Ok, here's what we have so far. In no particular order:
Online Lessons (1 on 1)
Switching to openings which result in positions you're comfortable with
Reviewing Top Level games
Tactics Tactics Tactics - LOTS of practice with spotting and using tactics
Yasser Seirawan's books - "Play Winning Chess", "Winning Chess Tactics", "Winning Chess Strategy", etc....
Playing chess on RHP
Using the analysis board
Annotating games - Your own games and others
Reducing your correspondence game load
Playing more blitz games
Using databases to learn openings
Slowing down your play
Chesscafe.com articles by Dan Heiseman (Novice Nook)
Thanks again to everyone that's contributed! This has been most helpful. If anyone else would like to contribute please do. I'll keep checking back on this thread from time to time.
Cheers!
Wib
1)Slow down
2)No poofdas! (sorry, couldn't resist🙂)
3)Check, double check, triple check and then check it once more.
4)Do a dummy press of the move button and look away, you'd be amazed what you notice a millisecond afterwards.
5)Talking through your moves whilst playing a higher ranked player on unranked games has helped me a great deal, I managed a win against an 1800 player and a draw against a 1700 player during this process. I am 1300+.
6)Learn the common pitfalls, be aware of knight forks and discovered checks, I fall for thses as a matter of course, but am slowly putting them out of the way.
7)Challenge everyone and anyone
8)Learn a few openings very well, the tactics involved and why and where. Then when you feel confident of them, begin to branch out. If someone strays from the opening you know, don't panic, just remember the principles behind the opening and follow them in response to this new direction.
I started playing blitz in washington sq. park in NYC about 7 years ago. I though i was good, until i got beat by the weakest players there. The key to improving, was playing the next strongest player, until i got to a expert level hustler. Their all about tactics, and i found my self losing in dramatic fashion countless times. I agree tactics are essential for beginners and advanced beginners, to get a feel for the game, Then endgames, and then openings, and when you fell ready, dive into positional chess. That part is more complicated then tactics IMHO.
The best way to improve, is find out what your strong in, and weak at. Hiring a good chess teacher to analyze games is a good idea.
I started with the reinfeld tactics books, and im now reading combonation challange by hays. (second time reading it )
I recently started using CT-Art software, and find it very helpfull.
My USCF rating was 1300 until i started studing chess. Now after a few tourneys, im at almost 1600. (my internet blitz rating is around 1900) If i want to get to expert, i think ill need to concentrate on more tactics and openings. To get to master: endgames and positional play (as well as more openings)
I am working on puzzles and restricting my openings to a minimum. I don't care that i am easy to figure out in regards to what openings I play as long as I understand what I play...
I play lightning 1 0 games and correspondence games... Also, I am using chesspositiontrainer to improve my retention of my repertoire... I go through an endgame every week just to learn a theme or two...
I try to play all types of time controls so that I feel comfortabe with them all. Right now I'm looking for a private teacher but right now I have a group trainer which has helped. Playing tons of games. Focusing on one opening and reading everything about chess I can find.
Hey wib,
if u do have a tactics section, make sure you include a fen of the starting position of the puzzle. Its way better than making the user use 'setup position' all the time. Of course making the on site boards interactive would be the best, but probably more work than just having the fen. Most people have a copy of winboard or chesspad.
Also, when I practice tactics, I normally like to practice them in groups. Ie: All forks tactics, all pins tactics, etc.
D
