I've been playing on here for about 6 months and improved loads - now about 1400 give or take 50 and have stuck there for the last couple of months. I know ratings aren't everything but I want to get past being a begginer - I'm mostly happy with openings and if I get material up I usually see it through - just after some advice on how to improve my middle game? I struggle with a congested board and normally loose by trying to force an opening or more space. Any good books etc? Cheers all
Originally posted by horseyYou know what, reading books is great and all but a really cheap and good way is to just casually play through GrandMaster games. Go to an online database (www.chessbase.com or www.chessgames.com or any of the others...) and Search for games in the openings you play. Look at one a day and you'll hit 1600 in 6 months easily. Monkey see monkey do, it worked for me... 🙂
I've been playing on here for about 6 months and improved loads - now about 1400 give or take 50 and have stuck there for the last couple of months. I know ratings aren't everything but I want to get past being a begginer - I'm mostly happy with openings and if I get material up I usually see it through - just after some advice on how to improve my middle ...[text shortened]... and normally loose by trying to force an opening or more space. Any good books etc? Cheers all
Originally posted by marinakatombBut do you understand?
You know what, reading books is great and all but a really cheap and good way is to just casually play through GrandMaster games. Go to an online database (www.chessbase.com or www.chessgames.com or any of the others...) and Search for games in the openings you play. Look at one a day and you'll hit 1600 in 6 months easily. Monkey see monkey do, it worked for me... 🙂
It comes up in all of these threads, but I actually think this guy is ready for it. Buy Silmans: Reaccess your Chess.
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Originally posted by zebanoReaccess your Chess is an obscure book concerned with recovering lost databases after your hard drive crashes.
But do you understand?
It comes up in all of these threads, but I actually think this guy is ready for it. Buy Silmans: Reaccess your Chess.
Silman's key book is Reassess your Chess.
😕
Originally posted by WulebgrLooking at Silmans website I think there are 2 or 3 of his books that are well worth me getting - just hope Amazon gets going again soon, guess its the christmas rush. Thanks for the advice so far, keep it coming
Reaccess your Chess is an obscure book concerned with recovering lost databases after your hard drive crashes.
Silman's key book is Reassess your Chess.
😕
Originally posted by zebanoUnderstanding everything that is going on is not that important to a 1400 player. Seeing how a GM destroys their opponents castle, or mates with a Queen and knight round a fianchetoed bishop is of great value. The things you find out for yourself are the things that stick in your mind. Reading a book will do wonders for a beginners game, don't get me wrong, but the examples are often taken at random. When you are looking at games in openings you play, you will have experience of the general Middle and End game plans that derive from them. I didn't understand the Queens gambit the first time i played it but every GM game i looked at gave me new idea's until now, i play it reasonably well (for a patzer...)
But do you understand?
Originally posted by horseyActually, the problem might have something to do with the openings you're playing (I haven't looked at any of your games. I'm just guessing.). Certain openings tend to lead to closed, locked up, congested middle game positions, whereas others tend to lead to more open positions. A closed position will give you more of a positional game, but an open one will give you a more tactical game. Since tactics are (I'm told) what beginners need to focus on for rapid improvement, why not take a second look at your openings and see if you need to make some changes?
I've been playing on here for about 6 months and improved loads - now about 1400 give or take 50 and have stuck there for the last couple of months. I know ratings aren't everything but I want to get past being a begginer - I'm mostly happy with openings and if I get material up I usually see it through - just after some advice on how to improve my middle ...[text shortened]... and normally loose by trying to force an opening or more space. Any good books etc? Cheers all