1. Joined
    22 Jun '08
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    04 Jun '09 09:26
    I always laugh at those kind of ads... but this is real, really :-) I was hovering around 1450's for quite some time and increased it to 1550 and I'm aiming to break 1600 in the next few weeks.

    What's the secret...? no books, no studying, just great results, guaranteed!! (this sound like those lose- weight-by-washing-with-this-magic-soap adds already!)

    I only implemented a single rule: "I'm not allowed to reply with a move, until I've clicked 'Analyze Board' and played several variants for a few minutes."

    It really works!

    Our call-agents are waiting for your call!
    Call now!
    If not completely happy with product, mail back unused portions of product for complete refund.
    Call now!
    ...and get a free brochure!
    Batteries not included...
  2. Account suspended
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    30 May '09
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    04 Jun '09 09:32
    Originally posted by Wumpus
    I always laugh at those kind of ads... but this is real, really :-) I was hovering around 1450's for quite some time and increased it to 1550 and I'm aiming to break 1600 in the next few weeks.

    What's the secret...? no books, no studying, just great results, guaranteed!! (this sound like those lose- weight-by-washing-with-this-magic-soap adds already!) ...[text shortened]... for complete refund.
    Call now!
    ...and get a free brochure!
    Batteries not included...
    looks nice, but that's kind of cheating 🙂.

    as in, it may be a good way to increase your elo, but it doesn't count for improving your chess, because that's what you already should've been doing.

    I think it's important to distinguish "setting your limits further" from "playing up to your limits". one has to do both, and they demand different things.
  3. Joined
    25 Apr '06
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    5939
    04 Jun '09 09:35
    Excellent advice.
  4. The Smoke
    Joined
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    04 Jun '09 09:571 edit
    Originally posted by Wumpus
    I always laugh at those kind of ads...<zip zap> ... until I've clicked 'Analyze Board' and played several variants for a few minutes."
    may I add that using Flip Board would probably give you further extra 20%, on the top of that... it's a pretty good blunder-spotter tool, it's basically advance version of "try walking in your opponent's shoes" or "what would Chuck Norris do".. I've had some terrible blunders (not sure if there is a proper clasification for them: you sometimes seem to forget that opponent's pieces can move 'backwards' as well !!), those weird blinkers on.. this may not improve your OTB skills but at least raises your self-esteem (in your increased rating and well-played games) 😉
  5. Joined
    22 Jun '08
    Moves
    42563
    04 Jun '09 09:592 edits
    looks nice, but that's kind of cheating 🙂.
    Well, I don't think it is cheating...

    I'm playing correspondence chess here, which means I SHOULD take my time for each move... think and maul over it... analyse, then analyse some more. I believe that this will actually improve your OTB chess as well as you still need to be able to look ahead at the point where you stop your analysis.

    It's the difference between writing a short story and a novel; a poem and a play. If you're good in the one, you'll be good in the other. It's just a question of scope. The one is just 'longer' than the other - but the same skills are required. Good writing skills!

    I guess it is up to the individual.
  6. Joined
    25 Apr '06
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    5939
    04 Jun '09 10:05
    Originally posted by Renars
    would probably give you further extra 20%
    20% extra? That's about 300 rating points 😲
  7. Joined
    25 Apr '06
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    5939
    04 Jun '09 10:06
    Originally posted by philidor position
    it may be a good way to increase your elo, but it doesn't count for improving your chess
    Of course it counts for improving your chess. This comment is drifting a bit.
  8. The Smoke
    Joined
    24 Feb '08
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    17386
    04 Jun '09 10:19
    Originally posted by heinzkat
    20% extra? That's about 300 rating points 😲
    Wumpus gave me a decent cut in his new venture, so I jumped on the bandwagon 😉
  9. Account suspended
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    30 May '09
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    04 Jun '09 10:22
    Originally posted by heinzkat
    Of course it counts for improving your chess. This comment is drifting a bit.
    how about putting it this way: that increase in elo doesn't reflect the increase in your chess ability.
  10. The Smoke
    Joined
    24 Feb '08
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    04 Jun '09 10:24
    Originally posted by heinzkat
    20% extra? That's about 300 rating points 😲
    btw, why 300? Wumpus' initial increase was 100 points, so it could've been about 120 instead 😉
  11. Account suspended
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    04 Jun '09 10:251 edit
    Originally posted by Wumpus
    Well, I don't think it is cheating...

    I'm playing correspondence chess here, which means I SHOULD take my time for each move... think and maul over it... analyse, then analyse some more. I believe that this will actually improve your OTB chess as well as you still need to be able to look ahead at the point where you stop your analysis.

    It's the dif e same skills are required. Good writing skills!

    I guess it is up to the individual.
    I absolutely agree with everything you've said here. I didn't mean cheating the way you understood it. I meant, using the analysis board or such method was already what you should have been doing in correspondence chess, so that's not exactly an innovation for improvement 🙂

    but it's always good to remind things, so I'm not against this thread or anything. (not that it would matter.)
  12. Joined
    25 Apr '06
    Moves
    5939
    04 Jun '09 10:40
    Originally posted by philidor position
    how about putting it this way: that increase in elo doesn't reflect the increase in your chess ability.
    Increasing your ELO also has to do with a certain "mindset", and perhaps not so much with increasing chess ability - you can increase your chess ability without winning a single ELO point and winning ELO points without increasing your chess ability. Hmm it appears I'm drifting...
  13. Joined
    22 Jun '08
    Moves
    42563
    04 Jun '09 11:371 edit
    Yes... I understand. It's like the chess tactics server. If you cannot solve the puzzle within a certain time frame, you lose ELO points. I've abandoned the timing long ago and now I only try and solve the puzzle... I seldom get any points and my estimated ELO is about 1300 (which I cannot care less about). However, I get nearly all the puzzles right. :-) Since I've abandoned the timing, my rating fell, but my ability has definitely improved.
  14. Joined
    09 Dec '05
    Moves
    955
    04 Jun '09 11:55
    Originally posted by Wumpus
    I always laugh at those kind of ads... but this is real, really :-) I was hovering around 1450's for quite some time and increased it to 1550 and I'm aiming to break 1600 in the next few weeks.

    What's the secret...? no books, no studying, just great results, guaranteed!! (this sound like those lose- weight-by-washing-with-this-magic-soap adds already!) ...[text shortened]... for complete refund.
    Call now!
    ...and get a free brochure!
    Batteries not included...
    What if I don't click analyze board and go through a few variations in my head for a few minutes before I play a move?
  15. Joined
    22 Jun '08
    Moves
    42563
    04 Jun '09 12:05
    Well... that's what we do with OTB play. By playing the moves by hand, you can easily analyse much deeper into the search tree.
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