So I think I want to make chess a real hobby of mine... I was considering buying a
book on general strategy, but the thing is I know I'm too lazy to work through it.
Like I'm one of those people who walks around blind for a month after their contact
lenses run out, just can't be bothered you know?
The thing is, it's just a real pain setting up all the pieces on a board. I don't even
own a set to be honest, I have Fritz instead, but even that's a chore. I have no
problem playing lots of games and doing tactics problems online. I know others must
have this problem... What do you think I should do?
- Get a games collection to learn blindfold, then buy a book.
- Buy a book with lots of diagrams.
- No books, just keep doing what I'm doing.
I'm about 1900 on ChessCube, but I only play 15+ minutes games. I get the
impression the ratings get more and more inflated the longer the games. I had
another account on here a while ago and made it a bit over 2000 before I quit.
I feel like my progress has stagnated recently, so any advice would be appreciated!
I also had (and still have) a lot of trouble getting information from books. Most of my knowledge (which isn't that much) comes from friends at the chess club who did become good chess players.
I have no idea whether this is a good idea for you or not, but this is a nice exercise for everyone to help learn to visualize.
If you have a friend willing to share this hobby, buy a chess-set. (and if you really want to make this a 'real' hobby, you need a chess set anyway)
The exercise goes like this:
You and your opponent only write down the moves, no one touches a piece till both players did ten moves (twenty half moves). Now you start moving the pieces to the position you are in after this 10 moves. Repeat until someone won the game.
This helped me NOT to look at the position on the board, but to look at a position I am calculating in my head. If you do it like that you can calculate much further.
Yashin, thanks for the advice. I moved to a new city in January and don't know
anyone who plays! Probably why I'm playing so much chess in the first place. I've
been thinking about joining a club though, just haven't worked the courage quite yet.
I went to club in my old town and enjoyed it quite a bit.
If you have an iPhone get shredder. It has built in puzzles and when you play against the computer it has a 'winning-o-meter' at the bottom of the screen which will help you see when you make a really stupid or really brilliant move. It autoscales it's strength to meet yours. And you can play on the go when you have a few minutes.
Originally posted by Elmyrthis is quite strange for me, i love reading good chess books, in fact, i would rather follow some excellent annotations than play myself. Sure, to be true the vast majority of chess books are dull and therefore remain unread, gathering dust on some bookshelf, , but there are some rather excellent ones as well, well worth a read.
So I think I want to make chess a real hobby of mine... I was considering buying a
book on general strategy, but the thing is I know I'm too lazy to work through it.
Like I'm one of those people who walks around blind for a month after their contact
lenses run out, just can't be bothered you know?
The thing is, it's just a real pain setting up all the pi .
I feel like my progress has stagnated recently, so any advice would be appreciated!
Some people like books, other people don't. I'm more of a people person. I really have to be in the right mood to get anything out of books. It's happened a few times, but I can't rely on books to learn about chess. So far I'd have to say that computer puzzle programs have done me the most good.
I like the sound of the play 10 moves before moving a piece technique. I know that my chess ability will really go up once I learn how to visualize better.
Originally posted by EladarIt has been my experience that software is good for tactical training, its just way more efficient than setting the pieces up, this however is not true of annotated games, for we have the tendency simply to click through the moves without actually thinking about them, in this instance , pieces and a board i find are superior. What is more, there are simply some excellent books that have not appeared in software format, and even if they had, there is something easy on the eye that a TFT cannot provide.
Some people like books, other people don't. I'm more of a people person. I really have to be in the right mood to get anything out of books. It's happened a few times, but I can't rely on books to learn about chess. So far I'd have to say that computer puzzle programs have done me the most good.
I like the sound of the play 10 moves before moving a pie ...[text shortened]... ique. I know that my chess ability will really go up once I learn how to visualize better.
I am not sure what the sound of play 10 moves ahead technique is, nor how it will help you, for in many instances there are no forcing continuations and other criteria (the topography of the board), must be utilised to help form a plan. What i have noticed in watching the mastergame series is that the GMs were always trying to ascertain what their opponents plans were and how these had a bearing on their own plans, it was like a debate, an argument if you like, 'yes you can play that, but i dont believe it, because of this'.
Originally posted by robbie carrobieA great point I got from this is the value of the input from other people. One can absorb lots of chess knowledge just by sitting at a club and listening.
It has been my experience that software is good for tactical training, its just way more efficient than setting the pieces up, this however is not true of annotated games, for we have the tendency simply to click through the moves without actually thinking about them, in this instance , pieces and a board i find are superior. What is more, there are ...[text shortened]... ate, an argument if you like, 'yes you can play that, but i dont believe it, because of this'.
Analyzing positions with someone else, especially someone who's thinking or style is different than yours, will really expand your knowledge. An interactive conversation tends to aid retention better than a lecture or essay, and if the other person makes you think hard over the position, you inevitably see deeper into it that you would over the kitchen table at home.
Originally posted by trev33you are assuming, a girlfriend could naturally overcome someones natural laziness... 🙂
like a girlfriend?
just meant, that maybe there is something (game or hobby) that kind of really makes you want to do it. that motivates you so much, that the things belonging to it, come naturally. if that is the way for chess with you, except for the studying part, then i think you have to live with the stallment of your rating, sooner or later. but maybe you gave the answer yourself: doesnt the idea of improving greatly motivate you to do more of the lazy stuff?
by the way, robbie. flipping through (annotated) games helps me a lot. of course not in the way you mention, i dont deeply think about moves so much. but in return i get to see many positions and games and whereas not all analysis is sound (however, by just looking at analysis' from players that i know are good is pushing the ratio), most of them point to breakpoints in positions - so flipping through gives me a stronger feeling for 'sound' and 'unsound' positions.
Originally posted by Paul Leggettyes this is true and perhaps like the OP i am inclined to be a little lazy, some chess books are read simply for the pure enjoyment rather than to improve, although i suspect that something must be getting absorbed, subliminally t least. I find your comments very interesting in this regards Leggy, perhaps i may one day pluck up the courage to attend a local chess club, for there are lots to choose from in neighbouring towns.
A great point I got from this is the value of the input from other people. One can absorb lots of chess knowledge just by sitting at a club and listening.
Analyzing positions with someone else, especially someone who's thinking or style is different than yours, will really expand your knowledge. An interactive conversation tends to aid retention be ...[text shortened]... the position, you inevitably see deeper into it that you would over the kitchen table at home.