lichess.org
Donate

Chess improvement

I am 1940+ rated in rapid and have played couple of tournaments..i want to make rapid progress in chess and i am ready to devote 20 hours a week to chess... currently my aim is understanding "My system" by Aron nimzowitsch...please give me some tips how should i read that book..how should i practice chess..so that i can become a professional chess player...at present i am 14 years old...and please refer some good books to become a professional chess player..
I can only help with books I think on your level you should read My 60 Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer, The Art of Attack in chess by Vladimir Vuković, Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual by Mark Dvoretsky and Dvoretsky's Analytical Manual by Mark Dvoretsky. I know only these but I hope this helps😀😊😊
I would read basic checkmate patterns and work my way up to endgames. Dvoretsky's books are complicated if not studied well but worth once you understand it. The my system is good I have the revised version and I personally like it not the best but I like it. The books from #3 are good. If you want to improve, do Fischer's method of improvement which is study it then re study it again so you can really get the idea. That is just my way to improve. The modern opening book is good but confusing.
Do puzzles Storms n normal Puzzles and You can also Read a Book
"My System" by Nimzovich is a great book. You should study it with two chess sets: one for the main line, one for variations.
Do not overdo on books: only one book at a time. No more than 3 books per year.
You should divide your 20 h/week between 5 h play, 5 h analysis of lost games, 5 h training and 5 h study.

The essence is to play. A book about swimming or car driving may help you swim or drive better, but you must swim or drive.

The essence of progress is to learn from your mistakes, so you must analyse your lost games so as not to make the same mistakes over and again.

"Chess is 99% tactics" - Teichmann. Train tactics until your tactics puzzle rating exceeds your desired rating. Tactics puzzles are good as a warm-up before you play.

Study of books is a good complement: you cannot reinvent everything yourself. "My System" is good. "Dvoretzky's Endgame Manual" was recommended by Kasparov for professionals and amateurs alike. 'Fundamental Chess Ending" by Karsten Müller was endorsed by Carlsen. "My Sixty Memorable Games" by Fischer and "Zürich 1953" by Bronstein are great, just like the books by Kasparov.
@tpr..i am very much satisfied by your answer but i have a few queries...the scenario is that i will practice for 3 years till i am 17 and will practice 20hrs/week..after 3 years, i will start playing OTB tournaments with full preparation... will i be able to become a chess player then and could i earn some hefty amount...another thing is do I have to analyse only my lost games and in what way should i analyse my games...like only computer analysing or is there any other way...please tell me what should be my desired puzzly rating...last question is what should i do in 5 hours training...
#9
"The scenario is that i will practice for 3 years till i am 17 and will practice 20hrs/week..after 3 years, i will start playing OTB tournaments with full preparation" - No, you cannot go on for 3 years without actual play. Start playing over the board as soon as the pandemic is over.
"will i be able to become a chess player then and could i earn some hefty amount" - No, as a chess player you will never earn a hefty amount. Only top 100 in the world can live from chess.
"do I have to analyse only my lost games" - yes that is most efficient. You will learn most of your lost games and you will remember the lessons learned better. Do not indulge in analysis of won games. If you won it is because your opponent made a mistake and you could prey on it.
"in what way should i analyse my games" As you have lost, you must have made at least one mistake. Find that mistake. What candidate moves did you consider? Why did you decide on the mistake? How much time did you spend on it? How much time did you have?
"please tell me what should be my desired puzzly rating" - Your puzzle rating should exceed your desired play rating.
"what should i do in 5 hours training" - tactics puzzles or going through a grandmaster game. Best is to cover up the moves, take one side. Think about your move, preferably with a chess clock and a score sheet, play, push the clock, write it down. Then look what the grandmaster played and change to that if different. Then play the opponent grandmaster's move. Then again think about your move with clock, score sheet... repeat.

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