I play chess at school (school league) and I am one of the best players...but I would like to be the best....and I was wondering : What is the best way to improve my game ?????
-Play many games
-Read books
-DVDs about chess
-Chess games on computer
As I said, I would like to improve my game, so if you have any suggestions on books, DVDs, or Chess games on Computer,
a little help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks🙂
Originally posted by erichockey55dvds are not always great for someone whos life isnot based on the game. they can cost a lot and you often end up paying a lot for a dvd based on one move, for example the dvd that cost $15 and is only about (and even titled) bashing the sicilian with Bb5
I play chess at school (school league) and I am one of the best players...but I would like to be the best....and I was wondering : What is the best way to improve my game ?????
-Play many games
-Read books
-DV
-Ds about chessChess games on computer
As I said, I would like to improve my game, so if you have any suggestions on books, DVDs, or Chess games on Computer,
a little help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks🙂
Originally posted by erichockey55Personally, I recommend a lot of book study (particularily middle and endgame stuff - have just enough opening knowledge to get an equal middle game. From there play lots and lots of blitz, but not so fast that you don't think about what you're doing. Make sure to focus on whatever you're studying, tactics, or good bishop vrs bad etc. eventually the concepts should become second nature. When you sit down over the board for a slow game, take a deep breath and remind yourself to think more than you do in blitz.
-Play many games
-Read books
-DVDs about chess
-Chess games on computer
Originally posted by erichockey55I'm not sure what your level is so it's difficult to know where to pitch this. I was always the best for my age but unfortunately I stopped playing at about 14 years old and left it for 30 years (3 years ago). If I could go back to 14 (apart from not to stop playing) I would study openings (specialize in a 2 or 3 openings rather than spread myself too thin), on here its no problem your game history is there to analyze but record your over the board games (if you play for a club you will be doing/have to do this anyway). It is absolutely critical to examine and UNDERSTAND why you lost a game. This is also a reminder to myself because I am playing too much (not analysing enough). But most of all enjoy it! when you get beat (again message to myself) treat it as an opportunity to learn and improve. You will learn a hell of a lot more from a loss than a win. Good luck. On learning openings books/open databases but a word of warning do not slavishly follow open databases without understanding the reason for the move, this is where books help.
I play chess at school (school league) and I am one of the best players...but I would like to be the best....and I was wondering : What is the best way to improve my game ?????
-Play many games
-Read books
-DVDs about chess
-Chess games on computer
As I said, I would like to improve my game, so if you have any suggestions on books, DVDs, or Chess games on Computer,
a little help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks🙂
Kasparov, who knew something about this game, said recently, "The only way to improve one's chess game is to analyse one's games." There are a lot of wonderful posts here in this forum with lots of great advice on this perennial question of improving in chess. Read them. One primary theme I pick up from a lot of these posts is to work on tactics.
I am going to post this answer from another thread again because I KNOW it works....maybe someone will take it seriously.
My "serious" rating with another postal organization is 2021. I went from about 1600 doing the following:
Play over a couple hundred UNANNOTATED master games using 5-10 min a game & trying to guess the next move. You are going after quantity here.
This reinforces pattern recognition; this is how GM's play simuls so successfully...they recognize patterns and know what to look for. US Master Ken Smith used to recommend this.
Next... (1) Only consider the first 2-3 moves that pop into your head (2) Only look 3-4 moves deep.
If you don't see how it loses a piece, play it.
(3) Pick the move that looks the most threatening, even if it’s only in a general sort of way.
(4) After your opponent moves and before you move, scan the ranks, files and diagonals.
You will find yourself improving because you start zeroing in on opponent’s weak squares, loose pieces, things like that, and that is what chess is all about – pattern recognition and tactics; at least below Master level.
You may also want to read Search for Chess Perfection by Purdy. It's a collection of his magazine articles, so you can open it up anywhere and find some really good advice.
For improvement at any level, I like the "guess the move" system somebody mentioned before. Get a good collection of master games. You uncover the move one-by-one for the winner after you decide the best move. Read the annotations only after you make the move. In a way, it's like have a master tutor. If you play through the complete games, you get tutored on openings, middle game, and endgame. The best part is (at least for me) it's an enjoyable process, like solving puzzles. If you focus on only one part of the game, say like memorizing opening lines, you're like a body builder who just work with the biceps. Not good in the long run.