sheesh
Your improvement @Jaiyehhh is impressive and I'm envious. I've been playing for 50 years but it wasn't until the advent of resources like YouTube chess videos and sites like Lichess that I made any improvement. I would credit Jerry from ChessNetwork with his video series called, "Beginner To Chess Master", with providing the most useful tips.
When I was 9 someone in the school library taught me the moves and I started playing with a few of the other kids after that and I remember when I was about 12 there was a kid that was rated around 1300 and that seemed like an amazing milestone.
After reading all the chess books in the school library I still couldn't beat that 1300 player.
In the 1980's I bought a microprocessor called The Super Constellation by Novag that was supposed to be rated around 2000 and I never beat that too. Progress was very frustrating. I didn't have any really strong friends to tell me how to improve.
Consider yourself part of a lucky generation of chess players that really have no excuses to make very rapid improvement if they are diligent in their studies. The resources to analyze games immediately after playing them is better than having a GM as a coach imo because the engine misses nothing.
Since January of 2021 and Lichess introducing Puzzle Storm, Racer and Streak and the opportunity to do puzzles all day and night endlessly, I would predict it won't be long until there is going to be Grandmasters in the future by 10 years old here.
When I was 9 someone in the school library taught me the moves and I started playing with a few of the other kids after that and I remember when I was about 12 there was a kid that was rated around 1300 and that seemed like an amazing milestone.
After reading all the chess books in the school library I still couldn't beat that 1300 player.
In the 1980's I bought a microprocessor called The Super Constellation by Novag that was supposed to be rated around 2000 and I never beat that too. Progress was very frustrating. I didn't have any really strong friends to tell me how to improve.
Consider yourself part of a lucky generation of chess players that really have no excuses to make very rapid improvement if they are diligent in their studies. The resources to analyze games immediately after playing them is better than having a GM as a coach imo because the engine misses nothing.
Since January of 2021 and Lichess introducing Puzzle Storm, Racer and Streak and the opportunity to do puzzles all day and night endlessly, I would predict it won't be long until there is going to be Grandmasters in the future by 10 years old here.
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@Blundered_the_queen said in #23:
> I think my estimate of my own intelligence is well-founded; when the facts are staring me in the face like this it's disgustingly dishonest to listen to "positive affirmations" and ignore the truth. I'd much rather have the ugly truth than a beautiful lie.
>
> As far as your advice goes, I've genuinely tried everything you've suggested, and it just doesn't stick. If anything, the puzzles made my play worse because I started looking for opportunities and tactics that just weren't in the position, sacrificing pieces for some illusory chance of victory. I think puzzles are fun but they ultimately make you a worse player.
>
> And don't take this the wrong way, but you're rated 800 despite joining in 2016; that's at least 6 years of chess without any improvement to speak of. I think your advice sounds good and sensible in theory, but in practice it doesn't seem to work very well or at all. If this advice is actually reasonable, then there's at least a pretty good chance that you haven't been following your own advice. On the other hand, if you have actually been following your own advice, then perhaps that is proof enough that your advice doesn't work.
Your style of writing indicates that your verbal IQ at least is well above average. You also seem to be introspective which isn't usually the hallmark of idiots. To be a good chess player, there need to be a few things in place. Some are obtainable for almost everyone, some aren't. Pattern recognition is a big one. I suspect that some people's brains are wired in a way that makes them better at this. Another big one is visualisation, the ability to play virtual moves in your mind and look at the new situation on the board. I'm not sure to what extend this can be learned, especially as an adult. What can be learned easily (though it may be time consuming) is openings. Especially at the sub1500 level you can often get a winning position after a few moves by playing the opening correctly.
Lastly, I want to point out that there is zero correlation between intelligence and wisdom. I have met extremely intelligent fools and dumb wise men. I much prefer the latter.
> I think my estimate of my own intelligence is well-founded; when the facts are staring me in the face like this it's disgustingly dishonest to listen to "positive affirmations" and ignore the truth. I'd much rather have the ugly truth than a beautiful lie.
>
> As far as your advice goes, I've genuinely tried everything you've suggested, and it just doesn't stick. If anything, the puzzles made my play worse because I started looking for opportunities and tactics that just weren't in the position, sacrificing pieces for some illusory chance of victory. I think puzzles are fun but they ultimately make you a worse player.
>
> And don't take this the wrong way, but you're rated 800 despite joining in 2016; that's at least 6 years of chess without any improvement to speak of. I think your advice sounds good and sensible in theory, but in practice it doesn't seem to work very well or at all. If this advice is actually reasonable, then there's at least a pretty good chance that you haven't been following your own advice. On the other hand, if you have actually been following your own advice, then perhaps that is proof enough that your advice doesn't work.
Your style of writing indicates that your verbal IQ at least is well above average. You also seem to be introspective which isn't usually the hallmark of idiots. To be a good chess player, there need to be a few things in place. Some are obtainable for almost everyone, some aren't. Pattern recognition is a big one. I suspect that some people's brains are wired in a way that makes them better at this. Another big one is visualisation, the ability to play virtual moves in your mind and look at the new situation on the board. I'm not sure to what extend this can be learned, especially as an adult. What can be learned easily (though it may be time consuming) is openings. Especially at the sub1500 level you can often get a winning position after a few moves by playing the opening correctly.
Lastly, I want to point out that there is zero correlation between intelligence and wisdom. I have met extremely intelligent fools and dumb wise men. I much prefer the latter.
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