30 Aug 08
1 edit
Originally posted by onehandgann1. Be6+? Kb8
this was tougher for me to see not sure if correct
Be6 check Kb8
Nd7 check Ka8
Kb6 h8Q
Bd5 checkmate.
2. Nd7+ Ka7, with 3. ... h1=Q, should win for Black in the long run.
1. Ne6? h1=Q and what then? White has nothing.
The solution should not be that difficult to find, when [you have] discard[ed] these two initial moves!
30 Aug 08
5 edits
Originally posted by skimsThis thread is a great idea, but I do want to point out that the club for Personal Chess Training is not limited to endgame studies. We have thousands of tactical problems available on special tracks. The information is already there, but we need someone to volunteer as a teacher for such tracks. My time is limited, and we don't have anyone dedicated to teaching these tracks.
[b]I want to create a thread of relatively simple tactical chess puzzles, preferably from real games (as opposed to composed endgame problems). Anyone can contribute puzzles or solutions. Hopefully this will prove to be interesting and maybe instructive for everyone.
For members unfamiliar with PCT, once you join we send you problems to solve. You will be paired with an instructor. If you analyze the position in words and calculate the variation correctly then you can rush through a lot of problems in a hurry. If you need help -- that's what the instructor's are there for.
We have nearly 300 (not all of the members to this project belong to the RHP club of 202 members) studens and need more players willing to volunteer their time to help others as teachers. You can teach players at any level. Even if you are rated 1200 you can help lesser players through mate in 1 problems. If you are rated much higher then you would be qualified to teach more complex problems. We have teacher tracks -- to identify the problems the teacher is willing to teach and we have student tracks -- to identify the problems the student wishes to learn. Of course, a student can only select problems that are under the teacher's domain.
30 Aug 08
Originally posted by petrovitchPetrovich, how can people join your Personal Chess Training? Or is it too late for new members? Do you have to be a subscriber on RHP?
This thread is a great idea, but I do want to point out that the club for Personal Chess Training is not limited to endgame studies. We have thousands of tactical problems available on special tracks. The information is already there, but we need someone to volunteer as a teacher for such tracks. My time is limited, and we don't have anyone dedicated to ...[text shortened]... o learn. Of course, a student can only select problems that are under the teacher's domain.
Do you give the same positions to everyone who joins, or does it vary according to rating/personal preferences (eg. whether we'd prefer tactics problems/endgame studies etc.)
Thank you in advance for your responses to my questions.
Skims 🙂
30 Aug 08
3 edits
Originally posted by skimsEither message me or thgibbs and we will insert you as a member or easier is to join the rhp club called Personal Chess Training and you will automatically be inserted onto our list. We have no affiliation with rhp; by automated I mean we have scripts that keep track of rhp membership and do the job for us.
Petrovich, how can people join your Personal Chess Training? Or is it too late for new members? Do you have to be a subscriber on RHP?
Do you give the same positions to everyone who joins, or does it vary according to rating/personal preferences (eg. whether we'd prefer tactics problems/endgame studies etc.)
Thank you in advance for your responses to my questions.
Skims 🙂
We told rhp that the clans would not fit our needs so they created clubs to meet with our demands. There is no limit to the number of members you can have in a club. We have our own forum on rhp, our own tournaments, and our members share and suggest ideas.
Everything on PCT is done by volunteers. The project was established by thgibbs and I for personal study. Then the project got so big and had so much potential that we decided to open it to the public. At first, we considered interfacing with multiple server sites, but rhp has so much more to offer (in features) that we decided to work only with their site. Of course, the big disadvantage with working with them is their restrictions on non-paid members. Non-paid members can join out club, and many of our member are non-paid, but their activity is limited. It is so limited that we no longer allow non-paid members to teach.
The primary object of this project is advanced endgame, but we have hundreds of tracks filled with thousands of problems. They cover basic mates, elementary endgame, advanced endgame, mate in 1, mate in 2, mate in 3, mate in n, elementary tactics, advanced tactics, and much more. At present, although tactical tracks are available, we do not have anyone teaching these tracks. A teacher is given access to a launcher program that generates problems on rhp for the student.
We spend a lot of time working through KBN v K, KQ vs KR, the Lucena Position, Philidor Position, and how to build and defend against a fortress.
We don't just learn how to play the Lucena position. You can find that in any endgame text book. Our approach is to find lots of grandmaster games where the Lucena position occurred then backup the game a dozen moves or so and learn how the grandmaster created the Lucena position from positions where it is not obvious. Sometimes it involves sacrificing material -- positional gain from material loss.
Most of our students work through the mate in 1 problems at first. This accomplishes several things. First, dedication. If you can't make it through a few hundred mate in 1 problems then you probably won't spend the time required to solve the more advanced problems. Second, it teaches pattern recognition that is essential for everyone. Even you are already rated over 2000 you need to review these positions.
If you have any questions it would also be good to talk with a few of our students: Badwater, heinzkat, PatzerLars, Green Paladin, KnightStalker47, dragon2195, kunsoo, jazzmax, pruliere, and many others.
Let me add one more thing. It is easy to get burned out studying chess. The project pairs you with an instructor. That helps more than I can express. It offers support, encouragement, and a personal challenge to do better and learn more. And we don't worry about cheating -- if you cheat, you don't learn, and this project is all about learning to understand the hidden secrets of the game.
31 Aug 08
Originally posted by moteutschBxh7+ Kxh7
Here are two puzzles that I came up with today. I came up with this first one while I was eating lunch. It just hit me. I know that the position looks kind've fake, but the puzzle itself is nice (I think).
[fen]rbbq2k1/pn3p1p/1p2pp2/n2pP3/2pP4/BPP5/P1BN1PPP/3QK2R w - 0 1[/fen]
White to move.
Q-h5 K-g8
Q-g4 K-.....
draw 😉