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Having a study partner of simlar rating is always good. Solo study can be tedious and boring, its nice to have a friend who you can for an hour or two a day go over games or show ideas/principles.
Another thing that you should probably try to pick up to some extent is blindfolded chess, should help your caculating/visualization abilities.
Originally posted by BedlamGood stuff from Bedlam here. Taking all my ideas.
Also at 2000+ you need to concentrate on the thought process side of the game a lot more than you have previously. You dont only need to examine the weak parts of your theory but also the weak parts of your thought process, when you make a mistake was it really down to lack of theory or was it down to something along the lines of bad visualization? not being ...[text shortened]... is moves (ie taking care of your own weaknesses, undefended pieces, exposed king etc etc)
etc
Never mind I will carry on with my tips.
Look at Game 2211526 I played against User 130265. In particular look at move 14. Didn't white and black play badly? Both missed a mate in 1 (Black could have played 14. .. QXf2🙄;
What about Game 2301178 I played against User 80976. This time its move 24 when 24. .. Rd1+, 25. Re1 .. RXR# wins for black. Less critical is Game 2292550 where I missed 10. QXg5# prefering to mate in 3.
These 2 wins earnt me 30 rating points whereas losses would have cost me 40 points, a difference of 70 rating points. Ouch! Thats a long way towards our target. I could give you lots more examples although not all are missed mates. Most lose a piece or a pawn carelessly.
Clearly these are elementary blunders. Most 1200-1500 players should see a mate in 1 or 2 let alone a 1800-2000 player and even GMs have been known to make such mistakes. Clearly these players have the ability to see these elemantary tactics so why do we miss such moves?
There are a number of possible reasons, over confidence, playing too fast (both commented on previously by me) but in the examples I have given it was neither of those, rather I was so focused on my plan I did not see my opponents. The mate in 3 is a good example, I had seen it so I did not bother to look further to see if there was anything better. It is alright when you miss a mate in 1 for a mate in 3 but it is not alright when you throw away a won or drawn game needlessly and how many times have we done that.
And that brings me to my next tip, I was so obsessed with my plan I did not 7. look for my (your) opponents plan. User 130265 attack on f7 was an obvious plan that I missed whereas User 80976 back rank mate was equally obvious and missed, simply because I thought I had a winning plan. I do not know why they missed the mates (perhaps moving too fast or in User 130265 case playing (150+) too many games. Find your opponents plan (stronger players will always have one) and make sure you protect against it or create a stronger threat.
Remember players stronger than you do make blunders so be alert for them and you will soon have 70 unexpected extra rating points.
Originally posted by Dragon Firei am a total example of often messing up openings and ..in some games...catching up in the middle game. i seem to cope better with less confusion on the board. are there any openings which lead to these less 'complicated' centres in your opinion?
We are back to
[b]4. Study your games, learn from your weaknesses and adjust your play accordingly.
You need to know why you are losing and this means analysing every lost game. This is a good time to use an engine to help you findn those key swings but its no good just relying on the engine to identify the point you need to work on it an ...[text shortened]... the phase of play that loses most often for you as you will get the best results here[/b][/i][/b]
Originally posted by scoop122You need to go in for quieter openings. Not the ones I play which are fireworks. The Guico Piano is a good example for white avoiding fiery lines and the French for black (against 1. e4). As black/white I get frustrated against both and often take unnecessary chances trying to open it up.
i am a total example of often messing up openings and ..in some games...catching up in the middle game. i seem to cope better with less confusion on the board. are there any openings which lead to these less 'complicated' centres in your opinion?
Originally posted by Dragon Fireappreciate the help
You need to go in for quieter openings. Not the ones I play which are fireworks. The Guico Piano is a good example for white avoiding fiery lines and the French for black (against 1. e4). As black/white I get frustrated against both and often take unnecessary chances trying to open it up.
thank you
Originally posted by Dragon FireOh good grief! Get Lev Alburt's 7 volumes of his Comprehensive Chess course, and anyone can easily make 1600+? I know. I did it. Those handheld Radioshack computers can rarely even draw me. I'm usually winning every game. It took me playing chess for 28 years so far, and then I finally found his course. I was already nearing 1500, but the course allowed me to go up around 1600-1800 range. Just some info for the people who want to get better. Study an hour a day for 6 months, and you have your 1600+ rating - just after the first two volumes of Alburt's course.
OK a few more pointers and these really are simple.
I believe everyone has a latent level of ability to which you will rise and then reach a plateau. You reach this latent level once you have a reasonable grasp of opening strategy, tactics, middle game strategy and how to force the most likely wins in the end game. In fact you know enough about how to ...[text shortened]... will. It is, however, also for players currently rated 2000+ to tell us how they got there.[/b]
Originally posted by powershakerRating 1463
Oh good grief! Get Lev Alburt's 7 volumes of his Comprehensive Chess course, and anyone can easily make 1600+? I know. I did it. Those handheld Radioshack computers can rarely even draw me. I'm usually winning every game. It took me playing chess for 28 years so far, and then I finally found his course. I was already nearing 1500, but the course a ...[text shortened]... months, and you have your 1600+ rating - just after the first two volumes of Alburt's course.
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Originally posted by powershakerYou've played chess for 28 years and havent even made class A???
Oh good grief! Get Lev Alburt's 7 volumes of his Comprehensive Chess course, and anyone can easily make 1600+? I know. I did it. Those handheld Radioshack computers can rarely even draw me. I'm usually winning every game. It took me playing chess for 28 years so far, and then I finally found his course. I was already nearing 1500, but the course a ...[text shortened]... months, and you have your 1600+ rating - just after the first two volumes of Alburt's course.
Seriously find a new hobby.
Hey, I'm not getting there. Was up to 1956 and felt just a few more wins but what do I do, I go and rush a few games. I move quickly, late at night without paying too much attention and what happens, I lose. Its my fault I'm not following my own tips here so its time for a new tip.
8. Learn how to draw.
What a silly tip I hear you say but its not. Drawing lost positions will save you rating points or against a stronger player it will win you points. Knowing a position is a draw may stop you pressing too hard for a win that is not there and losing. Why do you think so many GM games are draws - it is because they know when not to push.
Generally draws will occur in the ending although you do need to know when its a good time to take that repetition (perpetual) in the middle game. More importantly should you swop that B for a N? With R & 4P vs R & 3Ps should you grab that extra pawn making your pawns doubled and isolated and his joined, etc. What sort of ending should you exchange down to?
In knowing how to draw that ending you need to know how to win (or how your opponent can win) so here are
12 important winning principles
1. The King is an attacking piece. Centralise it and use it actively;
2. Material advantage wins. Don't give it away;
3. Don't sacrifice pawns for development as it is only in R & P endings that an active piece may be worth material;
4. Gain tempos without giving up material;
5. Pawns become more important as the pieces get less;
6. A flexible and sound pawn formation is essential. Doubled, isolated and blockaded pawns are to be avoided;
7. Push passed pawns;
8. An outside passed pawn is an advantage, especially in K + P endings;
9. Rooks belong behind passed pawns;
10. In open positions 2 Bishops give a tangible, often decisive, advantage;
11. In open or semi open positions a Bishop is almost always superior to a Knight;
12. A Knight is superior to a Bishop where the position is blocked or the Bishop is hemmed in by pawns.
If you are the defending side in any of the above situations and an opportunity to draw comes up then you must take it,
So much for winning the ending. In the next few posts I will show some ways to draw.
Before giving you the answer to my previous post look at the following position.
Can white win? No! The Bishop is the wrong colour and white cannot dislodge black from KR1.
So all Tamanov needed to do from the position in the previous post was aim for this position. The black Knight is unimportant and can be given up.
1. ... Nd3; 2. h4 ... Nf4; 3. Kf5 ... Kd6; 4. KXNf4 ... Ke7; 5. Kg5 ... Kg7; 6. Kh6 ... Kh8=
Originally posted by Dragon FireEndgames are tough - even the top GMs struggle with them at times. I remember reading that Fischer had dominant endgame technique, which was a major factor in his brilliance.
Before giving you the answer to my previous post look at the following position.
[fen]7k/8/8/6KP/4B3/8/8/8[/fen]
Can white win? No! The Bishop is the wrong colour and white cannot dislodge black from KR1.
So all Tamanov needed to do from the position in the previous post was aim for this position. The black Knight is unimportant and can be given up.
1. ... Nd3; 2. h4 ... Nf4; 3. Kf5 ... Kd6; 4. KXNf4 ... Ke7; 5. Kg5 ... Kg7; 6. Kh6 ... Kh8=