Author: martin fierz
Date: 03:28:52 07/09/01
Go up one level in this thread
On July 08, 2001 at 18:11:08, Otello Gnaramori wrote: >I would like to add this extract of a chat transcript with GM Michael Rhode on >the argument to clarify my previous point : > ><snip> >Jeff: How well would you say solving tactics and mate problems improve one's >play? > >rohde: ok tactics are super important in general >rohde: in fact the saying that chess is 99% tactics really is true >rohde: most learning players make way too much about "this is the plan" or "i >dont like this because of doubled pawns" when they really should be thinking, " >if he does this, then what am i going to do ?" >rohde: mate problems are an exercise in tactics >rohde: that is why they are good >rohde: the idea is to figure out the problem and understand why the solution is >the solution >rohde: the positional themes, like "control the center", develop your pieces, >dont get a backward pawn, are easy to learn and not a problem >rohde: so i think mate problems are very good >rohde: GM dlugy's teacher, Zaltzman, many years ago, had him do hundreds of >problems every day ><snip> > >The complete transcipt can be found here: >http://chess.about.com/games/chess/library/weekly/aa050399.htm you are missing something in my opinion: rohde states 'most learning players'... i have been involved in chess teaching too, and i have been teaching my kids about plans and positional chess etc, and at the end of the course you have them play a tournament and they all hang pieces like mad. we changed our curriculum after that... i sincerely believe that *by far* the best method for any player below 2000 to improve is to study tactics, nothing else. at higher levels, the emphasis should shift again towards more positional understanding, endgame and opening knowledge etc. unfortunately rohde is not qualifying his advice - what is a 'learning player'? cheers martin
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