In article 2v3Ua.124034$OZ2.25055@rwcrnsc54,
"Russell Reagan" wrote:

An example of what I am trying to avoid is this. People say that you should
start with tactics because they are the most important, and they are a good
foundation. I think that what happens is that people (mostly beginners and
weaker players, which is most of us) get wrapped up in tactics and their
"chess growth" is stunted. They spend all of their time looking for cheap
tactics and never progress as a player. A book like the Inner Game of Chess
would teach you that tactics are not the end, but one of the many means to
the real end.

I wasn't crazy about the inner game of chess. The thing is that while I
think is good to formalize your process, it really doesn't matter what
your process is if you can't instantly see a three-move combination.

Tactics ARE the foundation of chess. Without a sound grounding in them,
nothing else matters.