tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post7576118850273367636..comments2023-12-28T02:11:22.501+00:00Comments on The Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog: Improve Your Chess II: Vice and AdviceTom Chivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09850710685193416732noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-51234454379332169872008-07-24T10:21:00.000+01:002008-07-24T10:21:00.000+01:00A word of advice though.If what you do is show you...A word of advice though.<BR/><BR/>If what you do is show your game to stronger player and they show you what you missed, in and of itself that teaches you <I>nothing</I>.<BR/><BR/>Nor does simply going away thinking "I'm determined not to make that mistake again".<BR/><BR/>What <I>can</I> help (and I've put on a lot of <A HREF="http://ratings.fide.com/id.phtml?event=412228" REL="nofollow">Elo points</A> over the last 4-5 years, although I shall lose some in the next list) is asking yourself honestly what sort of errors you make most, and how you can address them. And finding practical answers to that problem is very far from easy.ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-16554252692820816652008-07-24T09:50:00.000+01:002008-07-24T09:50:00.000+01:00What a good idea for a club night Adam. I'm guessi...What a good idea for a club night Adam. I'm guessing the answer is 1: you?Tom Chivershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09850710685193416732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-4730049558936772042008-07-24T09:47:00.000+01:002008-07-24T09:47:00.000+01:00Most chess players want to improve, but without pu...Most chess players want to improve, but without putting the work in.<BR/><BR/>My grade went up 16 points this season to a new high, because I did put some work in - and I barely touched an opening book.<BR/><BR/>At my club's AGM last year I suggested that we use nights when there aren't any matches a bit more constructively - such as by analysing each other's games. General nods of agreement at the time, but how many people do you reckon actually brought an old scoresheet down to ask for advice? <BR/><BR/>Adam B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-63052943715949190632008-07-23T20:27:00.000+01:002008-07-23T20:27:00.000+01:00Now, this player wanted to improve ....One thing I...<I>Now, this player wanted to improve ....</I><BR/><BR/>One thing I've learned about personal change over the years:-<BR/><BR/>Just because it seems logical a person would want change in a certain direction<BR/>Just because you think they should want that change<BR/>Just because they say they want that change<BR/>Just because they even think they want that change<BR/><BR/>...<BR/>it doesn't not actually mean they DO want that change.<BR/><BR/>I don't actually believe that most club chess players want to be better.<BR/><BR/>By that I mean if they were offered some way to improve for free they would of course take it. They will not, however, start to do something constructive to improve their play.<BR/><BR/>They want change without changing themselves in other words. The stumbling block to just about every form of personal change I think.<BR/><BR/>And - of course, where I've written 'they' above I actually mean 'we'.Jonathan Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00293162543015231439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-18046482547120261862008-07-23T15:00:00.000+01:002008-07-23T15:00:00.000+01:00Authors of chess books encourage the playing of un...Authors of chess books encourage the playing of unusual openings by writing books about them, but perhaps they don't play those openings themselves.Chris Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06137795192239495971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-65390840028092122152008-07-23T14:41:00.000+01:002008-07-23T14:41:00.000+01:00As for tricks: Portisch said somewhere (did we dis...As for tricks: Portisch said somewhere (did we discuss this in a comments box once before?) that the point of an opening is to reach a playable middlegame. It is <I>not</I> to win without trying. You may occasionally get a free point in this way but it's silly to imagine it will happen very often and you should not make it a priority. (Knowing how to <I>avoid</I> losing in the opening - different story. That <I>is</I> a priority.)ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-76786691492143258412008-07-23T14:39:00.000+01:002008-07-23T14:39:00.000+01:00Another point is that if they play offbeat opening...Another point is that if they play offbeat openings, they work very hard on them.<BR/><BR/>If your opening repertoire relies on work-avoidance, then you will get found out.<BR/><BR/>Now obviously not everybody has lots of time to work on their openings, but this is a reason not to chop and change all the time, as the only way you will learn is by practice. And if you spend your time being scared of other people's preparation, then you will never learn anything since you'll always be trying to play something you've never played before. It's specious to imagine that this doesn't matter, because the other player will also be new to it. Firstly, this may not be true (for instance, anyone who's played 1...e5 in reply to 1.e4 for a decent while will have come across most of the dubious gambits White can try). Secondly, you're throwing away the one big <I>advantage</I> you may have, which is experience: who cares what they'e prepared if they've never played the position before? And thirdly, if you're known to have a lot of experience, it may well be that your <I>opponent</I> chickens out, and plays the offbeat variation rather than the most challenging line.ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-44115441491811599412008-07-23T12:52:00.000+01:002008-07-23T12:52:00.000+01:00In John Nunn's book 'Secrets of Practical Chess' h...In John Nunn's book 'Secrets of Practical Chess' he advises against playing off-beat opening lines because sooner or later you're going to have to spend as much time learning other such lines when the off-beat line gets 'found out', as you would learning a main line.<BR/>I must admit I'm guilty of playing unusual openings myself, but when you do hear of great players like those you mentioned Tom, who do play unusual lines, you think 'well, it worked for them, and they are such strong players'. I suppose the answer to that might be, well they can get away with it. <BR/>I also think that weaker players may be encouraged to stay with their off-beat openings because the 'tricks' are perhaps more likely to work on their level of opponent.Chris Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06137795192239495971noreply@blogger.com