i notice that my biggest flaw with my game right now is not that i cant think offensivly but that out of most of time pure laziness and impatients i dont bother noticeing my opponents plans. i lose most of my games because of this. is their a way to improve knowing what your opponents plan is and how to defend it? if i could solve this problem my game would improve immensly.
Originally posted by ArrakI think it's mainly about 1) getting your calculation abilities and tactical awareness straight, 2)choosing a good problem set to train these two. Not "the first thing that comes to mind usually works" kind of sets like CTS, but some of the more realistic ones like in chess tempo or ct-art where you just go nuts trying to find a refutation to the obvious candidate moves and get deeper and subtler as you calculate until you have to be absolutely sure there's no refutation, because there are MANY (especially in chess tempo).
i notice that my biggest flaw with my game right now is not that i cant think offensivly but that out of most of time pure laziness and impatients i dont bother noticeing my opponents plans. i lose most of my games because of this. is their a way to improve knowing what your opponents plan is and how to defend it? if i could solve this problem my game would improve immensly.
3)almost as important as the two above, you need to get an applicable and clear thinking regime for each move. This should generally be in the form a to-do list, broken down to steps. I guess yours should include things like "search for capturing moves, checks, attacking moves for opponent first" etc. The main problem is actually following that list though, which takes a great amount of dedication, determination and concentration, and is really a lot harder than it looks. Actually I can calculate pretty long lines, but miss some obvious 2 movers that I would normally solve in 4 seconds because I missed a step in my to do list. This is where my game sucks.
Originally posted by ArrakThe best advise I can give is have strong players (over 2000) anaylize your finished games, and give you there opinions. It's helped me a lot.😏
i notice that my biggest flaw with my game right now is not that i cant think offensivly but that out of most of time pure laziness and impatients i dont bother noticeing my opponents plans. i lose most of my games because of this. is their a way to improve knowing what your opponents plan is and how to defend it? if i could solve this problem my game would improve immensly.
Originally posted by ArrakPlay high rated players (1700+ would be a good base i recon). People don't generally get that high without a certain understanding of the game. Play them and try to establish what they are planning on each move...and simply try not to lose. Against lower graded players i find there is quite often a certain randomness to their play, sometimes there's a plan, other times they make a move on a hunch which isn't so good. Do some study as well, a good chess book will give you a steady grounding and some new thoughts on how to approach a game. Learning how to handle your pawns is probably the most important factor of chess (IMO). Weaker players generally weaken their position because of an absence of skill in this area. Again, chess book...practice. 😉
i notice that my biggest flaw with my game right now is not that i cant think offensivly but that out of most of time pure laziness and impatients i dont bother noticeing my opponents plans. i lose most of my games because of this. is their a way to improve knowing what your opponents plan is and how to defend it? if i could solve this problem my game would improve immensly.
I have had trouble with this as well, and one way I found to really improve your ability to defend is to understand the other person and their intent. An easy way to do this on RHP is to just switch the board around in the analyze move feature, so you are looking at the board like you are them playing you. now, go back and play through the game, but try and think about why they might have done certain moves, really get into their skin. How are they trying to get you?
Then, go back and look at it from your own perspective. If you have an idea of what they are trying to accomplish, you have a better chance of ruining their plans.
another small idea is don't think of defending. think of ruining their attack. when people think defensive, they tend to lose perspective and only focus on their own problems. but it is the opponents problems you need to see.
final idea, be willing to lose, but when you do, really go down with the ship. just knowing that you will never quit trying, even if you are doomed, changes your attitude, and makes you, emotionally, a stronger opponent. the truth is, you learn more (or you can learn more) from your mistakes than your successes. If you expect or want to always win, you have a very unrealistic attitude, and it will undermine your confidence when that expectation is not being met. playing means winning and losing, the best players really enjoy playing. Also, losing in a bloodbath feels better than getting cleanly picked off, in my book.
"often enough, luck will come to those whos courage holds"
13th warrior
final idea, if you are playing a particular person, go look at their other games on RHP, see how they have been beaten, and what strategies they like to use, etc. You can spy on people, learn a lot about them, before you even play them. RHP is great for this.
Hope this helps, and I would love to hear other ways people have gotten good at defending...
"know your own elf, win 50%, know your opponent, win 50%. know both, win 100%" Sun Tzu
Originally posted by hucksterBest advice. Flip the board and anticipate your opponent's best lines. Then react against them.
I have had trouble with this as well, and one way I found to really improve your ability to defend is to understand the other person and their intent. An easy way to do this on RHP is to just switch the board around in the analyze move feature, so you are looking at the board like you are them playing you.
Well you said it yourself....laziness and impatience is causing you to miss your opponents moves. So...first and foremost, ask yourself the question - are you serious about this game or not? If you are then you have to develop a work ethic and develop patience. This game demands both.
Secondly, considering your opponents options is as much as important as considering your own. Over the board, when your opponent makes a move the first question should be is there a threat? Then 2) try and work out why he made the move that he did. 3) is it a weak move can you take immediate advantage? 4) how has that move changed the position? Then when you have decided on your move...check out what your opponent is likely to do in response to it.
Thirdly, do you analyse your own games and be critical of moves you play and look for better moves? I recommend you do this.....then check the analysis with Fritz of Rybka.
In short, there is no quick fix to your problems...but hard work can overcome them!
Originally posted by hucksterWhat if I don't have an elf?
I have had trouble with this as well, and one way I found to really improve your ability to defend is to understand the other person and their intent. An easy way to do this on RHP is to just switch the board around in the analyze move feature, so you are looking at the board like you are them playing you. now, go back and play through the game, but try ...[text shortened]... now your own elf, win 50%, know your opponent, win 50%. know both, win 100%" Sun Tzu