Hello, congratulations for raising and taking seriously the issue of adult chess improvement. I hope you achieve your goals as player and coach. I have some ideas to share for adults who learn late (another issue is that of adults who learned early and take up the game again after a long time) : 1) Tactics is necessary for all players of any age, as a survival strategy first. But I agree that adults struggle a lot to acquire board vision and therefore need especially repeated exercises of tactics and calculation. Therefore, if an adult has little time to study chess, it is preferable that it is mainly to train tactics. That said, english coach Nigel Davies recommends that if you feel your tactical skills are reaching a limit, you should focus your style of play mainly on endgame technique (without giving up tactical training, of course).I think this is a good alternative for some adult players. I don't know if you know the book by Mathew Sadler and Natasha Regan, where they talk about adapting your style to your age. 2) Adults also need a method of thinking and a system of orientation. With the resolution of tactics exercises they will stop being beginners, but from a certain point below (1800-2000 elo) they will need a system of understanding the position and a system of decision making. They will need too a repertoire of openings based on the understanding of ideas and construction of playable positions. A good number of blunders result not only from poor vision, but from playing too many inferior positions from a strategical point of view or calculating too many variations or sequences that masters or even +2100 players would not even consider, because they are strategically inadequate. 3) You are right that playing too many blitz games reinforces bad habits and prevents relearning. I believe in only playing blitz tournaments once a month at most. Adults should aim to play mainly or even only long tournament games (at least during the most intense phases of training), to have time to apply the training and to internalize the skills. 4) I don't know if you have explored the possibility of playing against modules or against chess computers as a training method for adults. You can program it between 2000 and 2300 elo, to have a strong sparring partner. This training is only useful if one prepares to play against the module or against the computer: openings, defense techniques and blunder check, just how you should prepare to play against a fide master or an international master. I don't know if you have read Mathew Sadler's latest book about training wiht computers. 5) I think it is important for adults to understand the process of improvement. In chess progress is not gradual, but in leaps and bounds. It is like training athletics at the current limits of physical capabilities. To acquire more capabilities, the body must go through a long process of adaptation, so there are even phases of worsening performance. 6) Understanding the process is also part of the psychology of the game. The focus should not be on the results but on the process of studying and learning. Improvement is a matter of a lot of patience and resilience. It is something that happens suddenly, when you least expect it. Therefore the concentration on the process of understanding the game and training, regardless or in spite of the results, is the objective basis for a strong psychology of the adult chess player.
Only humans play like humans (so far! The computers *are* improving along these lines), training against computers is of limited value, especially in endgames, as once computers see that they are losing, they often start making horrible moves, often just throwing away material, not setting traps, not even attempting to swindle, or to put up the strongest defense. So I firmly believe it is best to train against humans in most cases. Or play against yourself, even, and try to put up the most resistance for both sides!
Great ideas. We now know that the core skill of chess is visualization and board vision, without visualization there is no calculation, without calculation there is no pattern recognition, without pattern recognition there is no tactics. When starting chess, one must train this skill first without playing. This is to simplify the game, because in a game your mind is juggling so many things opening, middlegame, endgame, tactics, strategy, pawn structure, time management. This results in blunders. A good book to train board vision and visualization is "Chess Mazes" by Bruce Alberston. Then after this, one can select some games and visualize 3 moves for each side and build up from there. Then one can begin with basic tactics.
This channel is a great discovery as I see there are quite a few of chess improvement videos for adults. I'm 43 and I'm determined to climb to 2300 FIDE, right now I'm exactly 2000 FIDE. Gonna check those videos out.
A plausible theory for this "fast and slow thinking" is the evolutionary psychological perspective; in that the brain has evolved to be as efficient as possible. The brain uses the least amount of energy whilst trying to increase the likelihood of survival so that the genes are carried on. Over time, this has placed emphasis on mental shortcuts (heuristics) that facilitate fast and relatively accurate processing of information. Translated to chess, this may explain why pattern recognition is very valuable but can also be a detriment, as we naturally would prefer to stick to well known information, rather than think "outside the box".
Entering the positions in anki is very time consuming. One can be satisfied with simply entering the position number (cf Lev Alburt ), and work with the book as reference near the computer. The software serves only as a support for repetition, Lucaschess also offers this possibility to train by spaced repetition Three kinds of adult improver: the one who has played (and learned when young), the one who knows nothing about chess, and the one who finally decides to work on chess after having learned a long time ago. The training and the practice are certainly different for each one Few books really allow to progress. They are only support, it is necessary to choose some which correspond to our waitings (and to our level) and to stick to it during this, often discouraging, initiatory voyage! If it is specified that the blind game is an aptitude of the players of a certain level, in my opinion one does not know if it is a consequence of this level or a necessary condition to be able to progress. I don't think there are any studies on this subject. One can be in favor or not of the Maza/Woodpeckeer methods, but associated with anki (for example) it is probably a good way for an adult to memorize tactical patterns
THis is exactly what I am doing with anki. I use it for tactics and positional play and ( Silmans) endgames. My rating is now 1800 on Lichess with about 400 Games. My age is 53. My objective is too reach 2000 by the end of year. Books that I use for Anki Flash Cards. -Bain chess tactic for students (400 puzzles) -Woolums chess puzzle book ( 700 puzzles) -Chess School 1a + 1b (1200 puzzles.) 300 Positions - Lev Albert 600 Positions - Ray Chang 5334 - mate one and two - only Lazlo Polgar Grandmaster Secrets - by Igor Smirnov ( This book is key for deep strategic understanding) Its really deep. Endgames - Silmans 100 endgames you must know. I dont study openings. ( Open strategy is quit simple. Get the pieces out. Knights before bishops, Castle, Move the Queen, ( Connect the rooks) Dont move a piece twice in the opening, move a pawn only once, Exhange pawns that are under tension to open the position.) And use your intuition to break these principle.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Hello, congratulations for raising and taking seriously the issue of adult chess improvement. I hope you achieve your goals as player and coach. I have some ideas to share for adults who learn late (another issue is that of adults who learned early and take up the game again after a long time) :
1) Tactics is necessary for all players of any age, as a survival strategy first. But I agree that adults struggle a lot to acquire board vision and therefore need especially repeated exercises of tactics and calculation. Therefore, if an adult has little time to study chess, it is preferable that it is mainly to train tactics. That said, english coach Nigel Davies recommends that if you feel your tactical skills are reaching a limit, you should focus your style of play mainly on endgame technique (without giving up tactical training, of course).I think this is a good alternative for some adult players. I don't know if you know the book by Mathew Sadler and Natasha Regan, where they talk about adapting your style to your age.
2) Adults also need a method of thinking and a system of orientation. With the resolution of tactics exercises they will stop being beginners, but from a certain point below (1800-2000 elo) they will need a system of understanding the position and a system of decision making. They will need too a repertoire of openings based on the understanding of ideas and construction of playable positions. A good number of blunders result not only from poor vision, but from playing too many inferior positions from a strategical point of view or calculating too many variations or sequences that masters or even +2100 players would not even consider, because they are strategically inadequate.
3) You are right that playing too many blitz games reinforces bad habits and prevents relearning. I believe in only playing blitz tournaments once a month at most. Adults should aim to play mainly or even only long tournament games (at least during the most intense phases of training), to have time to apply the training and to internalize the skills.
4) I don't know if you have explored the possibility of playing against modules or against chess computers as a training method for adults. You can program it between 2000 and 2300 elo, to have a strong sparring partner. This training is only useful if one prepares to play against the module or against the computer: openings, defense techniques and blunder check, just how you should prepare to play against a fide master or an international master. I don't know if you have read Mathew Sadler's latest book about training wiht computers.
5) I think it is important for adults to understand the process of improvement. In chess progress is not gradual, but in leaps and bounds. It is like training athletics at the current limits of physical capabilities. To acquire more capabilities, the body must go through a long process of adaptation, so there are even phases of worsening performance.
6) Understanding the process is also part of the psychology of the game. The focus should not be on the results but on the process of studying and learning. Improvement is a matter of a lot of patience and resilience. It is something that happens suddenly, when you least expect it. Therefore the concentration on the process of understanding the game and training, regardless or in spite of the results, is the objective basis for a strong psychology of the adult chess player.
Only humans play like humans (so far! The computers *are* improving along these lines), training against computers is of limited value, especially in endgames, as once computers see that they are losing, they often start making horrible moves, often just throwing away material, not setting traps, not even attempting to swindle, or to put up the strongest defense. So I firmly believe it is best to train against humans in most cases. Or play against yourself, even, and try to put up the most resistance for both sides!
Great ideas. We now know that the core skill of chess is visualization and board vision, without visualization there is no calculation, without calculation there is no pattern recognition, without pattern recognition there is no tactics. When starting chess, one must train this skill first without playing. This is to simplify the game, because in a game your mind is juggling so many things opening, middlegame, endgame, tactics, strategy, pawn structure, time management. This results in blunders. A good book to train board vision and visualization is "Chess Mazes" by Bruce Alberston. Then after this, one can select some games and visualize 3 moves for each side and build up from there. Then one can begin with basic tactics.
Thanks for video, I'll have to watch the rest later.
This channel is a great discovery as I see there are quite a few of chess improvement videos for adults. I'm 43 and I'm determined to climb to 2300 FIDE, right now I'm exactly 2000 FIDE. Gonna check those videos out.
Good luck!
A plausible theory for this "fast and slow thinking" is the evolutionary psychological perspective; in that the brain has evolved to be as efficient as possible. The brain uses the least amount of energy whilst trying to increase the likelihood of survival so that the genes are carried on. Over time, this has placed emphasis on mental shortcuts (heuristics) that facilitate fast and relatively accurate processing of information. Translated to chess, this may explain why pattern recognition is very valuable but can also be a detriment, as we naturally would prefer to stick to well known information, rather than think "outside the box".
Entering the positions in anki is very time consuming. One can be satisfied with simply entering the position number (cf Lev Alburt ), and work with the book as reference near the computer. The software serves only as a support for repetition,
Lucaschess also offers this possibility to train by spaced repetition
Three kinds of adult improver: the one who has played (and learned when young), the one who knows nothing about chess, and the one who finally decides to work on chess after having learned a long time ago. The training and the practice are certainly different for each one
Few books really allow to progress. They are only support, it is necessary to choose some which correspond to our waitings (and to our level) and to stick to it during this, often discouraging, initiatory voyage!
If it is specified that the blind game is an aptitude of the players of a certain level, in my opinion one does not know if it is a consequence of this level or a necessary condition to be able to progress. I don't think there are any studies on this subject.
One can be in favor or not of the Maza/Woodpeckeer methods, but associated with anki (for example) it is probably a good way for an adult to memorize tactical patterns
THis is exactly what I am doing with anki. I use it for tactics and positional play and ( Silmans) endgames. My rating is now 1800 on Lichess with about 400 Games. My age is 53. My objective is too reach 2000 by the end of year.
Books that I use for Anki Flash Cards.
-Bain chess tactic for students (400 puzzles)
-Woolums chess puzzle book ( 700 puzzles)
-Chess School 1a + 1b (1200 puzzles.)
300 Positions - Lev Albert
600 Positions - Ray Chang
5334 - mate one and two - only Lazlo Polgar
Grandmaster Secrets - by Igor Smirnov ( This book is key for deep strategic understanding) Its really deep.
Endgames - Silmans
100 endgames you must know.
I dont study openings. ( Open strategy is quit simple. Get the pieces out. Knights before bishops, Castle, Move the Queen, ( Connect the rooks) Dont move a piece twice in the opening, move a pawn only once, Exhange pawns that are under tension to open the position.) And use your intuition to break these principle.
It was a great conversation. However, I don't think kids learn better or faster. They just have more time to dedicate.