Here’s a game I played tonight on ICC against Martica Fierro . I have attempted as part of my improvement program to annotate it, but please feel free to provide feedback.
Author: beginchess
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Chess Training for Amateurs
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 -
Playing Over Annotated Master Chess Games
Purdy maintained that the best way to get better at chess was to play over annotated master chess games. Below is Purdy’s method for going over chess games:
1. Take the side of the winner (or either side if the game was a draw).
2. Cover the moves with an index card, and when it’s your turn to move select a move based on the position on the chess board.
3. Uncover the move, and compare it to your move. Review the annotations and understand why the text move is better than the move you selected.
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Advice to an Improving Adult Player
Must read advice for any adult player looking to improve their game.
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Chess Notebook
What do you all use as a chess notebook? Is it solely chessbase, or is it a handwritten notebook or a combination of the two? Would love to hear your feedback. As for me, I’m thinking of using Chessbase but also printing out the diagrams and notes and adding them to a binder for easy offline reference.
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Annotated Game: Mattison Vs. Nimzovich
Matisons,Hermanis – Nimzowitsch,Aaron [E21]
Karlsbad Karlsbad, 1929
[Irving Chernev]The following game so beautifully annotated by Chernev in ‘The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played’ shows the power of centralized knights and rooks on open files.Â
Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 The Nimzo-Indian defense. 4…Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 d6 6.Qc2 Qe7 7.Ba3 c5 This fixes White’s pawn at c4, making it a stationary target at which Nimzowich can aim an attack. 8.g3 White prepares to fianchetto the bishop and control the long diagonal. Ordinarily, this is a comendable development, but here this has the drawback of depriving the weak pawn at c4 with a defender. [8.e4 A better course followed by 9.Bd3.] 8…b6Black intends to dispute control of the long diagonal. 9.Bg2 Bb7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nh4 White is anxious to exchange bishops, since Nimzowich has more scope, and bears down (together with the knight) so strongly on the e5 square. A better way to bring about the exchange would have been 11.Nd2. The knight would then not only exert more influence on the center, but would be a useful protector of the pawn on c4. 11…Bxg2 12.Kxg2Better would have been 12. Nxg2 retaking with the knight. 12…Qb7+
13.Kg1 Better would have been 13. Nf3, which gets the knight back from the sidelines, and gives White a fighting chance. 13…Qa6 Attacks both the bishop and the c4 pawn, forcing White’s reply. 14.Qb3 Nc6 15.Rfd1 Na5 16.Qb5 Qxb5 17.cxb5
 17…Nc4! The doubled pawn has been dissolved, but the weakness of the square on which it stood remains. Nimzowich anchors his knight on this vital square, and with that move he secures new advantages: (1)The knight is posted aggressively. It attacks the bishop and drives it back to its original square. (2) The knight is posted defensively. It protects the d6 pawn and the b6 pawn against possible attack. (3) the knight has a great deal of influence on the important central squares. (4) The knight cannot be disloged by pawns, nor by the bishop (which operates on the dark squares only).18.Bc1 a6 This forces open the a file, since White must capture or lose a pawn.
19.bxa6 Rxa6 Now the rook has a fine target in the isolated a2 pawn.20.dxc5 bxc5 21.Ng2 The knight returns, but it is too late.
A comparison of the positions shows the superiority of Black’s in that his knights are strongly centralized, and his rooks can operate on the two open files. White’s minor pieces are widely scattered, and his rooks out of touch with each other.
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Triangulation
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+.
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Key Squares
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.
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Purdy’s Thinking System
This blog has been around for a while, so I will begin promoting older posts to the front page every once in a while, for the benefit of new readers.
In Search for Chess Perfection CJS Purdy details his ‘System’ for for evaluating a position and picking a candidate move.
I. My turn to move1. What are all the moves I have to consider?
If there is a commonsense move you may be able to choose it without following the rest of the system. For each move ask, “What could he do if I did this?” looking for combination motifs from the other side.2. How has his last move changed the position? What are his threats? What are his objectives?
Part one of this questions allows you to bring your reconnaissance up to date. Part two asks you to look for checks, captures and threats. If you see a threat, your first reaction should not be to search for a defense to it, but rather for a way of ignoring it3. Complete your reconnaissance if not already done:
a. material (two bishops, bishops of opposite colors, pawn majorities);b. king positions (exposed, lack of flight squares);
c. weaknesses (weak pawns [double, isolated, backward], weak squares, confined pieces, cramped game, overworked pieces);
d. strengths (greater space, greater mobility, well posted pieces, command of central squares, domination of open lines and diagonals);
e. development (count the # of moves needed by each army to complete its development. Credit 1 tempo to the player whose turn it is to move.) ;
f. Where could either side breakthrough?
You should be able to tell which side is better using the following descriptors: ∞ unclear, = even (0.0-0.29) , +/- white is slightly better (.30-.60), += white has a moderate advantage (.61-1.40), +/- white has a decisive advantage +- (1.41 or >).
4. Have I a good combination?
look for possible combination motifs if 3 of the following exist in the position:
1. Loose pieces, 2. Pieces that can be easily attacked by an enemy piece of less value, 3. Discovered attack, 4. Weak back rank, 5. Pinned or “skewerable†pieces along the same rank, file or diagonal, 6. overworked pieces, 7. lack of development (overwhelming force), 8. Unsafe King, 9. Open enemy lines, 10. Pawns nearing promotion. (Heisman)
Combinational Motifs:
a. geometrical;
b. nets;
c. jump moves;
d. zugzwang (endgame motif);
e. stalemate (endgame motif).5. If not satisfied that the answer to (4) is yes, what is my best plan?
Use the reconnaissance to answer this question. How can I best exploit his weaknesses and establish my strengths, etc.Now return to 1
II. I am considering a certain move
1. Visualize the move as though made, firmly.
2. does it leave my vulnerable to any combination.III. It is his move
1. Reconnaissance
2. Visualize
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Evaluation and Analysis in Chess
Sometimes the definitions for evaluation and calculation are used interchangeably, but they are quite different things, and understanding what they mean is the first step to improving your thinking process during a game.
Evaluation: You evaluate a position to determine the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. Based on your evaluation you develop a short term plan to either attack your opponents weaknesses or fix your own. Dan Heisman defines evaluation as determining which side stands better.Analysis: The generation of candidate moves and the response to each. For example, “If I move here, and he moves there what would be my response?”
It is important to put these to together and perform an evaluation of the position at the end of the line of analysis you have performed to see if one candidate move is better than another. I have yet to master this integration of the two, but doing this is the hallmark of strong players.
CJS Purdy details his ‘System’ for for evaluating a position and picking a candidate move.