I've just been reading how much you think you just suck at chess....how you study study study and can't maintain the rating you want, etc. etc.
I have some advice...it helped me. Not everyone agrees with this approach, but it's just this approach that kicked me up to real improvement:
Rapid Chess Improvement by Michael De La Maza
The book is fairly recent and won't cost you more than 14.99
De La Maza stresses tactics above anything else...he also very much recommends the CD program CT-Art 3.0
I bought it and it has done WONDERS for my chess vision! Check these things out...and keep pluggin' away...never give up. It's faster for some and slower for others, but keeping the eye on the ball is the very thing that keeps us on the task, don't you think?
best,
steely
Originally posted by steelydanAny idea where I could buy such a book, other then online? I live in Canada, Nova Scotia, and my province, and pretty much my country, is pretty chess inept. I think the highest rated player in my province is only 2100, funny thing is, I used to play the guy as a junior when he was a junior too, and beat him often, but those were different times when I was smart and not disabled, like I am now. Nobody here really cares about chess, and I've only found one chess club in my area of a city of 300K ppl, that's shameful. I'm wondering if I should even bother joining them.
I've just been reading how much you think you just suck at chess....how you study study study and can't maintain the rating you want, etc. etc.
I have some advice...it helped me. Not everyone agrees with this approach, but it's just this approach that kicked me up to real improvement:
Rapid Chess Improvement by Michael De La Maza
The book is f ...[text shortened]... eye on the ball is the very thing that keeps us on the task, don't you think?
best,
steely
I read the book too. It's a best seller in the chess world, even though it was written by an amateur--de la Maza. What he has is a common sense approach to the game. His major premis is that tactics are everything and the ability to improve your chess depends on your ability to recognize tactical situations. As Steelydan pointed out, you have to get ct arts for your computer to do what he wants. It's a good program. I have minor misgivings about it's focus on 99% mating attacks which rarely occur over the board, but the patterns are there and all you have to do is see them quickly through intensive drill work. Sometimes, howver, in real life, the tactical shots simply aren't there so you have to work with strategic ideas: advantageous pawn structure, developing pieces, etc. But all in all i consider the book at worse harmless and at best can improve your game considerably.
Originally posted by mateulosemateulose,
Any idea where I could buy such a book, other then online?
If you don't want to buy the book online, you could always just read the two articles on http://www.chesscafe.com that the book is based on. Title is "400 points in 400 days" part 1 & 2.
I am currently on a chess improvement quest myself following De la Maza's advice. You can follow my progress at http://mandelamaza.blogspot.com
Originally posted by ManDelaMazaHey,
mateulose,
If you don't want to buy the book online, you could always just read the two articles on http://www.chesscafe.com that the book is based on. Title is "400 points in 400 days" part 1 & 2.
do u have a link to the articles? I just had a look on chesscafe and I couldn't find them.
D
Originally posted by RagnorakYou'll need adobe acrobat to read them. (If you don't have that, you can get a free copy at http://www.adobe.com)
Hey,
do u have a link to the articles? I just had a look on chesscafe and I couldn't find them.
D
Part 1: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles148.pdf
Part 2: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdf
Originally posted by dfm65Methinks Silman doth protest too much!
from what Silman says, i wouldn't mind playing someone who learnt 'tactics' from this book😛
While I have to agree with the criticism of De la Maza's book as being a little "light" (the two articles really cover everything the book does), I think De la Maza is right on target with his approach. Chess experts/trainers/coaches are feeding us a lot of interesting ideas when really mostly what we need is to focus/develop is tactical ability. At least until we get up towards scaring expert.
As I mentioned in another forum, one example that Silman gives is particularly telling. Silman tells of a 940 rated player who comes to him for lessons. He mentions in passing that he shows this player Lucena's position as part of his training. This seems to me like teaching small children how to stick out their chests to break the tape in foot races.
Who knows though? I' only a month into it. We'll see if it makes any difference for me.
Originally posted by ManDelaMazaCheers,
Part 1: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles148.pdf
Part 2: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdf
these 400 points in 400 days, what player is it targetted at? I've just had a look at the first article, and it seems fairly basic at first glance.
D
Originally posted by RagnorakThe program is targetted at players below expert. De la Maza's theme is that below expert, you really only need to work on tactics. The chess vision drills in the first article are not intended to be difficult; they are intended to burn attacking patterns into your brain. Having done them for a month, I can say that I think there is something to this, but they can be a little tedious ( I am rated in the 1500's).
Cheers,
these 400 points in 400 days, what player is it targetted at? I've just had a look at the first article, and it seems fairly basic at first glance.
D
-Don
For those who might be interested in following De la Maza's program ...
he recommends a software package for practicing tactics called CT-Art 3.0. It is currently on eBay for $7.50. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=80331&item=5727570252&rd=1. If you were interested in the program, this would be a good chance to pick it up at a good discount on its $24.95 retail price.
-Don