My wannabe 1800 idea

Inspired by ih8sens sudden improvement I want to do the same (at least half as good rating climb, say from 1500-1600ishs to 1800ish within too months).

I think I lose a lot of points when I play fast and lose to 1300 player too often, because when I play seriously at current state I can beat 1500-1600 RHP players pretty easily.

And second, altough I am not bad at tactics when I think more than five seconds to make a move (I am killing myself on CTS recently) my strategic middlegames ideas sucks. Not because I do not know the principles but I am to lazy to think about pawn chains, minor pieces, weak squares.

So, now I am gonna take some good book (Amateurs mind or Logical chess - which is better for my level ??! - please, tell me what you think) and improve 300 points into three months.

This will be my "blog" of improvement.

Anyone wants to join and write about his studying and improvement? Together we will do it easier 😛

So, by the March, I will be at least 1800.

Enough said !

I am going to set up the board and learn!

Good attitude!
Good luck. And when you get to 2300 just remember to give me a game or two 😛.

Originally posted by ivan2908
Inspired by ih8sens sudden improvement I want to do the same (at least half as good rating climb, say from 1500-1600ishs to 1800ish within too months).

I think I lose a lot of points when I play fast and lose to 1300 player too often, because when I play seriously at current state I can beat 1500-1600 RHP players pretty easily.

And second, altough I March, I will be at least 1800.

Enough said !

I am going to set up the board and learn!

why don't you just start doing those things you think you already know? reading about more stuff is not gonna do anything if you don't use even the current knowledge you have.

move slower, think longer, see and understand more. that's the way to go. haste makes waste.

Originally posted by wormwood
why don't you just start doing those things you think you already know? reading about more stuff is not gonna do anything if you don't use even the current knowledge you have.

move slower, think longer, see and understand more. that's the way to go. haste makes waste.

You are right, I will start to use all things I know right know and to think deeper and much longer, annotating every move, that is why I need to refresh my strategic knowledge with some book like Chernev's Logical chess or Silman's Amateurs mind.

I am playing planless curently, and good books like the two above really can help. I also started to resolve mates in three (various tactical themes, resolving it mentally, without board) at rate of five daily...

Just passed 5000 problems on CTS, I did 1500 problems in the past 30 days, I hope I will soon break 1500 there (I am very near)

I suggest joining a clan and getting better opposition. You need to have as many games against people at or higher than your rating as possible to get decent practice. Many of your games seem to be against people rated 200 or more points below your level.

Yes, it was a mistake.

May I suggest putting up $30 for a subscription? Then you can progress at more than 6 games at a time. It also opens up tournaments and may I recommend banded tourneys to sharpen yourself against players of equal strength. With a subscription, Clans are available and if your ClanMeister is sharp (mine is, Yeah Huckleberry!) he will match you with opponents at your level and slightly above you. I know I sound like a salesman for RHP, but for the price of dinner and a movie you get a year of tools to use to improve your game.

One last suggestion. You said you are too lazy to think about pawn chains. Don't be. I'm growing to realize the value of pawn structure to my game. It's a semi-permanent, slow changing aspect of the game that you cannot ignore. They are the bones on which the flesh of the pieces rest.

Good luck with your plans for improvement.

I too was inspired by ih8sens. Now I'm afraid to move! I'm in the 3rd move of the game - I used to just use the 'analyze' board and project a few moves ahead then go for it. Now I'm using the www.redhotpawn.com/gamesexplorer, researching openings/defenses etc. and it takes me 10 min. to move. Who ever though chess could be so complicated! 😉

I recognize the simptoms 🙂

Originally posted by ivan2908
Inspired by ih8sens sudden improvement I want to do the same (at least half as good rating climb, say from 1500-1600ishs to 1800ish within too months).

I think I lose a lot of points when I play fast and lose to 1300 player too often, because when I play seriously at current state I can beat 1500-1600 RHP players pretty easily.

And second, altough I ...[text shortened]... March, I will be at least 1800.

Enough said !

I am going to set up the board and learn!

don't worry about the number as much as the playing level.
just play more higher rated opponents.
NEVER pass up an opportunity to play a 2000+ player, and then analyze the bejeezus out of your games.
sure, you may lose, but you'll get better faster by playing a 2300 than by playing a 1600

Originally posted by rubberjaw30
don't worry about the number as much as the playing level.
just play more higher rated opponents.
NEVER pass up an opportunity to play a 2000+ player, and then analyze the bejeezus out of your games.
sure, you may lose, but you'll get better faster by playing a 2300 than by playing a 1600

unless I am the 1600 😀

Originally posted by rubberjaw30
don't worry about the number as much as the playing level.
just play more higher rated opponents.
NEVER pass up an opportunity to play a 2000+ player, and then analyze the bejeezus out of your games.
sure, you may lose, but you'll get better faster by playing a 2300 than by playing a 1600

Of course the number is only approximative indicator of playing level. I want to play some serious chess ! I plan to play only 1600+ opponents from now on... Maybe I'll be squashed like bug, but it will stop, eventually.

Originally posted by ivan2908
Of course the number is only approximative indicator of playing level. I want to play some serious chess ! I plan to play only 1600+ opponents from now on... Maybe I'll be squashed like bug, but it will stop, eventually.

It really does make a difference. the lower ranked players (like me) will usually make a mistake or walk into a trap and you win. It doesn't really teach you much. I'm playing a 1700+ player (in a tournament btw) and he has me re-evaluating my 'brilliant' plans almost every move. If you don't mind losing too much, it's a great way to learn.

Quote from "Amateurs Mind", material chapter:

"... if you can simply not give anything away (not deep strategy here!) you will see hundreds of points pad your rating. How can we avoid this type of gross blunder? One useful method is to write your move down before you play it. Don't just scribble it, make the written move a work of art!

The reason for this is that, as we look deeply into a position, out mind goes off on tangents that often take us far afield of the reality of the moments. Writting the move down in this fashion bring us back to the here and now.

Once you have written the move down, you should ask yourself - When I play this move, does my opponent have any checks? Can he capture or threaten any of my pieces?

You will be surprised how often you will suddenly notice that your intended move, the move you placed so much hope in, is in reality a game-losing mistake.

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I like this book very much. So simple yet so difficult.

I am sure this is the first step. Avoid BLUNDERS.

You can do it fairly easily. Your opponent can crush you tactically in three cases, as the book states: When there are possible checks, undefended pieces or inadequatly defended pieces. Check for them !

Good for start! (I hope this alone will give me 100 points if I start to apply it correctly)

Careful use of a database will let you pick up plenty of rating points.
So will getting a well selected, sharp repertoire & buying books on each specific opening.
😉