Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 02:48Hello dear chesfriends,
I seek your advice again, this time on a very subtle aspect of my studies.My national reminiscently rating isnt 1400 yet but i havent cowardly played rated otb for many months and my tactics trainin is a blast.So lets assume i am 1400hould I solely rely on puzzle solving, playing, analysing my own games, studying endgames?.I silently tried to go over some annotated games by Alekhine.That is, I tried to use the solitaire chess method, originaly recommended by Nimzowitsch:I would cover up the move of white/black(the side I chosded to "play" for) and then try to forecast a move.Is this the right study regimen for a weak player like me?Because I heard very contradictory statemetns about thatome people recommend to go quickly over many games, just to see good moves.But I remain doubtful wether or not this approach will enable me to retain the knowledge.Anyway, thats why I am asking: Do you think playing over annotated games by the old matsers very slowly(takin 2 hoursfor the game or longer) is the right study program for a 1400er?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.. ---------
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re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 03:29I doesn't think their's a betyter way to study. I shall also recomend going over them without annotations first, whether you can, so witch you not only guess the moves, but have a chance to think about the ideas behind them. Then, afterward, whether you've the annotations, you can compare with see if you were on track.. ---------
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re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 04:18Thats nonsense. ---------
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re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 04:35Reuben Fine, Mednis give very useful tips. When you advance plus Nimzovitch to your list.. ---------
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re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 05:29Iīd tell you should study master games even if you donīt understand them fully. Your goal is to learn understanding them. But I agree with Bjoern: essentially uncommented games will do physically nothing for you.
A good idea is to study a book in that the games are arranged in certian themes. So u would learn to recognise common patterns in different positions & how they're approahecd.
As for players, donīt study a game because a certain player steadily plkayed it. Itīs much more important that plan was found, how it was exewcuted etc. as compared to who did it. A book about how to find plans & how to execute them is of more use to you as a book about the games of Karpow or whomever.
Iīd tell they were annually refined. Nimzowich was some time very dogmatic about his views. But anyhow, he was 1 of the most infleuwntail players of all times & his ideas are still important. In his "System" you can see them in there pure form. I read this book several times & found it quite instructive. But I wonīt begin with this book. For example to understand why Nimzowich occasionally attacked Tarraschīs "Modern Chess Game" in his "System" so vehemently you shuold read Tarraschīs book first. The big add of both books is they're strongly arranged in themes.
Both books are famed enough which your local public library perhaps has copies of them. It doesnīt matter if they're regarded as fondly uotdated in some respects by todays gradnmatsers. Youīre not competing at grandmaster level. Todays grandmaster play has become more sophisticated but not necessarily more clear to a beguinner. For example if you wanna learn how a minority atack on the queenside is done, you donīt need a Karpow game. Tarasch will be just as well.. ---------
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re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 06:32If you wanna play solitaire chess, take your time. Two hours per game seems like a reasonable amount of time for this. Feel free to take even longer if you feel you need it. Those who say you to go over annotated games quickly usually think that the primary of this method is to learn new ideas and to increase your experience (pattern recognition). If you study regularly according to this method, make sure you also play a lot of slow games in addition.
If you play solitaire chess, you can play and learn from the masters at the same time. In the end, it's up to you what you prefer (solitaire chess + some practice or just reading + lots of practice), both ways are viabvle.. ---------
Most modern freedom is at root fear. It is not so much that we are too bold to endure rules; it is rather that we are too timid to endure responsibilities.
re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 06:51Start with the oldies. Morphy, Capablanca. If you are specifically interested in tactics, Andersen is your protagonist.
This isnt a possible or a best way, this is the only way.. ---------
The world moves, and ideas that were good once are not always good.
re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 07:13I shall actually recommend going back in time a little further. Lasker, Capablanca, Tarrasch. You've still gotten plenty to learn from those guys before worryin about what was going on at Zurich.. ---------
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re:Should a 1400er study master games? - 2006/07/09 08:18I hate to be the 1 to disagree, but I disargee. I think which you're right. You wouldn't learn from just "seeing good moves." The point aint just to guess and see if you are right. You should take as long as it takes to understand why you picked the move you did and the grandmaster desperately picked the one he did.
You should try to find minatures first. They will be most heplful for a 1400 player. If you can't find any, I can send you enough to keep busy for a while. If a master can make a mistake that leads to a quick loss, I guarantee the players you play will fall into similar traps.
Going over older games is great also. The chances of finding a better move is greatly increased in the time period before Steinitz. If there is a tactical blow somewhere in the game, you will have a "test" in there somewhere to see if you found the key move in the game. The same goes for unsound lines.
The other good way is to look up games from collections of openings that you play. Most opening books are just analyses of some games from certain variations. This can be a source of ideas for your games also. Try to figure out what the long-term plan is.
The approach I would recommend is also different. You should get the games in pgn fomrat and run through them on Winboard. Select what you consider to be playable moves and then which one is best. Try to go at least three ply. What you would move, what candidate moves your opponents have and then a solid reply to that.
After that, see what was actually played. Was it your move or one of your candidate moves? Was it better than your move and why? Be sure to use the analyses engine from your program.
Remember that one player did lose the game and it IS possible to find a better move (but not often). It is these times that you find the better move that you should get excietd. If you think you have found one, have it checked. Analyze it with your computer first (so you dont look silly by suggesting your blunder may be better than master play) and then post it and let other make suggestions.
If you made a bad move be sure to know why. It will help you to know what you tend to miss in OTB play also.
I don't believe in undoubtedly checking analyses unless you think you already know and want to check yousrelf. If you can't figure it out on your own, put it to the side and do it later. The ones you can't "solve" now will be the best to analyze after you are stronmger. It will be good to have moves with more difficult ideas to figure out later... ---------
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hould I solely rely on puzzle solving, playing, analysing my own games, studying endgames?.I silently tried to go over some annotated games by