I have had a chess teacher now for over a year (about 15 months). When I
first starting taking lessons, my USCF rating was 900. Now it is 1322 (ICC =
~1600 blitz), although I haven't even played OTB in a few months. It is
probably higher than that now. In the beginning I tried to supplement my
chess teacher's teaching by reading a lot of different kinds of chess books,
but that just created information overload and some teaching conflict. I now
only buy chess books for leisurely activity, which is not a part of a study
plan, and rely to what my chess teacher is telling me. Our chess lessons
focus on the weakest area of my game. In the beginning my weakness was
simple checkmates, then my weakness was the endgame, 6 months ago it was
tactics, now it is the early middlegame. By improving these weak areas, not
only has my rating improved but it also had shown me different areas of
chess, and has kept me from burning out. It is a simple study plan -
identify your weakest area (may need a chess expert to find this out for
you), and improve it.

I have read about other study plans focusing fixed percentages of time to
different areas of chess. To me, each person's needs are different. There is
also the intensive, rapid improvement method by spending 100% of your time
with tactics. That is just not reasonable, in my opinion. I completed about
500 problems of the CT-ART CD (during my tactical weakness period), and yes
it helped me tactically, but it also burns you out and I for one could not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems.

This plan has worked for me. It does require a chess teacher, which is
expensive, but I feel it could be a solid improvement plan for others, too.

Sandy

You wrote:
I for one could not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems

Alas, to progress you must spend the life of your chess career studying
tactics.

Jim
"Sandy Breon" wrote in message
. ..
I have had a chess teacher now for over a year (about 15 months). When I
first starting taking lessons, my USCF rating was 900. Now it is 1322 (ICC
=
~1600 blitz), although I haven't even played OTB in a few months. It is
probably higher than that now. In the beginning I tried to supplement my
chess teacher's teaching by reading a lot of different kinds of chess
books,
but that just created information overload and some teaching conflict. I
now
only buy chess books for leisurely activity, which is not a part of a
study
plan, and rely to what my chess teacher is telling me. Our chess lessons
focus on the weakest area of my game. In the beginning my weakness was
simple checkmates, then my weakness was the endgame, 6 months ago it was
tactics, now it is the early middlegame. By improving these weak areas,
not
only has my rating improved but it also had shown me different areas of
chess, and has kept me from burning out. It is a simple study plan -
identify your weakest area (may need a chess expert to find this out for
you), and improve it.

I have read about other study plans focusing fixed percentages of time to
different areas of chess. To me, each person's needs are different. There
is
also the intensive, rapid improvement method by spending 100% of your time
with tactics. That is just not reasonable, in my opinion. I completed
about
500 problems of the CT-ART CD (during my tactical weakness period), and
yes
it helped me tactically, but it also burns you out and I for one could not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems.

This plan has worked for me. It does require a chess teacher, which is
expensive, but I feel it could be a solid improvement plan for others,
too.

Sandy

You could also state that the rating you have *also* shows your love for the
chess game.


"Jim Roe" schreef in bericht
.. .
You wrote:
I for one could not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems

Alas, to progress you must spend the life of your chess career studying
tactics.

Jim
"Sandy Breon" wrote in message
. ..
I have had a chess teacher now for over a year (about 15 months). When I
first starting taking lessons, my USCF rating was 900. Now it is 1322
(ICC
=
~1600 blitz), although I haven't even played OTB in a few months. It is
probably higher than that now. In the beginning I tried to supplement my
chess teacher's teaching by reading a lot of different kinds of chess
books,
but that just created information overload and some teaching conflict. I
now
only buy chess books for leisurely activity, which is not a part of a
study
plan, and rely to what my chess teacher is telling me. Our chess lessons
focus on the weakest area of my game. In the beginning my weakness was
simple checkmates, then my weakness was the endgame, 6 months ago it was
tactics, now it is the early middlegame. By improving these weak areas,
not
only has my rating improved but it also had shown me different areas of
chess, and has kept me from burning out. It is a simple study plan -
identify your weakest area (may need a chess expert to find this out for
you), and improve it.

I have read about other study plans focusing fixed percentages of time
to
different areas of chess. To me, each person's needs are different.
There
is
also the intensive, rapid improvement method by spending 100% of your
time
with tactics. That is just not reasonable, in my opinion. I completed
about
500 problems of the CT-ART CD (during my tactical weakness period), and
yes
it helped me tactically, but it also burns you out and I for one could
not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems.

This plan has worked for me. It does require a chess teacher, which is
expensive, but I feel it could be a solid improvement plan for others,
too.

Sandy

Jim,

That is true. Don't get me wrong, I didn't make this clear in my post but I
do still study chess problems regularly, just not part of a strict daily
regimen. I now do it when I'm in the mood, for example some mornings I may
grab a Chess Life or Lazlo Polgar's book and look at some problems while
drinking my morning coffee. Or before my chess lesson I may warm up by
solving a few problems.

The alternative is FORCING yourself, after a hard day's work, to solve 20,
30, or 40 very difficult chess problems daily. I did this for a few weeks
straight, and it was no fun at all. For me, if I continued it was a sure way
to burn out and destroy my love of the game (I would be curious to survey
how many people started the 7 circles program of Rapid Improvement, and
actually finished it). Additionally, I play chess daily on ICC, and tend to
play sharper lines to help a little with my tactics.

My main weakness right now is the early middle game. That is why I am losing
games. Often I will either underestimate or overestimate the early
positional weaknesses that I have, or I will try to attack an area that is
not a positional weaknesses of my opponent.

Sandy


"Jim Roe" wrote in message
.. .
You wrote:
I for one could not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems

Alas, to progress you must spend the life of your chess career studying
tactics.

I believe your chess teacher has you on the right track for improvement.
keep up the good work and keep playing.
Coach Leopold
Chess Coach
Scottsdale, AZ

"Sandy Breon" wrote in message
. ..
I have had a chess teacher now for over a year (about 15 months). When I
first starting taking lessons, my USCF rating was 900. Now it is 1322 (ICC
=
~1600 blitz), although I haven't even played OTB in a few months. It is
probably higher than that now. In the beginning I tried to supplement my
chess teacher's teaching by reading a lot of different kinds of chess
books,
but that just created information overload and some teaching conflict. I
now
only buy chess books for leisurely activity, which is not a part of a
study
plan, and rely to what my chess teacher is telling me. Our chess lessons
focus on the weakest area of my game. In the beginning my weakness was
simple checkmates, then my weakness was the endgame, 6 months ago it was
tactics, now it is the early middlegame. By improving these weak areas,
not
only has my rating improved but it also had shown me different areas of
chess, and has kept me from burning out. It is a simple study plan -
identify your weakest area (may need a chess expert to find this out for
you), and improve it.

I have read about other study plans focusing fixed percentages of time to
different areas of chess. To me, each person's needs are different. There
is
also the intensive, rapid improvement method by spending 100% of your time
with tactics. That is just not reasonable, in my opinion. I completed
about
500 problems of the CT-ART CD (during my tactical weakness period), and
yes
it helped me tactically, but it also burns you out and I for one could not
imagine devoting a year of my life to studying these problems.

This plan has worked for me. It does require a chess teacher, which is
expensive, but I feel it could be a solid improvement plan for others,
too.

Sandy