Top tips for improvement?

Hi all, I'm quite new here but not new to chess! I've had a passion for the game for years and feel like I'm still improving steadily. I've played over the board chess since I was about 15, I'm 21 now and about to finish education forever, due to this I am planning to spend some time seriously studying chess in the coming years with a view to improving even more.

With this in mind I thought I'd pose this question to a group of fellow chess players; What is the best way to improve your chess?

I'm interested to hear opinions on this and would greatly appreciate any constructive answers 🙂

Alex

Hi,

The first step is to join a Chess Club and get OTB games going.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi,

The first step is to join a Chess Club and get OTB games going.

Probably should have mentioned that I have done that, in the last 4 years my ECF grade has gone from about 120 to 165, trying to keep that level of improvement going, things get tougher the higher you go that's all...

Hopefully those rating numbers mean something to you?

Originally posted by Alexzummerset
I've played over the board chess since I was about 15, I'm 21 now and about to finish education forever, due to this I am planning to spend some time seriously studying chess in the coming years with a view to improving even more.

With this in mind I thought I'd pose this question to a group of fellow chess players; What is the best way to improve ...[text shortened]... m interested to hear opinions on this and would greatly appreciate any constructive answers 🙂

Hi Alex,

I'm pretty much the same as you- finished uni last year, started playing chess a few years ago - except my OTB experience is certainly lacking.

The best way to improve?
The only answer I can think of is simply play as much as you can... learn by doing 🙂

Good luck!

p.s. I'd recommend subscribing to RHP.
You can play as many games as you want, plus you might be just in time for the RHP 2014 championship tournament!

Originally posted by 64squaresofpain
Hi Alex,

I'm pretty much the same as you- finished uni last year, started playing chess a few years ago - except my OTB experience is certainly lacking.

The best way to improve?
The only answer I can think of is simply play as much as you can... learn by doing 🙂

Good luck!

p.s. I'd recommend subscribing to RHP.
You can play as many games as you want, plus you might be just in time for the RHP 2014 championship tournament!

Hey 64,
You do sound like you're on a very similar wavelength to me!
I'm not crazy about correspondence chess to be honest, I used to play it a bit on another site, my games were always of a much poorer quality than I knew I was capable of. I think the pace of the games just bored me too much, willing to give it another go though!

I do enjoy blitz as well, thinking of joining ICC to play some high level opponents. Only problem is I don't really feel like blitz improves my over the board play in the long run.

Cheers for the reply, Fancy a game? 🙂

Originally posted by Alexzummerset
Fancy a game? 🙂

Sure, would have to be an unrated game if you're ok with that?

p1200 would damage my rating on here

Originally posted by 64squaresofpain
Sure, would have to be an unrated game if you're ok with that?

p1200 would damage my rating on here

totally fair, I don't care about ratings on here, I just enjoyhaving interesting games!

" What is the best way to improve your chess? "

Get beaten by stronger and stronger players.

Originally posted by Alexzummerset
Probably should have mentioned that I have done that, in the last 4 years my ECF grade has gone from about 120 to 165, trying to keep that level of improvement going, things get tougher the higher you go that's all...

Hopefully those rating numbers mean something to you?

It is my belief that the only way to improve is to go over your own games thoroughly, find out where you went wrong and do your best to avoid making those mistakes in future games. You can do all the various drills, tactics and endgames etc but I think that avoids the issue of getting to grips with the brain that is making the moves.

I don't doubt that much of chess, both tactically and strategically, is subliminal so you have to learn a number of patterns in order to recognize them in play, but there is also an element of problem solving and working through unfamiliar set-ups for yourself during the heat of battle.

At 165 (1970 FIDE) you are already stronger than I am after nearly fifty years of play (I expect 150 in the July list) and stronger than all but a handful of genuine unassisted players here. You can treat this as fun, maybe to practice certain elements of your game such as visualization for example, or in a more serious correspondence mode by attempting all your post game analysis BEFORE making a move. To be honest many of us here are just playing simultaneous rapid games with multiple adjournments 😀

Now, any tips for us?

Originally posted by Ragwort
It is my belief that the only way to improve is to go over your own games thoroughly, find out where you went wrong and do your best to avoid making those mistakes in future games. You can do all the various drills, tactics and endgames etc but I think that avoids the issue of getting to grips with the brain that is making the moves.

I don't doubt that m ...[text shortened]... of us just play simultaneous rapid games with multiple adjournments 😀

Now, any tips for us?

Hi Ragwort,

Thanks for your post, I already do go over my games but feel I need to do so more often with an engine and be more extensive with how I approach this type of analysis, with a view to perfecting my openings and ending techniques in particular. This season I have let one too many a won position slip into a draw!

I definitely take your point about recognizing tactical patterns, I have noticed an improvement in this area of my game in recent years that I would put down to a book by Yakov Neishtadt called Test Your Tactical Ability. An absolute masterpiece presents a wide range of tactical brilliancies, probably the best chess book I own! unfortunately I feel like I've almost exhausted this one, I may need to bleed another book dry sometime soon to progress further.

Performed at 167 after 22 games this season so my 165 figure there is also expected put probably accurate! I do intend to get my teeth into a few games on here I think and see how things go.

Alex

I am going to try TACTICS in sites like chesstempo or the chess tactics server.
=
People said that improving tactics gets you to the 2000 points of rating
=
So is almost 1 year every day 1 o 2 hours of tactics.....
=
Do you want to join me????
=
look at this: http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=59777
-

and read this.... is very nice and helpful to improve:

http://burncastleburn.blogspot.com/

Originally posted by Schlecter
I am going to try TACTICS in sites like chesstempo or the chess tactics server.
=
People said that improving tactics gets you to the 2000 points of rating
=
So is almost 1 year every day 1 o 2 hours of tactics.....
=
Do you want to join me????
=
look at this: http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=59777
-

and read this.... is very nice and helpful to improve:

http://burncastleburn.blogspot.ca/

Chess Tactics Server looks good actually, I guess it can only be good for my game

http://tacticstime.com/
That site is hosted by User 351818

IMO chess at levels below 2000 are tactics tactics tactics.
And more tactics

Did I mention tactics yet?

Originally posted by Alexzummerset
What is the best way to improve your chess?


Alex

You could do worse than review some of my games.
Take a look at what my opponents do - they usually play out of their skins!!

Seriously though - you have made great improvement but don't
lose your passion once you plateau - it's still a great game!

I've been about the same grade for 30+ years!

Originally posted by wolfgang59
You could do worse than review some of my games.
Take a look at what my opponents do - they usually play out of their skins!!

Seriously though - you have made great improvement but don't
lose your passion once you plateau - it's still a great game!

I've been about the same grade for 30+ years!

I know that feeling!

still love the game more than ever, glad it will always be something I'll be able to do with my life, I know that everyone reaches a limit I just want to see how high mine is 😛

Alex