positions.