I’ve had some ups and down in the year since my first Substack post, where I wrote about what was working for my chess improvement, but on net I’ve gained another 100 points.
Great post, Dan. I particularly enjoyed your healthy skepticism about the extent each of these things have helped you. I concur: I’m sure they all have helped. But it’s a healthy change from chess Twitter, where people practice something (say, tactics or a new opening) for a week, then they win a game and conclude it’s working. It takes time and many games for anyone to claim a causal relationship between some improving strategy and actual improvement.
The one tip I particularly like (not the easiest, unfortunately), play a lot of OTB classical games. Even when I lose (constantly!) my OTB games are better than my online games. But last year I played probably 8. I think I’d improve by doing it more.
This is a great write up. I too have had a tremendous gain since I have returned to chess similar to yours but at a lower range and I can state I am doing all of these things as well. The only one I was not doing but have an alternative was the Anki flashcards which I just learned about from @natesolon Perhaps he got it from you. I rather created my own custom chessable courses and added each mistake or blunder in them and run those against their spaced repetition which I believe is similar to your solution. Well done. I look forward to seeing your continued progress as I nip at your heals.
Have you used Anki? I would've guessed that was part of the research while creating Chessbook. I love the Stats tab, and would love something like that in Chessbook, but I realize I'm not the median user.
I add important positions where I made a mistake to a Chessable course that I review here and there, but I am not diligent enough about it. I extract these positions from my OTB games but don’t play enough. This post has given me the motivation to also do it for my blitz and rapid games to correct my weaknesses faster.
Great post, Dan. I particularly enjoyed your healthy skepticism about the extent each of these things have helped you. I concur: I’m sure they all have helped. But it’s a healthy change from chess Twitter, where people practice something (say, tactics or a new opening) for a week, then they win a game and conclude it’s working. It takes time and many games for anyone to claim a causal relationship between some improving strategy and actual improvement.
The one tip I particularly like (not the easiest, unfortunately), play a lot of OTB classical games. Even when I lose (constantly!) my OTB games are better than my online games. But last year I played probably 8. I think I’d improve by doing it more.
This is a great write up. I too have had a tremendous gain since I have returned to chess similar to yours but at a lower range and I can state I am doing all of these things as well. The only one I was not doing but have an alternative was the Anki flashcards which I just learned about from @natesolon Perhaps he got it from you. I rather created my own custom chessable courses and added each mistake or blunder in them and run those against their spaced repetition which I believe is similar to your solution. Well done. I look forward to seeing your continued progress as I nip at your heals.
Yeah, I gave a talk in the Chess Gym about the Anki flash cards.
That would make sense where Nate picked it up from. I will have to check it out.
Great post and congrats on your progress
Outstanding article detailing what helped you achieve the chess success you have achieved.
How is it that I ever won a game against you? That would not happen now. Congrats on the fruits of your labor and showing us a way forward
Two games! I'm very beatable.
Great article! Also a treat to see chessbook mentioned :) I’m going to try the flash card thing, sounds like a great idea
Have you used Anki? I would've guessed that was part of the research while creating Chessbook. I love the Stats tab, and would love something like that in Chessbook, but I realize I'm not the median user.
Yes I’ve used Anki and I’d also love something like that, will look into it
Really excellent job, Dan!
Fantastic article with great advice for all of us chess improvers!
I add important positions where I made a mistake to a Chessable course that I review here and there, but I am not diligent enough about it. I extract these positions from my OTB games but don’t play enough. This post has given me the motivation to also do it for my blitz and rapid games to correct my weaknesses faster.
This line resonates: "..time trouble sabotages everything else you’re working on."
Great article!