- Blind mode tutorial
lichess.org
Donate

Hey, I want to know if I'm on the right track the way I'm studying chess

#21

@TheSunBurnsMyEyes
To train the eye for checkmate patterns, the practice pages here on Lichess are pretty good:
https://lichess.org/practice ("Checkmate patterns I - IV"). For best effect, it's probably good to do each session twice: Once slowly, looking carefully to get each one right, and then repeating more quickly to commit the patterns to memory.

@TheSunBurnsMyEyes To train the eye for checkmate patterns, the practice pages here on Lichess are pretty good: https://lichess.org/practice ("Checkmate patterns I - IV"). For best effect, it's probably good to do each session twice: Once slowly, looking carefully to get each one right, and then repeating more quickly to commit the patterns to memory.
#22

@TheSunBurnsMyEyes

I am not sure I can give you a good advice on the video topic. I am somewhat familiar with the videos of Ben Finegold, and watched quite a bit of them as chess entertainment. Not sure if that's the answer you were looking for ;-) . I'd guess they could be medium-useful for you - you may see some fresh material and train a bit of tactics in the meantime.

You could maybe try watching videos of Yasser and Akobian from STCL or GM game reviews (preferably long reviews by GMs), if you want something more challenging.

The downside of videos is the relatively low recall of the material compared to other study methods (IMO, feel free to review this). For example, I find it easier to memorize information by superficially clicking through a certain game.

On the other hand you expose yourself to ideas you would not encounter in your own game analysis (for instance) or might overlook otherwise.

Captcha --- @Panagrellus' advice sounds quite reasonable - along with some generic tactic training.

@TheSunBurnsMyEyes I am not sure I can give you a good advice on the video topic. I am somewhat familiar with the videos of Ben Finegold, and watched quite a bit of them as chess entertainment. Not sure if that's the answer you were looking for ;-) . I'd guess they could be medium-useful for you - you may see some fresh material and train a bit of tactics in the meantime. You could maybe try watching videos of Yasser and Akobian from STCL or GM game reviews (preferably long reviews by GMs), if you want something more challenging. The downside of videos is the relatively low recall of the material compared to other study methods (IMO, feel free to review this). For example, I find it easier to memorize information by superficially clicking through a certain game. On the other hand you expose yourself to ideas you would not encounter in your own game analysis (for instance) or might overlook otherwise. --------- Captcha --- @Panagrellus' advice sounds quite reasonable - along with some generic tactic training.
#23

I watched a lot of chess YouTube and I can safely say it gives you a sense of what good moves look like and how other people think about moves in game. After you learn that, videos don't help strategic play as much as looking through a game with a computer. From looking at my games I developed much stronger positional and strategic skills. In fact, most of my games are me positionally or strategically crushing my opponent. Don't get me wrong, I still need a lot of work in that area, but I feel what is holding me back from becoming a better player is my complete lack of tactical skill. As I said before I even had trouble solving the comment captcha's checkmate in one occasionally. @SnackYourPawn , what is the best way I can improve at tactics.

Also, the only reason my puzzle rating is so high is because I take about 5 minutes to think since I know there is a tactic and the lichess puzzles tend to be easy relative to their rating.

I watched a lot of chess YouTube and I can safely say it gives you a sense of what good moves look like and how other people think about moves in game. After you learn that, videos don't help strategic play as much as looking through a game with a computer. From looking at my games I developed much stronger positional and strategic skills. In fact, most of my games are me positionally or strategically crushing my opponent. Don't get me wrong, I still need a lot of work in that area, but I feel what is holding me back from becoming a better player is my complete lack of tactical skill. As I said before I even had trouble solving the comment captcha's checkmate in one occasionally. @SnackYourPawn , what is the best way I can improve at tactics. Also, the only reason my puzzle rating is so high is because I take about 5 minutes to think since I know there is a tactic and the lichess puzzles tend to be easy relative to their rating.
#24

Hey, check out the game I just finished annotating on chapter 31. That one is really exiting.

Hey, check out the game I just finished annotating on chapter 31. That one is really exiting.
#25

Alekhine recommend solving checkmate in 3 problems to improve at tactics.

Alekhine recommend solving checkmate in 3 problems to improve at tactics.
#26

@TheSunBurnsMyEyes :

"...study a good 40-60 hours a week alongside work..."

I guess you got a 9-5 job. Such a 100h week might not be good for your physical and mental health.

I did such a crap when I was younger (no chess but music - now i‘m about 63) and you can believe me that this method does not lead to the expected results.

@TheSunBurnsMyEyes : "...study a good 40-60 hours a week alongside work..." I guess you got a 9-5 job. Such a 100h week might not be good for your physical and mental health. I did such a crap when I was younger (no chess but music - now i‘m about 63) and you can believe me that this method does not lead to the expected results.
#27

Actually it is a summer job, so usually about 35 hours a week. You see, its impossible to get internships as a freshman in college so I decided to study for my classes over the summer, train for rugby and work as a host for work experience, and study chess for good abstract thinking skills and a hobby. My restaurant was over hiring all summer though for hosts and because of the limited amount of shifts I started seeing other peoples schedules cut down. Pretty much everyone on shift at this point had one to two shifts. They eventually cut my hours down too, although I did have the Saturday evening shift to myself. With all of the extra time and with only a month until the end of summer I decided to try to learn as much about chess with the remaining time as possible, and so far I've seen a huge improvement in my positional chess and knowledge of chess theory. And yes there is a reason for this. I'm a math and computer science double major and I wanted to really hone down on my abstract thinking skills. Also, look up Project Euler and 3Blue1Brown for how I study abstract thinking in my subject As per my last few games, chapters 31 and 32, it is clear I am improving and I have no plans to stop until college comes around.

Just wanted to clear some things up because some of you were worrying about my health.

Actually it is a summer job, so usually about 35 hours a week. You see, its impossible to get internships as a freshman in college so I decided to study for my classes over the summer, train for rugby and work as a host for work experience, and study chess for good abstract thinking skills and a hobby. My restaurant was over hiring all summer though for hosts and because of the limited amount of shifts I started seeing other peoples schedules cut down. Pretty much everyone on shift at this point had one to two shifts. They eventually cut my hours down too, although I did have the Saturday evening shift to myself. With all of the extra time and with only a month until the end of summer I decided to try to learn as much about chess with the remaining time as possible, and so far I've seen a huge improvement in my positional chess and knowledge of chess theory. And yes there is a reason for this. I'm a math and computer science double major and I wanted to really hone down on my abstract thinking skills. Also, look up Project Euler and 3Blue1Brown for how I study abstract thinking in my subject As per my last few games, chapters 31 and 32, it is clear I am improving and I have no plans to stop until college comes around. Just wanted to clear some things up because some of you were worrying about my health.
#29

@Makropoulos, Is that a quote from John Donne? You know, there is a really good HBO show about an English professor who studied him.

@Makropoulos, Is that a quote from John Donne? You know, there is a really good HBO show about an English professor who studied him.

This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.