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Tips - how to improve if you have 1 hour a day?

#11

Thanks guys!
I do play a LOT of bullet - and I thought that just by playing A LOT I would pick up things that work/don't work, and gradually hone my skills. Well I've gradually gone up in ranking from terrible to bad :-) The addtional problem is that I find bullet VERY addictive :-)
I guess it's a trade-off with just "having fun" and actually improving!!!
I n e e d m o r e d i s c i p l i n e!

Thanks guys! I do play a LOT of bullet - and I thought that just by playing A LOT I would pick up things that work/don't work, and gradually hone my skills. Well I've gradually gone up in ranking from terrible to bad :-) The addtional problem is that I find bullet VERY addictive :-) I guess it's a trade-off with just "having fun" and actually improving!!! I n e e d m o r e d i s c i p l i n e!
#12

@elikay770 Yep. Addictive and fun and not efficient at getting better.

I have a student to whom I've recommended to stop playing fast chess for now. She needs work on visualization. The elementary type of visualization - seeing all the attacks/defenses in a position of the pieces. Stuff like seeing that a Bishop is absolutely pinning a pawn to the King and hence that pawn is not really defending some square. Without that type of visualization it is very difficult to see tactics. Of course this lead to her not being able to easily find opponents for games. I'm working with her on that because game play is obviously important.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

@elikay770 Yep. Addictive and fun and not efficient at getting better. I have a student to whom I've recommended to stop playing fast chess for now. She needs work on visualization. The elementary type of visualization - seeing all the attacks/defenses in a position of the pieces. Stuff like seeing that a Bishop is absolutely pinning a pawn to the King and hence that pawn is not really defending some square. Without that type of visualization it is very difficult to see tactics. Of course this lead to her not being able to easily find opponents for games. I'm working with her on that because game play is obviously important. Good luck on whatever you decide.
#13

I think investing 1 hour a day is already more time than most people here invest into their training. I would always start with tactics.

I especially like this website: https://www.chesstactics.org/

It's basically an online version of two of Ward Farsnworth tactics books.
It covers tactical motifs like double attack, pins, skewers with lots of examples. Also mating patterns are covered.
At the end there are a lot of exercises to apply what you'ver learnt.

Knowing this is the basic knowledge of every chess player (I still have to practice tactics a lot).

The reason why I prefer this to other resources, is that it's first of all free and it is structured. Other sites only offer a bunch of tactical puzzles without explanations and examples. There is no structure in the form of chapters like the online version of farsworth book.

Knowing basic tactical motifs and mating patterns will help you also when you're calculating moves.

I think investing 1 hour a day is already more time than most people here invest into their training. I would always start with tactics. I especially like this website: https://www.chesstactics.org/ It's basically an online version of two of Ward Farsnworth tactics books. It covers tactical motifs like double attack, pins, skewers with lots of examples. Also mating patterns are covered. At the end there are a lot of exercises to apply what you'ver learnt. Knowing this is the basic knowledge of every chess player (I still have to practice tactics a lot). The reason why I prefer this to other resources, is that it's first of all free and it is structured. Other sites only offer a bunch of tactical puzzles without explanations and examples. There is no structure in the form of chapters like the online version of farsworth book. Knowing basic tactical motifs and mating patterns will help you also when you're calculating moves.
#14

Thanks again guys
Any other suggestions also welcome.

Thanks again guys Any other suggestions also welcome.
#16

I think Jerry on ChessNetwork is great. He works with a lot of shorter time controls, but there are a lot of useful insights and it is very entertaining besides. I follow him for awhile and then play awhile, but like you I'm not that disciplined or that ambitious for that matter.

I think Jerry on ChessNetwork is great. He works with a lot of shorter time controls, but there are a lot of useful insights and it is very entertaining besides. I follow him for awhile and then play awhile, but like you I'm not that disciplined or that ambitious for that matter.
#17

Monday: play a 25+10 time control game
Tuesday: If yoyu lost Monday's game, then analyse it, else train tactics
Wednesday: Play a 25+10 time control game
Thursday: If you lost Wednesday's game, then analyse it, else study a rook endgame
Friday: play a 25+10 time control game
Saturday: If you lost Friday's game, then analyse it, else train tactics
Sunday: outdoor physical activity

Monday: play a 25+10 time control game Tuesday: If yoyu lost Monday's game, then analyse it, else train tactics Wednesday: Play a 25+10 time control game Thursday: If you lost Wednesday's game, then analyse it, else study a rook endgame Friday: play a 25+10 time control game Saturday: If you lost Friday's game, then analyse it, else train tactics Sunday: outdoor physical activity
#18

@jomega Thank you again for taking the time to answer my question! I'll definitely try it

@jomega Thank you again for taking the time to answer my question! I'll definitely try it
#20

the reason why i advised you quit bullet is because to me bullet is just about how fast you can play chess. How well you can play chess as nothing to do at all with bullet. 5 min + clearly allows for something more reasonable while not too much time consuming.
now the top is to find a club and get some serious over the board games with classical time control. it does eat a huge amount of time of your life. In a way it's sort of wasted. but that's one of the best way to get better. Not only do you improve but that's when you get to enjoy the game a lot. lose or win, you'll just appreciate to think for a nice plan for 30 mins. or suddenly to find a long and nice tactical serie of moves. Or to milk a nice positionnal position.

now the agenda suggested above is quite good. just that it's really serious, don't forget to enjoy yourself.
if you don't enjoy it you'll burn out fast...
Endgames is definitely very worth studying but anything beyond basics will get you quickly bored ( at least it was the case fore me)

just keep the balance and in any case it's better to enjoy it and play not so well than playing better but losing interest in it.

the reason why i advised you quit bullet is because to me bullet is just about how fast you can play chess. How well you can play chess as nothing to do at all with bullet. 5 min + clearly allows for something more reasonable while not too much time consuming. now the top is to find a club and get some serious over the board games with classical time control. it does eat a huge amount of time of your life. In a way it's sort of wasted. but that's one of the best way to get better. Not only do you improve but that's when you get to enjoy the game a lot. lose or win, you'll just appreciate to think for a nice plan for 30 mins. or suddenly to find a long and nice tactical serie of moves. Or to milk a nice positionnal position. now the agenda suggested above is quite good. just that it's really serious, don't forget to enjoy yourself. if you don't enjoy it you'll burn out fast... Endgames is definitely very worth studying but anything beyond basics will get you quickly bored ( at least it was the case fore me) just keep the balance and in any case it's better to enjoy it and play not so well than playing better but losing interest in it.

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