Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Progress Report--Week 1

(See The Plan for the outline of the weekly schedule. In brief...)

Most 5-hour weekly blocks to consist of:

1 hour FICS, 2 game@15/5 weekly.

1 hour Aagard's Excelling at Chess Calculation, working through each chapter solving the examples from diagrams, then when text completed, the 100 exercises, maximum 10 minutes per exercise then if not solved review answer, until all 100 can be solved on sight (this may extend beyond this current 60-day Plan).

1 hour Chess Tactics Server for solving under clock pressure, but striving for 90 percent accuracy, not rating. Session stats to be recorded and reported here.

1 hour Chess Tempo, non-timed (standard), striving for 95 percent.

1 hour games from The Magic of Mikhail Tal, 2 games a week at 30 min. per, to use real board, find creative and strong tactics, and have fun! Note positions where I don't find Tal's move and put some of them up here for reinforcement and your enjoyment.

Normally I'm from the School of No Excuses, but what with the disappearance of my computer some modification of the schedule was required this week. So, unadorned, here are the chess study activities and grades for Nov. 13-20.

Online play (FICS)--Obtained a new computer Sunday and downloaded new client, spent time setting up, 2 games at 3 3 to test it (violation of no blitz!), +1 -1, FICS blitz rating up to 1272 (1265). No 15/5 games. Time n/a. Grade: D (excused).

Excelling at Chess Calculation (book)--Due to no computer, spent additional time with book. Time 1:45. Positions 33 (practiced finding best continuation, following from diagrams through some long variations; valuable). Grade: A.

Chess Tactics Server: Time 0.0. Grade: F.

Chess Tempo:
Time 45 min. Correct 21, Incorrect 11. 65.6 percent. Rating 1648 (1716P). Grade: D.

Tal Book: Time 0.0. Grade: F.

Total study time this week: +-3.0 hours. Grade: D- (excused to D).

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Robert, that's a bit hard on yourself, I would think and your program might be too ambitious to begin with.

You might want to start a little more slowly.

Here's my plan: I'm working on tactics and endgames to close out the year. Maybe a new defense also, but that's it.

I'll be using the "Sahovski Informator Beograd/Middle Game Combinations"; Yuri Averbakh's "Chess/Tactics For Advanced Players" (a favorite); and Znosko-Borovski's "How To Play The Endgame."

I will be putting some of my favorite stuff at the new site, which should be a lot of fun!

That is: "Shoemaker's Hidden Study." I have already put up one of my favorite tactical game extracts.

Anonymous said...

Robert,
How is that book Excelling at Chess Calculation? OK for low level players?
Do you go over the Master games like solitaire chess?

transformation said...

you can download chessbase lite, then i can send you the 1,735 games as before in cbv,

or buy the new fritz11 which NOW comes with 1m games. Rybka is better but chessBase does a good job of integrating all functions. warmest, dk

ps did they get the smith and wesson, and, if not, keep it near by :) my utmost condolences from a horrid, terribly evil act. and happiest thxGiving

transformation said...

atomic
-------------------
aashagard is a good writer and a real person, but there are better books and activities, i feel:

1. chernev, winning chess combinations

2. how to beat your dad at chess

3. art of the checkmate

4. seirwans winning chess tactics

5. Znosko-Borovsky Art of the Combination, et al above. do it slowly, not i a 'whosh'. try spending a year, reading it without a board. slowly.... SLOWWLLYYYYY.

6. Alburt, Pocket Chess Training (spend a year on the book, and you cannot fail! i did it. slowly. no hints! none unless you are dieing.

all better than Jacobs book. i respect him, but go to the sources!

then do 20,000 CTS and then buy CT-Art 3.0!

Unknown said...

damn, i havnt been on chess tactics server in a while, i need to do that. thanks for reminding me.