Chess for Beginners
Lessons
Chess Training for Amateurs
Apr 17th
The Program
The following system is geared towards adult beginners with an ELO rating of 1200-1800. It is a modified version of Irina Mikhailova’s schedule which she used at the Petrosian Chess School. [1]
I have left the schedule flexible so that it can be modified based on the time you have to dedicate to chess study. For my own use, I plan on devoting 1 hour to chess at least 6 times per week for a total of 6 hours of chess study per week. If you want to add more time, simply multiply the hours per block. For example, I am using 30 minute blocks, so 1 block of study endings is equivalent to 30 minutes. If you want to devote more time simply multiply 1 hour X block for each theme.
Below are some of the differences between the original Mikahilova schedule and this version:
• Less emphasis on opening study.
• Spread across more days, but fewer hours of study per day. This is a 6 day program and the original was a 4 day program.
• Is geared towards a lower rated working adult.
• Strong emphasis on endgame studies, and contains a study endings theme which the original version did not.
• Strong focus on tactics training as the original.
• Incorporates the shortcut version of Michael de la Maza’s Seven Circles training.
• Time has been allocated for analyzing your games.
• Solving strategy session revolves around going over annotated master games.
In a nutshell, this program contains 4 of the things most chess coaches say are critical to improvement:
1. Going over annotated master games.
2. Repetition of tactical puzzles to burn in pattern recognition.
3. Playing slow games of G/30 or greater.
4. Analyzing your games, to find out your mistakes and preventing their reoccurrence.
Another benefit of the program is that it also grants structure and maximizes your chess study time.
Study Schedule
When performing the modified 7 circles training, I recommend that you use the difficulty level method, and begin with the level 10 puzzles. The first cycle will take you through the first 200 puzzles, which will range in difficulty from 10-20. You then begin the next cycle with puzzle 201, etc. I tried to keep the time per puzzle to 20-50 minutes since my block time is 30 minutes.
Seven Circles Shortcut
If you follow the schedule it should take you approximately 4 weeks to finish 1 cycle of 200 puzzles and 1000 puzzles in approximately 20 weeks.
Resources
Tactics: CT-ART 3.0, Chess Tactics Server
Study Endings: Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Just the Facts by Lev Alburt
Solve Endings: Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Personal Chess Trainer.
Solve Strategy: Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953
Study Strategy: Reassess your Chess by Jeremy Silman, My System by Nimzowich
Reference
[1] http://www.convekta.com/softscho/l1/lesson_3.html
[2] http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles148.pdf and http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdf
Triangulation
Feb 19th
Triangulation refers to a King maneuver which aims to lose a tempo, and leave the opponent with the move. (Dvoretsky) The d5 and d7 square are in correspondence. White in this position can easily “lose” a tempo and place his opponent in zugzwang.
1.Ke5! Kc6 2.Kd4 Kd7 3.Kd5 White has acheived his aim, by creating a triange with his King. We are now back to the starting position, except that White now has the opposition and it is Black’s turn to move, and the rest is a matter of technique. 3…Kc8 4.Ke6! Attaining the diagonal opposition. 4…Kd8 5.Kd6 Attaining the vertical opposition. 5…Kc8 6.Ke7 Kb8 7.Kd7 Ka8 8.c6+-
Position after White’s 8th move.
The game would continue as follows: bxc6 9.Kc7 c5 10.b7+ Ka7 11.b8Q+.
Key Squares
Feb 12th
Key squares are squares whose occupation by the King assures victory, regardless of whose turn it is to move. (Dvoretsky)
White to move is a draw.
It is important to note that a pawn on the 4th rank or below has 3 key squares, whereas a pawn on the 5th rank or higher has six key squares.
A Pawn on the 5th rank or higher has 6 key squares.
In the example below the key squares are a6, b6 and c6. The key to winning in this position is for the White king to head to the square furthest away from the enemy King (a6), since that square will be the hardest to defend.
1.Kc2! Ke7 2.Kb3 Kd6 3.Ka4 (3.Kc4? Kc6=) 3…Kc6 4.Ka5 Kb7 5.Kb5 +- and Black is in zugzwang.
Pawn Breakthrough
Dec 21st
The following is a classic pawn breakthrough that creates a passed pawn for the most advanced side. The key things to keep in mind is that this breakthrough will only work for the side that is most advanced and both the breakthrough and defense begin by moving the middle pawn.
White to move and win
1.b6! The breakthrough works for the side that is most advanced, in this case White. 1…cxb6 [1...axb6 2.c6 bxc6 3.a6] 2.a6 This move removes the b7 pawn. 2…bxa6 3.c6 and the c-pawn promotes, because the Black King is too far away to stop it. If Black had the move he could have defended with 1…b6! preventing the breakthrough.
Update to the Generic Training Schedule
Nov 22nd
After a few days using the Generic Training Schedule, I have a few minor modifications to adapt it to better fit the needs of the club level chess player. The original ChessOK article was geared towards 2000+ level players who have different needs than beginners. One major difference between experts and amateurs is the importance of opening preparation at the expert class, and this focus can be seen throughout the original GTS plan. Another feature of this new version of the schedule is that the play time is spaced in such a way as to allow you to try out new ideas and openings that were covered on previous days.
In this new adaptation I have halved the opening study time and focused on endgame and tactical study time which will better address the needs of amateurs.
The end result would look something like this:
Day 1
Study Openings 1U
Solve Tactics 1U
Study Endings 1U
Study Strategy 1U
Day 2
Study Endings 1U
Solve Tactics 1U
Play 1U
Study Strategy 1U
Day 3
Study Strategy 1U
Solve Tactics 1U
Solve Endings 1U
Study Openings 1U
Day 4
Solve Tactics 1U
Study Endings 1U
Study Strategy 1U
Play 1U
Chess Training
Nov 11th
In my quest for chess improvement, I have stumbled upon Markgravitygood’s excellent chess improvement blog. I recommend that you checkout his post on the generic training schedule, which is based on an article by chess trainer GM Irina Mikhailova on chessOk.
Mark’s post is exactly what I was looking for when I wrote my post on ‘My Chess Education’. I was so impressed by this training schedule, that I am going adopt it as part of my chess study routine.
Since I only have at most 2 hours per day to dedicate to chess, here is my adaptation of the schedule. If I cannot complete the daily curriculum,any topic not covered will be tackled on the next day:
Day 1
- Study openings (1hr)
- Solve tactics (30m)
- Solve strategy (30m)
Day 2
- Solve endings (1h)
- Play (30m ) either 1 G/15 or 2 G/6
- Solve tactics (30m)
Day 3
- Study strategy (30m)
- Solve strategy (30m)
- Play (30m) either 1 G/15 or 2 G/6
- Solve tactics (30m)
Day 4
- Study openings (1h)
- Solve endings (30m)
- Solve tactics (30m)
Ruben Fine's Thirty Rules of Chess
Oct 4th
TEN OPENING RULES
1. Open with a center pawn.
2. Develop with threats.
3. Knights before Bishops.
4. Don’t move the same piece twice.
5. Make as few pawn moves as possible in the opening.
6. Don’t bring your Queen out too early.
7. Castle as soon as possible, preferably on the Kingside.
8. Always play to gain control, of the center.
9. Try to maintain at least one pawn in the center.
10. Don’t sacrifice without a clear and adequate reason. For a sacrificed pawn you must:
A. Gain three tempi, or
B. Deflect the enemy Queen, or
C. Prevent castling, or
D. Build up a strong attack.
More >
My Chess Education
Sep 22nd
Chess Improvement for Beginners
Time and cost can sometimes make it impossible for an enthusiastic student of chess to hire a chess coach. I have, through trial and error, began devising a training curriculum to be used by me and others. This plan is in no way meant to take the place of a competent chess coach, but hopefully it will aid those who are unable to hire one.
In the next series of posts I will describe how the curriculum has come to be as well as my experience in using the plan. In creating this chess improvement plan, I have researched book and online content focusing on chess improvement and education. I have also made it as generic as possible so that it may be used not just by me but by others including children. I have much to learn both about chess and learning about chess, but the exercise of writing about it will not only assist me in mastering both of these elements, but will allow me to share my experiences with others so that they might benefit as well.
The Opposition
Jul 4th
The opposition is one of the most important things to learn in order to succeed in the endgame. The opposition allows you to make your King stronger than your opponents by simply controlling certain key squares on the board.
The rule of the opposition is: whoever is to move when there is an odd number of squares between the Kings does not have the opposition. So you want to make sure that you move your King to so that there are an odd number of squares between you and your opponent’s King. Another way to look at the opposition is if it’s your turn to move and your King is separated from your opponents by an even number of squares, then you do not have the opposition.
Example 1: The Opposition
In this example whoever is to move has the opposition. The same rule also applys to diagonals.
What if the Kings do not connect on a rank or file? If that is the case then the rule is to move the King to a square in which each corner is the same color of the square the opposing King is in. As illustrated in example #2.
Example 2: Opposition When Kings Do Not Connect On Rank or File
By moving Kb2 White maintains the opposition as long as the squares within the box are odd.
Chess Course
Mar 16th
This Chess Course is broken down into 86 Lessons each lasting 60 minutes. Lessons should be taken a minimum of 2 times per week. The entire course lasts anywhere from 21-43 weeks.