Hello,
My chess rating is 1800. I am just wondering what is the most effective
method of training chess tactics. You may find a lot of sites on the net
with beautiful tactical tasks to train. I try to use them as much as
possible. But it seems to be a pain to browse the web and look for it
constantly. I would like to build my own tactical positions database with
the help of Fritz8 and use its training module to randomly choose the
positions with tactical shots to find. This is of course a big work. Does
such an approach make any sense? Maybe there are some tactical positions
already gathered into such databases - are they free or not, and where to be
found? BTW what is your training method of sharpening the tactical sense?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Kind regards from Poland,
Stefek

"Stefek Borkowski" wrote in message
...
Hello,
My chess rating is 1800. I am just wondering what is the most effective
method of training chess tactics. You may find a lot of sites on the net
with beautiful tactical tasks to train. I try to use them as much as
possible. But it seems to be a pain to browse the web and look for it
constantly. I would like to build my own tactical positions database with
the help of Fritz8 and use its training module to randomly choose the
positions with tactical shots to find. This is of course a big work. Does
such an approach make any sense? Maybe there are some tactical positions
already gathered into such databases - are they free or not, and where to
be
found? BTW what is your training method of sharpening the tactical sense?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Kind regards from Poland,
Stefek

Stefek,
A very detailed tactical training system is described in the book "Rapid
Chess Improvement: A Study Plan for Adult Players" by Michael de la Maza.
The book is an expanded version of a two-part article published at
www.chesscafe.com several years ago. I think the title of the article was
"400 Points in 400 Days." It should be in the Chess Cafe archives. De la
Maza recommends using a particular software program, Convekta's CT-ART 3.0,
which contains about 1200 problems in order of difficulty.
Bob

"Stefek Borkowski" wrote in message
...
Hello,
My chess rating is 1800. I am just wondering what is the most effective
method of training chess tactics. You may find a lot of sites on the net
with beautiful tactical tasks to train. I try to use them as much as
possible. But it seems to be a pain to browse the web and look for it
constantly. I would like to build my own tactical positions database with
the help of Fritz8 and use its training module to randomly choose the
positions with tactical shots to find. This is of course a big work. Does
such an approach make any sense? Maybe there are some tactical positions
already gathered into such databases - are they free or not, and where to
be
found? BTW what is your training method of sharpening the tactical sense?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Kind regards from Poland,
Stefek

Stefak,
I was wrong about the title of the article and the length of time. It is
"400 Rating Points in One Year." The subtitle is "Extremely rapid chess
improvement for the adult class player: A five-month program"

Bob Musicant wrote:
...
I was wrong about the title of the article and the length of time.
It is "400 Rating Points in One Year." The subtitle is "Extremely
rapid chess improvement for the adult class player: A five-month
program"

Thank you so much Bob. I have happened on that article on the net. Now I can
remember it. Wonder where could get that book of de la Maza. Do you think it
is available at Amazon? Thanks again. May you have a nice day, Bob
Stefek

"Stefek Borkowski" wrote in message
...
Bob Musicant wrote:
...
I was wrong about the title of the article and the length of time.
It is "400 Rating Points in One Year." The subtitle is "Extremely
rapid chess improvement for the adult class player: A five-month
program"

Thank you so much Bob. I have happened on that article on the net. Now I
can
remember it. Wonder where could get that book of de la Maza. Do you think
it
is available at Amazon? Thanks again. May you have a nice day, Bob
Stefek
Stefak -
I know it used to be available through Amazon. If not, then you will
certainly be able to get it through bookfinder.com.
- Bob

Which is your rating source? (FIDE? USCF? Online?) Being 1800 should
already give you a pretty good idea how to tackle tactics training.I have
done De La Maza's Rapid Improvement program. Highly recommended if you
don't have a life or a job. My tactical abilities increased
significantly but I found that I had no clue how to create the positions
where tactical possibilities could be exploited. I lost many games because
I got into a hole out of the opening and it was already too late.

Now I use a more general approach with about 40% of my time devoted to
tactics (CT-Art 3.0, Reinfeld's 1001 books, Alburt's Pocket Book and just
about any chess puzzle I can fix my eyes on), about 25% endings, 20%
strategy and 15% other stuff. I am not studying any specific opening at the
moment (I'm USCF 1665); I only go over the main line when analyzing one of
my games to see what I should have played. I also look up the opening in
Fine's Ideas Behind the Chess Openings to have a better understanding of the
opening. But I don't have a polished repertoire yet.

This is a good link...
http://www.chessville.com/instructio...ng_tactics.htm

Regards,
MC
---
"Stefek Borkowski" wrote in message
...
Hello,
My chess rating is 1800. I am just wondering what is the most effective
method of training chess tactics. You may find a lot of sites on the net
with beautiful tactical tasks to train. I try to use them as much as
possible. But it seems to be a pain to browse the web and look for it
constantly. I would like to build my own tactical positions database with
the help of Fritz8 and use its training module to randomly choose the
positions with tactical shots to find. This is of course a big work. Does
such an approach make any sense? Maybe there are some tactical positions
already gathered into such databases - are they free or not, and where to
be
found? BTW what is your training method of sharpening the tactical sense?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Kind regards from Poland,
Stefek

MC wrote:
Which is your rating source? (FIDE? USCF? Online?) Being 1800 should
already give you a pretty good idea how to tackle tactics training.

Well, I am 1800 by The Polish Chess Association - I think it's roughly
comparable to FIDE. I have had a long break in playing chess, so feel like
starting from the begining...

I
have done De La Maza's Rapid Improvement program. Highly recommended
if you don't have a life or a job. My tactical abilities increased
significantly but I found that I had no clue how to create the
positions where tactical possibilities could be exploited. I lost
many games because I got into a hole out of the opening and it was
already too late.


Okay, I'll try to get my hands on that traning method of de la Maza! Thanks.

Now I use a more general approach with about 40% of my time devoted to
tactics (CT-Art 3.0, Reinfeld's 1001 books, Alburt's Pocket Book and
just about any chess puzzle I can fix my eyes on), about 25% endings,
20% strategy and 15% other stuff. I am not studying any specific
opening at the moment (I'm USCF 1665); I only go over the main line
when analyzing one of my games to see what I should have played. I
also look up the opening in Fine's Ideas Behind the Chess Openings to
have a better understanding of the opening. But I don't have a
polished repertoire yet.

This is a good link...
http://www.chessville.com/instructio...ng_tactics.htm


Thanks so much for the hints and the link to chessville. Bye for now.
Warm greetings from Stefek

Bob Musicant wrote:
...
I know it used to be available through Amazon. If not, then you will
certainly be able to get it through bookfinder.com.
- Bob

Thanks pal!
Greetings from Stefek

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 17:10:39 +0000, Bob Musicant aptly spake:
Stefek,
A very detailed tactical training system is described in the book "Rapid
Chess Improvement: A Study Plan for Adult Players" by Michael de la Maza.
The book is an expanded version of a two-part article published at
www.chesscafe.com several years ago. I think the title of the article was
"400 Points in 400 Days." It should be in the Chess Cafe archives. De la
Maza recommends using a particular software program, Convekta's CT-ART
3.0, which contains about 1200 problems in order of difficulty. Bob

Stefak
If you have the 2 part web article I really don't think that you need to
purchase the book.
Regards,
Yeh

--
"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?"
Nick Lowe
"Why must I lose to this idiot?"
Aron Nimzowitsch

"Bob Musicant" wrote in message
. ..
"Stefek Borkowski" wrote in message
...
Hello,
My chess rating is 1800. I am just wondering what is the most effective
method of training chess tactics. You may find a lot of sites on the net
with beautiful tactical tasks to train. I try to use them as much as
possible. But it seems to be a pain to browse the web and look for it
constantly. I would like to build my own tactical positions database
with
the help of Fritz8 and use its training module to randomly choose the
positions with tactical shots to find. This is of course a big work.
Does
such an approach make any sense? Maybe there are some tactical positions
already gathered into such databases - are they free or not, and where
to
be
found? BTW what is your training method of sharpening the tactical
sense?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Kind regards from Poland,
Stefek

Stefek,
A very detailed tactical training system is described in the book "Rapid
Chess Improvement: A Study Plan for Adult Players" by Michael de la Maza.
The book is an expanded version of a two-part article published at
www.chesscafe.com several years ago. I think the title of the article was
"400 Points in 400 Days." It should be in the Chess Cafe archives. De la
Maza recommends using a particular software program, Convekta's CT-ART
3.0,
which contains about 1200 problems in order of difficulty.
Bob



400 Points in 400 Days. That would make me a GM.
Sounds like a load of ********.

Regards