What made you become better at chess?

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
(but met my wife then, got married in 1996, and my chess has been downhill from there until recently)

... now, that's another plausible explanation the mods should taking into consideration before banning someone, perhaps all the steep graphs owners had just divorced..

Originally posted by Ashley Price
Tactics, strategy, playing a lot, none of these will improve your game... [b]unless you use "deliberate practice".

You can play thousands of games over many years and never get better. I know, I'm one such person. Started playing when I was 7 or 8 and haven't noticed a great deal of improvement since.

Why?

Because I rarely learn from my mis alf he became the youngest Grandmaster. Yet he had been playing the game since he was SIX![/b]

An interesting development Ashely. Completely correct as well, might I add.
The "deliberate practice" idea certainly is extremely important. The idea
that we do not succeed in learning without having been prepared to; learn.
This isn't just important, its necessity.

When was the last time you studied the kings opposition? Do you have any
understanding of the 4 planes of this opposition?

This takes study, not long, but, dedicated study. First you have to
create an environment which dedicates your time to study. Also, you will
need to verify that this new environment is created to maximize your
time, and effort. How? Honestly, you'll have to begin studying in
order to best answer this. However, first you'll notice, you don't have any
idea whats important! So a good place to begin: Annotated Games by
masters. This is a great beginning, perhaps even better, is games which
are explained thoroughly (Logical Chess Move by Move Irving
Chernev, or Amateur Chess Fred Reinfeild) these types of game
collections are of the upmost importance.

Tactical study? "Can't I just play and throw this out"? No.
Why?

Learning how to gain subtle advantages are great, however, how can you
punish them without the sight to do so? You can't. Studying tactics is
to be done in conjunction with game study. I personally have two favorite
books which help me with this, continuously. Once you have a firm, and
I meen very FIRM understanding of the basics of chess. (This
includes ALL of the common endings) you can begin studying a bit
more seriously. So start here, a simple fundamental book. Play through
its diagrams. Solve its positions, and endings.

Now for my own example (after having completed the "basics"😉) I find my
study is best combined for the very best understanding.

Session 1
Annotated Games - 3 Master games [Preferrably in my repetoire of openings]
Required Feedback Fundamental tactics described, and build my
pawn structure on my own personal board. Having this beside the game
can be of the utmost value to you. It simply builds understanding faster.
The climactic combination, whatever it may be, must be noted, and
its vital squares discussed, and saved. These will be VERY important later.

Annotate Personal Games - 3 games preferably mixing Correspondence
and blitz or live-play. Each move must be understood. Each move must
have a purpose, explained. Pointing out weaknesses is not as
important, as detailing the ideas behind the correction of weakened
variations. Each move in a new variation must be described and its idea
written down.
*** Do I have to write it? Yes. Why? Because I expect to learn
faster than everybody else. See it. Hear it. Do it The very best
learning cycle. IF A climactic combination can be found, which
was not played, its vital squares must be noted.

Session 2:

tactical study. I personally will use the vital squares from before, and in
my favorite book 5334 Chess problems by Lazslo Polgar each square and
combinations on this square are detailed. Study them, then replay the
Master games from earlier, but at a higher speed. When the
combination is reached. Play it not from memory, but by hand, by your
learning, and from the tactics you did on its square. Simplify as far as
you can. If you don't know the ideas any further, then stop. Restudy
any tactics and try once more.

Finish the game and its variations, this should take you at least an hour.

Do the same, for your own games. Reannotate. Play them again.
You've now played the game three times at the least. You now are very
sure the route it should have gone. I guarantee within a few days, you'll
begin tightening your variations, you'll begin tightening your ideas. Very
soon, you'll be able to give birth to creativity, because you'll have your
own ideas.

The more you study, the more you work through your own games, the
better you get. This really is more of the secret then any of the above.
Most players don't like to replay there own games. However, you'll hear
that all the great players do. The very best, fix themselves every time
they play. So when you watch others play, suddenly, you're watching
creative ideas, and this is when you'll begin to learn most. The secret
to good play, is self annotation, and self revision. At least for me, I
think this has been the biggest key.


-GIN

Originally posted by Mariska Angela
Just play crazy, and stupid moves, you will be fine.

Game 6748854

The Ghandi defence, you should avoid posting games until they are over as people have a habit of commenting.

Originally posted by Nowakowski
An interesting development Ashely. Completely correct as well, might I add.
The "deliberate practice" idea certainly is extremely important. The idea
that we do not succeed in learning without having been prepared to; learn.
This isn't just important, its necessity.

When was the last time you studied the kings opposition? Do you have any
under ...[text shortened]... ion. At least for me, I
think this has been the biggest key.


-GIN

Hi GIN, seriously I have nothing to say about what you write. Just one comment: you write in style. You write great texts, I always like to read what you say, but, its extention and the terms you use, make it hard for one to absorb everything. Your teachings were wasted on me. Simplify man!

Originally posted by Product Placement
If you could single it down to one key thing that made you good at chess, what would it be?

Discipline.

You have to be disciplined enough to follow through on the many helpful suggestions already contributed to this thread.

Originally posted by orion25
Hi GIN, seriously I have nothing to say about what you write. Just one comment: you write in style. You write great texts, I always like to read what you say, but, its extention and the terms you use, make it hard for one to absorb everything. Your teachings were wasted on me. Simplify man!

Basically I think he's saying that you need to be shown what to do, then implement it.

The problem is that most people don't have access to people who know enough to tell us what to do. If we don't even know what we should be trying to do, then how are we ever going to implement it?

The purpose for books and programs is to show us what to do. If you can't figure out what the book is trying to get you to do, then the book is a waste of money and time.