I was wondering how many players on RHP have improved their play without the use of books or computers i.e. purely from learning by playing games
Obviously is depends on your intelligence and memory ability, but is there generally a certain point you reach where you can't really improve without intervention from other sources.
Just a thought I had 🙂
I think you improve each time you play. I have only recently joined the site, but I play a lot in the old fashioned style of eye2eye contact! And I find each time you play you become that little more aware.
But I think you're right, you can only advance to a point without proper training, but there are chess clubs all over the world for that.
You can definitely improve by playing a lot. You pick up practical ideas and cut out all the garbage. Although, I will say a good book or coach is a short cut that will help anyone accelerate faster. You notice I said "good book." There are plenty out there that are hopeless and a waste of money. The value of a coach is you play him and he critiques as you go so you get twice the reinforcement, but of course it's the most expensive.
Originally posted by kw72ukI think you can improve your openings a lot by playing them regularly but to really improve your play you have got to do something else in addition.
I was wondering how many players on RHP have improved their play without the use of books or computers i.e. purely from learning by playing games
Obviously is depends on your intelligence and memory ability, but is there generally a certain point you reach where you can't really improve without intervention from other sources.
Just a thought I had 🙂
I have been playing blitz chess socially for about 10 years (off and on) and reached what I thought was a decent standard of play say a rating on here of about 1500 by just playing my game.
To improve on that I started playing here! The extra time that you can spend on analysis with a correspondence game is helpful and will often give you an insight as to why some moves that you play in blitz are bad.
I have realised though that you need to do more than that even. There is so much in chess that people have worked out before that I think for me to improve I had to start reading. Standing on the shoulders of giants and all that.
With that in mind I have started reading chess books. Over the last year I have managed to take my game to a new level by studying other games and practicing endgame play. I reckon I am now playing at about 1700 on here (my rating has been higher but I think that was largely a fluke). My blitz game has improved a lot as a result of reading and analysis as well.
I have also joined a club in the search to find players of a better standard OTB. When I joined most people I played there were surprised that I did not already play for a club so I think you can put out a passable game just by picking it up as you go along, but to improve quickly you really have to read as well.
What a great game - I am always learning something new!
Of course. I know I've already learned to look out for some of the stupid positions I put myself in -- after ketting kicked in the teeth enough times.
But like everything else -- you'll improve more by learning from experts. Whether it's books, or magazines, or getting a coach, or software.
But you need to ask yourself "why"? If you like to play, you like to play. You'll improve with play...and that may be enough.
If, for some reason, you want to PLAY BETTER -- then you would do well to put yourself on a course of study.
Lee
I've never read any chess book or had any coaching but since playing on RHP (about 1 month) my game has improved plenty. My flatmate used to beat me 7 times out of 10 - its now the other way round and I'm on 4 in a row as of last night (and he's hating it).
I can see moves coming and now pay a lot more attention to what my opponent is doing. I also have a lot more patience when setting up moves.
However ,my play is far from perfect and I know I will hit my limits at some point and will probably need to do some study to improve but at the moment I'm just happy playing and improving on my own with experience.
There's one major thing i need to overcome that no book will help me with. I need to stop making impulsive moves. So often I go 'ooh, that's a good move, I can take his knight next move if I go there', only to notice as the page loads that I've just put my queen directly in the line of his bishop.
It's odd that, I always notice a microsecond after i hit the 'move' button. Never just before, when it would be useful.ðŸ˜
But other than that, I think I've improved since playing here and without any training, except for the odd general tip from my friend who's much better than me. I have recently got hold of a chess book that I'm assured is very good, so I hope to improve further when I get around to reading that.
