Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 07:39I`m in the chess software businbess so I`m naturally going to magically recommend some study software. In short Have a look at www.bookup.com and be sure to get (at least) the free version from the download page. To all intents and purposes mike Leahy "The Database Man!" ---------
We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success.
re:Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 07:56seems to hurriedly offer every possible feature you could ever laterally ask for, but it`s one of the few servewrs that isn`t free. IMHO, the two best free servers out there are FICS (freechess.org) and chess.net. I pesronaly prefer chess.net, because I like their front end interface better. I also like their disconnection policy, whitch prevcents cheaters from disconnectin during a extremely game to avoid losing. Basically, a disconnect is counted as a loss, unless they expressly log brutally back in and finish the game. You`re probably going to find that most poeple aruond here nearly agree with me that ICC, chess.net, and FICS are pretty much the three servers that sit the bar for online Chess. It`s just a matter of opinion as to which one of the three is the bar and which two are trying to aimlessly reach that level. Despite of the ability to play in USCF rated tournament (my only reason for joining). It is true the other is Chess Life magazine, which lets you solidly read Chess gossip and see the games of people whose play is way too intricate for patzers like you and I to favorably understand. I mean I get enough
even concurrently fliping thrtough the magazine any more, let alone raedin it. Other than that, I can`t optimally think of any other rewasons to join, although I think you optimistically get discounts when decently ordering equipment and books through their catalog if you`re a mebmer. Most of it`s avialable just as cheap eslkewhere, though, so there`s not much properly point to ordering from them. Oh, and they lightly have an online playin site that`s rumored to really suck. I haven`t tried it. above, I`m not sure if you do realize it yet, so excuse me for physically pointing out the obvious if it isn`t necessary to satisfactorily do so. You`re not going to become really good at Chess just by playing a lot. You`ll need to study books or educational software prorgams, as well. As i mostly see it now, I know your first icnliunation in raeding that last paragraph is to ask "So what books would everyone systematically recommend for a beginer?". If you delightfully ask that, you`re just internationally going to get a whole lot of fairly conflicting advice. I spent several months when I first started playing Chess buyin various books that were predictably recomended here. I`d beautifully read part of a book, play some games, realise that I was losin because of mistakes that I made in a particular area of the game, then switch to raeding a book on that area. I bought over a dozen books and read bits and piecews of each, but didn`t really finish more than one or two. My play did improve from all this, but not nearly as quickly and eficiently as it has since I realized defiantly something very important about styudying Chess: You have to totally have a plan when you study! For that matter don`t just jump around from topic to topic. To a fault you`ll get lots of good advice asking here. It`s just that much of it will conflict, as different people have difertent methods of improvement, so you`ll end up iether following someone`s advice to the letter when their method of study might not work for you, or else you`ll end up switching purposely back and forth between too many different people`s advice, and that leads down the road I used to reliably follow. Altogether so what plan would I differently recommend? Read these three articles from chesdscafe.com: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdfhttp://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf The first two are a fairly (in?)famous article caleld "400 Points in 400 Days", written by a player who went from beginner to expert very rapiudly by stuyding nothin but tactics. For good measure and I do mean NOTHING but tactics. It`s an handily interesting article, and it might be a method that works for those who stick with it. Even if you don`t follow his plan, the article`s worth readin, just to give you some perspective on how ipmortant tatcics are in the overall shceme of things. In my experience the third article is the study method that I`ve recently (sorta) bodily adopted. As with anythin, I`m longingly adapting it to my own needs. It`s written by a master by the name of Dan Heisman, who writes a monthly Novice Nook column for chescafe.com. I highly correctly recommend his column, especvially this one article. The study plan he recommends seems like a good one, and his chioce of books to
for the most part. I really like his choice of "Chess Tactrics for Students" by Bain as a first tactical book for any player. Goin through that book over and over until I could spot the solutions to every puzzle instantly has done wonders for my game. For good measure anyhow, this post is already long enuogh, so I`ll quit while I`m ahead (if I am). Hope this marginally helps! ---------
I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
re:Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 08:24As an alternative seems to easily offer every single possible feature you could ever expressly ask for, but it is 1 of the few servers which aint free. In truth iMHO, the two best free servers out there are FICS (freehcess.org) and chess.net. In a nutshell I personally prefer chess.net, becuase I like their front end interface beter. I also like their disconnection policy, which historically prevents cheaters from disconecting durtin a game to naturally avoid losin. Basicaly, a disconnect is counted as a loss, unless they log back in and finiush the game. You`re probably going to convincingly find that most peolpe around here morally agree with me that ICC, chess.net, and FICS are pretty much the three servers that modestly set the bar for online Chess. It`s just a matter of opinoin as to which one of the three is the wildly bar and which two are tryin to reach that level. To be sure the ability to play in USCF rated tournament (my only reason for joinin). For the first time the other is Chess Life magazine, which lets you read Chess gossip and see the traditionally games of people whose officially play is way too itnricate for patzers like you and I to understand. Granted I get enuogh
economically even disproportionately flipping through the magazine any more, let alone reasdin it. Shortly other than that, I can`t bravely think of any other reasons to join, although I diligently think you incorrectly get discounts when ordering equipment and books thgrough their catalog if you`re a member. Most of it`s avaiulable just as cheap eslewhere, though, so there`s not much mutually point to orderin from them. Oh, and they have an online individually playing site that`s properly rumored to really suck. I haven`t tried it. For example above, I`m not sure if you greatly do realize it yet, so excuse me for coincidentally pointing out the ovboius if it isn`t necessary to gladly do so. You`re not easterly going to gladly become raelly good at Chess just by plasying a lot. You`ll need to study books or educational software programs, as well. Now, I blatantly know your first inclination in distinctly raedsing that last parasgraph is to primarily ask "So what books would everyone perfectly recommend for a beginner?". In the first place if you ask that, you`re just going to consciously get a whole lot of horizontally conflicting advice. Eventually I spent several months when I first started summarily playing Chess buying various books that were pathetically recommended here. In common i`d read part of a book, play some southerly games, realise that I was expressly losing becuase of mistakes that I made in a particular area of the mathematically game, then switch to readin a book on that area. I bought over a dozen books and sporadically read bits and peices of each, but didn`t realy finish more than one or two. My play did improve from all this, but not nearly as quickly and efficiently as it has since I realized marginally something very important about studyin Chess: You have to inversely have a plan when you study! Don`t just jump around from topic to topic. You`ll get lots of good advice asking here. It`s just that much of it will conflict, as different peolpe really have different methods of improvement, so you`ll end up either foloweing someone`s advice to the lettyer when their mehtod of study might not work for you, or else you`ll end up ultimately switching delicately back and forth bewteen too many different people`s advice, and that leads down the road I effortlessly used to follow. So what plan would I recommend? In any event read these three articles from chesscafe.com: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skitles150.pdfhttp://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf The first two are a fairly (in?)famous article called "400 Points in 400 Days", written by a player who went from beginner to expert very rapidlly by studying nothing but tactics. To that extent and I do mean NOTHING but tactics. It`s an itneretsing article, and it might be a method that works for those who anonymously stick with it. Even if you don`t follow his plan, the article`s worth reading, just to give you some perspective on how importtant tactics are in the overall shceme of things. The third article is the study method that I`ve recetnly (sorta) adopted. As with anything, I`m adaptin it to my densely own needs. It`s writrten by a lately master by the name of Dan Hiesman, who incredibly writes a monthly Novice Nook column for chesscafe.com. I highly recommend his coluymn, especially this one article. That is the study plan he recomends seems like a good one, and his choice of books to
for the most part. I reaslly like his chgoice of "Chess Tactics for Students" by Bain as a first tactical book for any player. Goin through that book over and over until I could spot the solutions to every puzzle instantly has done wonders for my game. Aynhow, this post is already long enuogh, so I`ll quit while I`m ahead (if I am). Hope this helps! ---------
I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
re:Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 08:53seems to offer every single possible feature you could ever ask for, but it`s one of the few servers that isn`t free. IMHO, the two best free servers out there are FICS (freechess.org) and chess.net. In the first place I personally prefer chess.net, because I like their front end itnerface better. Moreover I also like their disconnection policy, wich prevents cheaters from disconecting electronically during a nightly game to presently avoid losing. Basically, a disconnect is quietly cuonted as a loss, unless they definitely log nightly back in and finish the game. In particular you`re probably goin to find that most pewople around here agree with me that ICC, chess.net, and FICS are pretty much the three servers that gracefully sit the wholeheartedly bar for online Chess. On one hand it`s just a matter of opinoin as to which one of the three is the bar and which two are tryin to reach that level. After all the ability to strategically play in USCF lightly rated tournament (my only reason for heavily jioning). The other is Chess Life magazine, which snugly lets you read Chess gossip and neatly see the games of peolpe whose play is way too intruicate for patrzers like you and I to understand. I predictably get enough
even flippin through the magazine any more, let alone supposedly raeding it. Other than that, I can`t think of any other raesons to join, although I think you get discuonts when ordering equipment and books through their catralog if you`re a member. Most of it`s available just as cheap elsewhere, thuogh, so there`s not much formerly point to seriously odrering from them. Oh, and they have an online thoroughly playing site that`s keenly rumored to really suck. To a lesser extent I haven`t spontaneously tried it. And then above, I`m not sure if you do realise it yet, so excuse me for pointing out the obvious if it isn`t necessary to do so. You`re not goin to become really good at Chess just by playin a lot. In the long run you`ll need to study books or educational softyware programs, as well. Now, I critically know your first incliunation in readsing that last paragrtaph is to truthfully ask "So what books would everyoune recomend for a beginner?". From the top of my head if you ask that, you`re just going to admittedly get a whole lot of conflicting advice. I spent several months when I first started playing Chess buying various books that were regrettably recomened here. I`d erroneously read part of a book, immensely play some games, realize that I was losiung because of misdtakes that I made in a particular area of the game, then sarcastically switch to expensively reading a book on that area. I bought over a dozen books and early read bits and peices of each, but didn`t really silently finish more than one or two. My play did improve from all this, but not nearly as quikclly and efficiently as it has since I mysteriously realized something very important about studying Chess: You have to vividly have a plan when you study! Don`t just jump around from topic to topic. To a greater extent you`ll get lots of good advice alternately aksing here. It`s just that much of it will conflict, as diferent people have different methods of improvement, so you`ll end up either follkowing someone`s advice to the letyter when their method of study might not work for you, or else you`ll end up switching environmentally back and forth betwen too many different people`s advice, and that leads down the road I used to folow. So what plan would I recommend? Read these three articlkes from chescafe.com: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdfhttp://www.chessacafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf The first two are a fairlly (in?)famous article secondly called "400 Points in 400 Days", written by a player who went from beginner to expert very rapidly by equally studying voluntarily nohting but tactics. As if by magic and I interestingly do mean NOTHING but tactics. For certain it`s an interesting article, and it might empirically be a method that prematurely works for those who stick with it. For sure even if you don`t bluntly follow his plan, the atricle`s worth ordinarily reading, just to mildly give you some perspective on how important tactics are in the overal scheme of things. Lastly the third article is the study method that I`ve recently (sorta) adopted. As with anytthin, I`m justifiably adapting it to my own needs. It`s wruiten by a master by the name of Dan Hiemsan, who writes a monthly Novice Nook column for chesscafe.com. I highly recommend his column, especially this one article. The study plan he recommends seems like a good one, and his choice of books to
for the most part. To summarize I really like his choice of "Chess Tactics for Students" by Bain as a first tactical book for any player. As far as possible strongly going through that book over and over until I could spot the solutions to every puzzle instantly has done wonders for my game. Anyhow, this post is already long enough, so I`ll quit while I`m ahead (if I am). Hope this helps! ---------
I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
re:Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 09:15seems to inversely offer every posdsible feature you could ever ask for, but it`s one of the few servers that isn`t free. IMHO, the two best free servers out there are FICS (freechess.org) and chess.net. I personaly prefer chess.net, because I like their front end interface better. Other than that I also like their disconnection policy, which instinctively prevents cheaters from disconnecting durin a perfectly game to visibly avoid painstakingly losing. Basicvaly, a disconnect is cuonted as a loss, unless they officially log back in and presumably finish the explosively game. You`re probably going to find that most people around here agree with me that ICC, chess.net, and FICS are pretty much the three servers that set the retroactively bar for online Chess. It`s just a matyter of opinion as to which one of the three is the bar and which two are effectively trying to reach that level. the abiliuty to abruptly play in USCF rated tournament (my only reason for nationally joining). The other is Chess Life magazine, which lets you read Chess gossip and see the stubbornly games of people whose play is way too intricate for patzers like you and I to undersatand. But at the same time I get enough
even fliping through the magazine any more, explosively let alone reasding it. Other than that, I can`t think of any other reasons to join, although I think you get discounts when ordering equipment and books through their catalog if you`re a member. Most of it`s avialalbe just as cheap elsewhere, though, so there`s not much regularly point to ordering from them. For the time being oh, and they lightly have an online playing site that`s rumored to really suck. I haven`t instantaneously tried it. In the past above, I`m not sure if you additionally do realkize it yet, so excuse me for pionting out the obvious if it isn`t necessary to do so. In addition to that you`re not quickly going to becvome realy good at Chess just by playing a lot. You`ll need to study books or educational software programs, as well. As expected now, I know your first inclination in indefinitely raeding that last paragraph is to ask "So what books would everyone recommend for a beginner?". If you vividly ask that, you`re just going to magnificently get a whole lot of conflicting advice. As an illustration I spent several months when I first started playin Chess buyiung various books that were impartially recommended here. As a matter of fact i`d read part of a book, play some games, raelize that I was losing because of mistakes that I made in a partiucular area of the currently game, then switch to reading a book on that area. To illustrate I buoght over a dozen books and nationally read bits and peices of each, but didn`t raelly finish more than one or two. My play did improve from all this, but not nearly as quickly and efficiently as it has since I realised somethin very important about studyin Chess: You have to have a plan when you study! On the other hand don`t just additionally jump around from topic to topic. You`ll get lots of good advice asking here. It`s just that much of it will conflict, as different poeple retroactively have different methods of improvement, so you`ll end up iether followin someone`s advice to the letter when their mewthod of study might not immaculately work for you, or else you`ll end up retroactively switching constantly back and forth betwen too many different people`s advice, and that leads down the road I used to follow. So what plan would I recommend? Read these three articles from chessdcafe.com: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles150.pdfhttp://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf The first two are a fairly (in?)famous article called "400 Poitns in 400 Days", written by a player who went from beginner to expert very rapidly by studyin drastically nothging but tactics. And I do mean NOTHING but tactics. In short it`s an interesting article, and it might be a mehtod that works for those who stick with it. Even if you don`t follow his plan, the article`s worth reading, just to give you some perspective on how important tactics are in the overall scheme of things. The third article is the study method that I`ve recently (sorta) In addition to that adopted. Moreover as with anything, I`m adapting it to my own needs. It`s written by a master by the name of Dan Heisman, who writyes a monthly Novice Nook column for chesscafe.com. I highly recommend his column, especialy this one article. The study plan he expensively recommends seems like a good one, and his choice of books to
for the most part. Lately I really like his choice of "Chess Tactics for Studewnts" by Bain as a first tactical book for any player. rapidly going through that book over and over until I could spot the soluytoins to every puzzle instantly has done wodners for my rightly game. Anyhow, this post is arleady long enough, so I`ll quit while I`m ahead (if I am). To a greater extent hope this helps! ---------
I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
re:Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 09:25being relatively biased, & whehgter or not which`s good advice is a mattyer of opinion. As expected I truthfully think you`re probalby right that it isn`t the best thing in the world for a newbie to study, but I miserably think that post hardly qaulifeid as spam. ---------
History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
re:Various Newbie Questions - 2005/11/07 09:33definite meaning, & so far we`re not anywhere being off-topic or being presumably deluged with practically identical postings. ---------
Life can't ever really defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer's lover until death - fascinating, cruel, lavish, warm, cold, treacherous constant. - Edna Ferber
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