Studying chess is not easy. Where to start?
1. Analyse your own games
After each game you play you need to take a closer look at it. Preferable with your opponent or a friend who is a bit stronger than you chess wise. Afterall, how else would you find out what the weak spots in your chess play are?
Why not just feed the game to a chess program?
Because you will not learn anything from that. The machine will show you your mistakes and what move(s) you better had played. But do you really think you gonna remember it all?
If you went over the game yourself at least you where busy with chess. Improving your analytical skills. Finding ways to handle a certain type of position. You did all the work yourself, so it will stick with you.
2. Books
The topic chess is one of the most documented ones. I can not come up with any other topic that has more books about it then chess. So search and you will find books about the weak spot in your chess play you want to tackle.
The only problem is that one has to find a book that is suitable for you and addresses your weak spots in chess. So I recommend to surf the internet for reviews before you buy a certain book.
3. Websites
There are lots of websites on the net about chess today. Just google chess and over a million suggestions will pop up. Bookmark the ones you like best since you can not follow then all.
Even if you want to play a game of chess there is a lot of choice. For example FICS, chess.com, ICC, Playchess, chesscube, to name a few from the top of my head.
Also correspondence chess, called turn based chess, has it websites such as gameknot, schemingmind, chess.com ,to name a few.
4. Chess programs
We all know the chess playing programs Fritz, Rybka, … and other programs on DVD from Chessbase.
But there is also convekta with their program CT-art or total chess training and many others.
5. Chess trainer/coach
One can also take a coach. But don’t hire just anybody. Make sure that after a lesson or two there is a certain connection between you two. You may call it a friendship.
Also make sure that the person you hire to be your coach addresses your weak spot and doesn’t just give lessons at random. The main reason you hired this chess trainer/coach is to work on your weak spots in your chess play. Offcourse so now and then lessons on your strong spots in your chess play is also necessary, they may not be neglected or otherwise it is possible that they become weak spots aswell.
Which method of study suits you best? How many hours do you spend at chess on a weekly basis?
Do you think there is a sixth method of studying chess?
No related posts.
Clearly, studying tactics ad nauseum and placing the book “Rapid Chess Improvement” under one’s pillow seems to me the best way to reach Expert.
Obviously, we don’t have a lot of time or energy to study chess everyday, so it must be focused to reach Expert. The proper focus is probably a big part of getting there.
LinuxguyOnFICS recently posted..Wednesday Round 4 – June 2011
Rapid Chess Improvement??? That book is only for people with lots of free time and the willingness to do nothing else then tactics for a very long time.
I agree with the focus part. One hour a day of chess study is atleast necessary to get to Expert and to stay there.
I’ve always thought that the old school “cover up the moves and then predict the next one” in game collections is a pretty good way to improve.
Greg recently posted..now this is what it is all about…
That is indeed a good way of chess training.
But one must take in mind that we are not grandmasters. So we may not be dissapointed when the eventual score is 0%.