Test My Positional Play

I just got a copy of a new book in the mail. It's Test Your Positional Play by Bellin and Ponzetto. I just began the first chapter and already I'm getting the sensation of one who has been thirsty for a very long time finally receiving cool water to drink. It has good descriptions of how to analyze and think during a game considering strategic dynamic and static elements as well as tactical considerations. I know this to be a very weak area for me - a weakness that has cost me quite a few games recently. I will let you know what I think of the book when I am finished. If anyone else has read and studied this book, I would be interested in your comments about it as well.

CET: Circle 1, Day 17

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 368/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 748/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 73%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 68%

CET: Circle 1, Day 16

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 324/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 704/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 73%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 67%

Doing quite well on the rook endings with the pawn on the 3rd rank. Too bad I've not been able to transfer my recent successes to my OTB games.

CET: Circle 1, Day 15

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 280/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 660/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 70%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 66%

CET: Circle 1, Day 14

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 236/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 616/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 74%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 66%

CET: Circle 1, Day 13

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 192/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 572/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 75%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 66%

CET: Circle 1, Day 12

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 149/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 529/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 76%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 66%

I actually did 1 more than I was supposed to do today. Ah well, what can you do when the rook puzzles are so interesting (no joke!)?

CET: Circle 1, Day 11

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 104/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 484/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 75%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 65%

CET: Circle 1, Day 10

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 60/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 440/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 74%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 64%

I seem to know my way around rook endings a little better than purely pawn endings.

Disappearing

The scene: my living room. I sit at the computer. My wife is on the couch. I'm on my lunch break from work. Solving rook problems. I solve one and go onto the next one. I eat a little. I keep solving. I hear a noise, muffled at first. It sounds distant. It's a woman's voice. "Are you watching your time?" I look at the statistics. I have about 12 more problems to go. The clock says its time to head back to work...but I don't want to quit solving. Where have I been? Where has the time gone? Disappearing.

Starting to See the Tie-In

I feel I have a firmer grasp on tactics after my 1st circles program using Reinfeld's 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations. However, whenever I play against a strong opponent, say Class B or better, it often turns out that they have just as strong a grasp on tactics as I do.

In working on my endgame using Convekta's software, I'm noticing that the endgame is a field ripe with possibilities. In the endgame, as I often find working these puzzles, even GM's and Masters go wrong. I'm not finding these puzzles easy, but I am learning some of the tricks. Hopefully, by the time I've finished this current circles program, I will have a firmer grasp on what I need to do and can pull wins out of situations that may once have looked like a draw to me and draws out of once would have been losses.

You see, chess is partly about fighting spirit. To have that required fighting spirit, you have to have confidence in your chances of success (or at least loss avoidance). This is what endgame mastery is all about. The game ain't over until it's over, as Yogi Berra so aptly stated. And, endgame mastery will provide that bit of arcana necessary for me to take the heads of those who would once dominate me on the sixty-four square battleground.

CET: Circle 1, Day 9

Completed Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 380/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 380/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 63%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 63%

Current Theme: Rook Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 16/746
Total Solved in Problem Set: 396/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 66%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 63%

CET: Circle 1, Day 8

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 352/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 352/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 62%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 62%

CET: Circle 1, Day 7

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 308/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 308/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 62%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 62%

CET: Circle 1, Day 6

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 264/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 264/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 62%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 62%

CET: Circle 1, Day 5

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 220/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 220/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 62%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 62%

Hitting on some material that's obviously not in my head, so my trend on solve % is dropping. I notice that a lot of my mistakes involve making moves that lead to draws when there is a win available.

CET: Circle 1, Day 4

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 176/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 176/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 64%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 64%

Hearts of Iron

I own a computer game I've played a few times called Hearts of Iron. Basically, it's a World War II game where you are the leader of a country during a certain specified time period of that war. Part of the game involves spending resources to develop technology. Often, those resources are limited and you are able to fully fund some of the projects and only partially fund others. The effect is that your primary focus projects complete relatively on-time while your secondary projects only develop a little until such time as the primary ones are completed. At that point, the primary focus technology is implemented and the secondary projects become your primary projects.

I'm wondering if I could apply this concept to circles. I have the Strategy 2.0 software from Convekta, and I'm currently working through the Chess Endgame Training program. I could add on to my current schedule a ramped down circle program with Strategy 2.0. Given that I will be already 1 week into my endgame program, when I finish the 7th circle of Chess Endgame Training, I will be 1 week away from completing my 1st circle of Strategy 2.0. I don't know whether I want to commit to such a task, but it would expedite my training and is certainly food for thought.

CET: Circle 1, Day 3

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 132/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 132/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 67%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 67%

CET: Circle 1, Day 2

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 88/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 88/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 66%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 66%

Some Thoughts on Thinking

Mousetrapper and I have apparently been thinking about the same thing.

I've picked up Silman's Reassess Your Chess again and am going through it ever so slowly to make sure I assimilate it properly.

According to Silman, you would only use your tactical sight when one or more of the following conditions are present:*

1. Exposed King
2. Undefended pieces
3. Inadequately defended pieces

Otherwise, you would use his imbalances technique to develop a plan.

I would add, because Silman doesn't seem to explain, that the 3 rules for using tactical sight needs to be applied to our side of the board, as well. So, a generic way to look at it might be:

A. Determine whether tactical sight conditions exist anywhere on the board.
B. If they do exist, and they apply to your opponent's position, look for tactics with the aim of exploitation.
C. If they do exist, and they apply to your position, look for tactics with the aim of defense.
D. If they do not exist, then use Silman's imbalances method to determine possible plans.
E. Use tactical sight to determine which plan is best.
F. Implement the plan.

*Dan Heisman's idea of first looking for checks, captures, and threats would be encompassed by the ideas here.

CET: Circle 1, Day 1

Current Theme: Pawn Endings
Total Solved in Theme: 44/380
Total Solved in Problem Set: 44/2443
Percent Correct in Theme: 69%
Percent Correct in Problem Set: 69%

The Fog Lay Thickly Upon the Battlefield

The corpses of 1,001 dead warriors lay strewn upon the highlands. Aye, it was a gory day indeed. The battle raged nigh 14 and a half hours (given a brief respite for a haggis during a lull in the sword swingin'). The auld saying goes "there can be only one." Today, aye, 'tis true. And the only one left standin' is CelticDeath. Became a graduate De La Maza today, for sure.

Ahh, but don't worry your heads laddies and bonny lasses. There are many more battles for the dark knight to fight. All in the name of glory. I hear there has been a challenge from the Land of Convekta, claimin' me technique is a little ailin'. Sayin' I can handle the brutishness of battlefield tactics, but can't handle an honest endgame joust. Aye, it's time to gather me Claymore, shield, leggings, and breastplate. The battle isn't over...it has just begun!

Uber Kreis #2 Ist Erschlagen Geworden

Only 1,978 puzzles to go. The 24 that I did this morning, I really flew through them. I might just end up doing 500 tonight like I'm supposed to, even with having to work. I'll track my actual solve time on Sunday for the entire 1,001 problem set.

Only 2,223 Problems Left Before Graduation

Another night of staying up until 3:00a. I completed 24 problems this morning and have 221 left to go tonight. It was VERY hard to get going this morning after a 3rd day in a row of getting only 3-4 hours of sleep. I'll at least be able to sleep in Saturday, so I can recover somewhat before the final push on Sunday.

Last Minute Uber Circle Modification (Minor)

I'm 518 problems into Uber Circle #2. Uber Circle #3 will begin Friday. Friday and Saturday were supposed to be 500 problem days. However, seeing as I'm not taking any time off of work, I'm going to tweak the ratio of problems on these days such that I will work 300-400 problems on Friday and 601 - 701 problems on Saturday. Sunday's 1,001 problem trip into the darkest reaches of my mind will remain the same.

At Long Last (No I'm Not Finished With the Circles Yet)

My oldest daughter, to whom I taught chess when she was just 4 years old, has finally (at age 7 going on 8) expressed a desire to play in her grade school's chess club. It makes her daddy proud! Now, I'd like to make her proud. Wouldn't it be great if one day she could say that her daddy is an Expert or even Master player and would be willing to come to her school and give a simul? My goal is set. I'm confident I can get there. The problem is finding the correct path.

This IS Insane!!!

I was up until a quarter past 2 in the morning solving puzzles. I faded in and out of consciousness as I lay in bed with my book open, solving, solving, and solving. It got to the point where I missed some obvious ones because I simply couldn't think straight anymore. It's at these times that I wish I was using CT-Art to record my misses. Many times, I would see the first 5 moves of a 7 move combo only to lose the thread at the end. However, I know I'm doing better than I was doing in the first Uber Circle. I solved 18 more puzzles this morning before leaving for work. As I completed 252 yesterday, I have 230 more to reach my goal for today. However, the book contains 6 puzzles per page, so I won't stop tonight until I've solved #504. I definitely won't be able to make it to chess club tonight.

My Wife and Kids Have Left Me

Ok, it's just for one night. My wife has a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning in a town about 40 miles away, so she's staying overnight with her folks. So, I guess it's a night of chess puzzles and beer. Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!

Tentative Endgame Training Schedule

I will be using Chess Endgame Training by Convekta. I will proceed through the problems sequentially beginning with pawn endgames and continuing through the rest of the themes. I think I will skip the mini-circles this time and just work a traditional MDLM program, because I was disappointed how much of my first theme group I had forgotten in my tactics training when I got to the point of working Uber Circles. My schedule will be thus:*

Circle 1: June 13 - August 7..................(44 problems per day)
Circle 2: August 8 - September 4............(88 problems per day)
Circle 3: September 5 - 18...................(175 problems per day)
Circle 4: September 19 - 25..................(350 problems per day)
Circle 5: September 26 - 29..................(613 problems per day)
Circle 6: September 30 - October 1.........(1,225 problems per day)
Circle 7: October 2............................(2,450 problems per day)

Despite the fact that the problem set is more than twice the size of the tactics set, I don't see a need to lengthen these times. This may change as I get into them, but I've already worked several of the problems in the set on an ad hoc basis and even the most difficult ones don't seem to require as much time and thought as tactics problems of similar difficulty.

*Our 3rd child will be born during this time, so I don't know what effect this may have with this proposed schedule.

Uber Kreis #1 Ist Gestorben

I was up until 3a and 4a on Saturday and Sunday, but I finally completed the first Uber Circle. My solving times did get faster with the more recent theme groups. I already sat down this morning and began Uber Kreis #2 and made it through 13 of them (only 988 more to go!). I miss actually playing chess, but I don't have the time at this stage of my program. I will probably even skip chess club tomorrow to ensure that I have time to get through my 250 problems slated for that day. Anyhoo, my visualization skill feels on top of the world with all this. Hopefully, I can reverse my slumping after this week and gain some more rating points.

Jeet Kun Rook?

Going into the Uber Circles has resulted in some crazy long study hours. I typically am up until 2am, because I can't start on them until my girls are in bed (they like their daddy's full attention). Anyhow, last night I watched a program on Bruce Lee while making it to problem #450 in 1001 WCS&C as part of Uber Circle #1.

Bruce developed a system of fighting that was really no system. He railed upon traditional fighting styles, because they were too restrictive and didn't adapt well to changing fighting situations. His system involved the student discovering his/her own strengths and weaknesses and fight according to these personal constraints. Therefore, as everyone is different, each person would have sort of an individual, customized style of martial arts.

That got my wheels spinning. Can this be applied to chess? I know some people may be better than others at endgames. Others may have a superior memory and therefore able to memorize a lot of "book" lines in several openings. Jeremy Silman already has touted the idea of imbalances in the game of chess. So, one perhaps can and should develop their personal chess style through a sober assessment of their own personal strengths and weaknesses. Then, everything from opening repertoire, to overall approach to the game would revolve around exploitation of one's personal positive imbalances while limiting their negative imbalances.

For example, I enjoy attacking play. However, a sober assessment of my strengths might indicate that I'm actually stronger in another area, say openings. So, my approach to chess improvement should be modified such that I study MCO to death and lay off learning Vukovic's Art of Attack. Also, in another example, when I encounter an opponent over the board who plays with a dynamic style, perhaps I should change what I play so that I limit the effects of this style by using closed games. Then, if I played in a different round an opponent who plays an opening that is more hypermodern, I would oppose it with a classical opening choice, and so on.

At any rate, I think Bruce hit upon something that does have application to chess learning and tournament play. The key will be found in properly defining how to implement his thoughts such that the correct chess style will be no style at all.

From Tactical to Technical

Looks like several of the Knights and at least one friend of the Knights will be beginning endgame study soon. It started with Vic, and now I, Jens, Tempo, and possibly Nezha have indicated that this will be our next endeavor. To tell you the truth, I quite enjoy endgames. I can't wait to compare notes with everyone on our progress. With the exception of Jens, this could be the key to taking us to the ranks of the Expert (Jens is already an Expert, so I imagine he would become a Master).

Strategy....and Tactics

Hannibal's Strategy: Invade Italy from the Rear
Hannibal's Tactics: Cross the Alps with elephants

Henry V's Strategy: Hold back or destroy the French Army at Agincourt
Henry V's Tactics: Restrict the opposing army by funnelling it into a small opening. Then, shoot the unarmored horses using the longbowmen miring the armored nobles in the mud. Then, let the peasant bowmen and infantry take out the floundering nobility.

Strategy is how you are going to win. This is general. You have much freedom in choosing the right way to win. Tactics are how you are going to implement your strategy. These are specific. You do NOT have much leeway in choosing the right way to implement your strategy. Therefore, if the tactics don't result in implementation of the strategy, the strategy is wrong. If the tactics say you win a pawn here, you do not maintain a plan to disdain the win of a pawn to implement a desired kingside attack, for example.

Ok. My rant is over.

Uber Kreise Update

I've stormed past the Pinning and Knight Fork sections and am midway through Double Attack. As you would intuit, the more recent theme groups I've tackled in the form of mini-circles are easier than the earlier ones. I'm at about problem 225 right now. Technically, I should be doing 143 problems a night for this first Uber Kreis to cover the 1,001 by Sunday's end. However, I don't mind being a little behind because I have much more time to devote to puzzles on the weekend. I do notice the value in continuing to solve tactics problems (although at a less intense pace), even after I finish the program. The patterns need to be continually reinforced to stay in your memory.