I've been on here a few years now, and recently have decided to dedicate some proper time and attention to each game I play. Would any of the higher rated guys be kind enough to have a quick scan at one or two of my games, and perhaps offer an outer rating limit this old man could hit by year end, if i actually apply myself and listen to the advice im given?
thanks in advance for any comments
Let's go back to Game 5768213 and start with Black's eleventh move.
What are the prospects in your position?
What are the weaknesses?
- Joined
- 16 Feb 07
- Moves
- 27653
Lets see, after looking at your games for a little bit:
Strengths:
Good opening ideas and instincts
Good attacking instincts
Needs improvement:
Tactical awareness
Endgame (probably) - Its a little hard to tell from the games I looked at and is not real important at your current level, but I suspect your endgame is weaker than your attacking game, for instance.
The good news is that you may be able to help out with the tactical blunders with a simple technique - try taking more time (say 3-5 minutes) for each move and use the analysis board to look 2-3 moves deep everytime you move. If you already do this, then this won't help, but its my best suggestion if you want to improve quickly.
The bad news is that I suspect 1700 is out of reach. A 300 point impovement in a year is tough and I suspect your whole game would need to be lifted to get there. On the other hand, I think you ought to be able to easily hold 1500+ with a goal of 1600 if you cut out the really bad tactical blunders.
Originally posted by Mr Averagetactics, tactics, tactics. every day.
I've been on here a few years now, and recently have decided to dedicate some proper time and attention to each game I play. Would any of the higher rated guys be kind enough to have a quick scan at one or two of my games, and perhaps offer an outer rating limit this old man could hit by year end, if i actually apply myself and listen to the advice im given?
thanks in advance for any comments
Originally posted by ErekoseI think it's entirely possible as he already has some mileage under his belt. 1500 will come overnight by taking every move seriously, but not with as little as only a few minutes a move. I think a good guideline is to let the move 'simmer' at least a few hours or days. the more the better, and that time used on thinking will also address everything daily tactics sessions won't. that is, planning and learning to understand how certain positions work. that's just something you can't digest in 3-5 minutes.
The bad news is that I suspect 1700 is out of reach. A 300 point impovement in a year is tough and I suspect your whole game would need to be lifted to get there. On the other hand, I think you ought to be able to easily hold 1500+ with a goal of 1600 if you cut out the really bad tactical blunders.
it'll require a lot of commitment and work, but it's doable if the will is there.
- Joined
- 16 Feb 07
- Moves
- 27653
Originally posted by wormwoodYou may be right, but I think it depends on how long a player actually takes to look at the positions right now. There are an awful lot of players at the 1200-1400 level that move very quickly. I stand by my claim that these players would benefit a lot from slowing down and learning to use the analysis board.
I think it's entirely possible as he already has some mileage under his belt. 1500 will come overnight, but not with as little as only a few minutes a move. I think a good guideline is to let the move 'simmer' at least a few hours or days. the more the better, and that time used on thinking will also address everything daily tactics sessions won't. that is, ...[text shortened]... erstand how certain positions work. that's just something you can't digest in 3-5 minutes.
On the other hand, your advice is good for players who already "take their time" and do some analysis, but still find this insufficient. Personally, I do this a lot. If I'm not satisfied with my initial analysis, I let it sit for a few hours and often overnight. Overnight seems to be very effective at allowing me to see my options better and more accurately. Its saved me from many a bad idea.
I have no idea where Average Guy is in terms of thinking through his moves, but, given the tactical blunders in his games, he ought to be able to readily improve just by taking some more time per move. I think going from 30 seconds a move to overnight is likely to be too boring for most players to keep up. Gradually lengthening the analysis time seems like a better idea. For Average Guy, specifically, it depends on what he actually does now.
1700 is attainable by everyone in my opinion. Books, you don't need them, but if you read them they can and will help.
Stick with two openings as white and as black. or four when you get to a higher level.
After each game is finished put your moves into a database. Find out where you or your opponent went out of book or database moves. Find your errors in EVERY GAME. Won or lost look at them all!!
Study endgames. 99% of your games will go there and at 1400 I highly doubt your endgame is solid, mine wasn't at 1400 and still has some work to do.
Originally posted by WulebgrWhite got caught with his pants down in that game and you got a piece out of it. When you are in that position, you should think king safety first, get developed and not just attack immediately, just as you would in an even game. Being a piece up means more if you can preserve that advantage to the endgame where it would be overwhelming. Remember to develop normally and after you get the pieces out and the king castled, only then go for trades, a one piece advantage means a lot more the less pieces there are on the board so you should just bide your time and develop normally in those cases. If you develop normally, there usually won't be any big surprises especially if the other side is a piece down. In fact, the side with the lost piece may get desperate and launch a doomed attack the closer he gets to the endgame where he knows it will be all over.
Let's go back to Game 5768213 and start with Black's eleventh move.
What are the prospects in your position?
What are the weaknesses?
Originally posted by wormwoodI'm in the 1700s, and I think I've played perhaps half a dozen games (of hundreds) at RHP in which things were decided in the endgame. I play more endgames OTB and in online blitz, though.
sure. but the endgames won't matter until you can keep material until the end. at 1700 the games are almost invariably decided before endgame.
On the other hand, I think endgame study is important at all levels. For beginners, the endgame is a matter of learning to checkmate with heady pieces, learning to coordinate the king with a rook or two bishops, and elementary pawn endgames. After these are mastered, the fundamentals of rook and pawn endgames--Lucena and Philidor--become imperative. And on it goes to more advanced skills.
But, almost all games among players below 2000, and many above that, are decided because one player opened him- or herself to a fork, skewer, easily removed guard, or some other basic tactic. These tactics are the essential core needed by every player seeking to get to and beyond 1700.
Originally posted by WulebgrI agree. I'm in the 1500s and I find that most of my games are lost because I didn't see some 2 or 3 move tactical combination.
I'm in the 1700s, and I think I've played perhaps half a dozen games (of hundreds) at RHP in which things were decided in the endgame. I play more endgames OTB and in online blitz, though.
On the other hand, I think endgame study is important at all levels. For beginners, the endgame is a matter of learning to checkmate with heady pieces, learning to coor ...[text shortened]... These tactics are the essential core needed by every player seeking to get to and beyond 1700.
It also seems to me, looking at your games, you don't take advantage of the 'analyze board' feature, there are a lot of one move forks that could have been avoided by just going over the next couple of moves with the analyze board. Don't forget, you can also just use a regular board and pieces to do the same thing.