Author: Mark Boylan
Date: 07:55:00 02/28/06
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On February 28, 2006 at 10:34:40, Stephen Whiteman wrote: >Mark, > >I'm sorry to have to point this out, but someone in your circumstances shouldn't >be working with Bookup. As all chess teachers (I am one) will tell you, the >worst thing a relative beginner can do is spend time memorizing opening lines, >which is what Bookup is designed for. > Don't be sorry Stephen, I'm not that sensitive :) I've also heard the same thing before. >People like the memorization approach because it seems so straightforward: "I >memorize lines, then I get an edge in the opening." But think about it. You >spend hours and hours memorizing, get into a game, and at some point your >opponent leaves the book. Do you then have an advantage? Only if he's >blundered, which you certainly can't count on. Instead, you're both left to >your own devices, only a couple of moves farther into the game than you would >have been had you not spent hours memorizing. And you're just as lost as to >what to do next as you were before. I really didn't get bookup with the goal of rote memorization. But I realize that I learn better when I'm forced to look closely at details. What I mean is that I learn more from reading a book and then making notes in my own words than I do by simply reading the book. So, I thought that if I added my own comments as I entered each move, I'd be reinforcing what I've learned. Does that make any sense? > >Instead, your study time is much better spent on ideas. If you focus on >middlegame ideas the opening will come naturally, since you'll know how to aim >for a playable middlegame. If you like reading books, try "Modern Chess >Strategy" by Ludek Pachman. If you prefer computer study, both ChessBase and >especially Convekta (Chess Assistant) have good middlegame tutorial material. >"Strategy 2.0" from the latter company is the one I'd recommend; their >"Encyclopedia of Middlegame" series is excellent but more advanced. > I also just bought Strategy 2.0 & Encyclopedia of the Middlegame as well as CT-ART 3.0 :) >Once you've worked on your middlegame, you should read the classic "The Ideas >Behind the Chess Openings" by Reuben Fine, followed by either "Understanding the >Chess Openings" by Sam Collins or "Mastering the Openings" by Byron Jacobs, all >of which focus on ideas, rather than variations. > I do spend a lot of time doing chess puzzles. I guess that's just because they're fun. I will admit that I need a lot of work on strategy though. >Sorry, but you'll be better off leaving Bookup to the professional players. No need for sorry.
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