Author: Terry Ripple
Date: 08:12:11 01/12/02
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On January 11, 2002 at 15:25:45, Russell Reagan wrote: >On January 11, 2002 at 10:51:50, Terry Ripple wrote: > >>On January 10, 2002 at 19:27:43, Michael Booker wrote: >> >>>What are some good methods to improve in chess and enhance memory. I know that >>>most will say to just play game after game and go over books. Also examine >>>grandmaster games. I would like to know how to identify patterns of pieces used >>>in conjuction with other to be used as a unit and not just an isolated piece or >>>pawn. >>--------------------- >>Hi Michael, >> >>When playing over the board try to always play opponents atleast 200 points or >>stronger above your strength. It's not always an easy task to get stronger >>opponents to play you, but this is one of the best ways to get stronger if you >>don't mind losing many games! Play lots of games and study Strategy and Tactics >>when your not playing. >> >>A must read: "How to Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman" >>" " " : "Winning Chess Tactics by Yasser Seirawan and Jeremy Silman" >> >>Both books are excellent sources for greatly improving your chess game!!! >> >>Best regards, >>Terry > >How to Reasses Your Chess is a slippery one. It is a very good book, and very >well written. Mr. Silman is excellent at conveying ideas used in >strategic/positional play. The catch is, that you read the book, you understand >perfectly what he's talking about, it all makes sense, and you think you >understand how to play strategic/positional chess. This is how I felt when I >read it. The main thing I've heard from others, and experienced myself, is that >this book is so well written that you *think* you understand what it's talking >about, but when it comes down to improvement, this book doesn't really do much >to help improvement for _most_ players. Having said all of that, let me clarify >a few things. > >I believe this book could be used for great improvement for a player who has >already mastered basic tactical play, and where the problem occurs is when >players who still have room to improve their tactics read this book and they >think they understand what it's talking about because Mr. Silman does such a >great job conveying ideas clearly. It gives the beginner-intermediate player a >false sense of security in a sense. > >This is not to say that you shouldn't read it. If nothing else you will become >more exposed to positional ideas and strategy, and later on when you get to the >point where you are beyond tactical improvement and ready for this kind of >thing, it should be easier to grasp and put into practical play because you >wouldn't be studying this kind of material for the first time. > >My point is to just keep in mind that when you (if you're a beginning player) >read this book, don't go crazy thinking this is the best book ever written. I >did, and then I came to realize that I had no idea how to put this knowledge to >work for me to make me a better player, because I would try to, and then I'd >hang a rook and it didn't matter that I had a "good" bishop anymore because I >was a rook down and on my way to being mated. Don't get me wrong, buy the book >and read it eventually, just keep in mind that it should have a WARNING label on >it. > >The other book on tactics is quite good. --------------- I agree to some extent what you are saying as it is not entirely a beginner book. There are some better sources if you hardly ever picked up a chess piece! But, where many players go wrong is they read this book from begining to end without practicing and playing along with their reading of each chapter. You must do exactly as Silman says" Practice by playing many games after each section of his book and don't proceed to the next section until you have a full understanding about what you just read and learned, this is very important! Play, play and play until you throughly understand what you just learned from the section or chapter you just finished. I can attest to my statements as i been there and progressed up the ladder to more than a 400 point rating increase. The two books i mentioned were the most important books that helped increased my skill plus playing over 1200 games( atleast 30 to 60 min. per side) during the course of my studies. Now when i play in our chess club i play very well against our club Master who has a USCF rating of 2337. Over the past month a have an even score with him playing a time control of 45 min./5 sec.Fischer W5,D4,L5 Very important note: This 1 min. and 5 min. chess will do very little to help make big improvements in your chess playing strength. You need to slow it down so you can think deeper into the position for planning and to practice what you just learned. Another very important note: Always go over your games and most importantly the games you lost. Try to analyse your games and look for your weak moves, and if you have a chess program then also use it to help analyse where your weak moves are. Best regards, Terry
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