Originally posted by erichockey55 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🙂
hard to know as it depends on your level.
i've pulled myself up in the last 12 months from feeling like my 'real' rhp rating was around 1375 to around 1475 now.
play many games? not if you play fast without thinking, as i do too often.
read books? not unless you have the patience to set up a board and play through the variations, which i must admit i rarely mangage.
best thing i can recommend is the 'academy' within chessmaster, espcially the tactics course and the endgame course. do both of these a few times and i'll bet you'll notice the difference.
Originally posted by erichockey55 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🙂
I searched for nearly 20 years for the path to being a better player, and not just better, but beyond 1500. It took me two decades to discover the answer. When someone tells you to study openings, forget it! Openings are not the answer! Study tactics, endgame and postional strategy! A series of books which focus completely on this idea initially is Lev Alburt's chess course series! Master volumes I and II and Lev Alburt's Comprehensive Chess Course series (and by master, I mean you are able to apply it all in your play), then move on to Tactics for the Tournament player (Volume III), beyond that there's "The King in Jeopardy", "The Art of Attack and Defense!" He also devotes a whole volume to endgame and 200+ of most "HAVE TO BE KNOWN" positions or something like that. Lev Alburt doesn't help you compile a complete repertroire until nearly the last book. He says that openings are not the answer to increasing strength. Tactics is the answer and positional strategy - not to mention endgame. Anyone, if they know the principles of good opening play, can open with e4, and play a fine game if they are tactically superior, etc... Specific openings do not matter, but it's rather the principles that are most important. If you want to be an 1800 player or better, start with Lev Alburt's series of books. They work! They are the Russian way! I have saw my rating go up a hundred points after Volume II. And, on every server I notice the difference. Anyone can get to 1500 by studying GM Alburt's Volumes I&II of the Comprehensive Chess Course series.
I stopped playing chess for twenty years--too busy. Gave away all my books. After I retired, I took it up again. I discovered my rating had gone up 300 points USCF. I figure if I stop playing for another twenty years I can become a master. I think there's a lesson here...but i don't know what it is.
Originally posted by murrow hard to know as it depends on your level.
i've pulled myself up in the last 12 months from feeling like my 'real' rhp rating was around 1375 to around 1475 now.
play many games? not if you play fast without thinking, as i do too often.
read books? not unless you have the patience to set up a board and play through the variations, which i must admit ...[text shortened]... nd the endgame course. do both of these a few times and i'll bet you'll notice the difference.
seconded. I find that visual instruction is the way to go. I too don't have the time to look carefully at a book. I'd reccomend http://www.chess.fm/ as a free source of good chess lectures.
Originally posted by ark13 seconded. I find that visual instruction is the way to go. I too don't have the time to look carefully at a book. I'd reccomend http://www.chess.fm/ as a free source of good chess lectures.
Isn't there an archive of these lectures on this site - can't see them on this site?
FICS has some free lectures also, but they are text lectures, as opposed to video, so the Chess FM lectures (which you can get to from the ICC home page) are much better. There is also a site named chesslectures.com which you may wish to consider if you are interested in shelling out the $12.00 (US) per month membership.
Originally posted by erichockey55 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🙂
i would suggest reading a chess column on a regular basis. at chesscafe.com you will find several contributors analyzing a game or two and providing good commentary & content ( seriawan's column, for example ). i think this method is more time efficient and more enjoyable than processing through a CD or book.
Originally posted by ark13 seconded. I find that visual instruction is the way to go. I too don't have the time to look carefully at a book. I'd reccomend http://www.chess.fm/ as a free source of good chess lectures.
yes yes, especially pete tamburro - i love that guy. 😵
such a shame he just does the openings lectures, although actually they do cover plenty of middle-game issues too.
Originally posted by buddy2 I stopped playing chess for twenty years--too busy. Gave away all my books. After I retired, I took it up again. I discovered my rating had gone up 300 points USCF. I figure if I stop playing for another twenty years I can become a master. I think there's a lesson here...but i don't know what it is.
Lesson: Take some time off now and then an get a new perpective on the game.
Got that from several different sources including GM Waitzkin.
Originally posted by Ravello Fortunately not everyone takes twenty years to reach 1500 and find the way to improve..........
I didn't say improve. I said, it took me 20 years to find the true and complete secrets of progressing in chess strength. Most people try to study opening manuals, etc... and to no avail! They never strengthen! They walk around USCF chess tournaments with books on the Kings Indian Attack, and books filled with theory - theory which only is benefecial to the expert or master. For a long time - especially as a young boy and in my teenage years - I found myself drawn to this "chess lie" if you will. The chess lie tells you that you must get a better opening, you must learn opening theory, and study the games of grandmasters. You can study Bobby Fischer's games all you want to, but unless you comprehend the tactics and combinations that were going through his mind at the time - the presence of the possibilities of those tactics - you will never fully ascertain the truth behind a grandmaster game. Impossible! Especially if you only play with a tactical understanding of 1300-1500. It took me a long time - which is sad - to realize that players who are rated 1800 (hypothetically speaking) do not play like 1800 players every game. So, I fully expected that since I have had 1850 chess performances that I would play at that strength every time. I was disconcerted. TO play at your best strength, you must be emotional, spiritually and physically in good shape. Even Fischer ended his 20 game winning strength in match play due to a cold. You simply have to be at top condition and in a good mood (being happy helps a lot) to play at your very best. I've read article and article about this very thing. Tactics, tactics, tactics! Forget opening theory until you get to a 2000 rating strength. Only then, does the true meaning of chess begin to become less foggy. A 2000 player begins to truly understand what the game of chess truly is. An 1800 player is getting read to learn such a secret. But, if anyone ever looks at what chess really is... to appreciate it for its very fabric... they begin to understand that chess is simply an art form.
Best way to improve ???
11 Dec '05 16:37
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