Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Achessimprovementplanforallclassplayers.Thisisacompanionpageto
byJohnCoffey
TenThousandPositionstoChessMastery.
(john2001plus@gmail.com)
1.Introduction
2.Step1
3.Step2
4.Step3
5.Step4
6.Step5
7.Step6
8.Step7
9.Step8
10.Step9
11.Step10
12.Step11
13.Step12
14.Andmore...
Introduction
Ifyouknownothingatallaboutthegameofchessotherthanthe
rules,therestillthingsthatyoucandorightawaytohelpyouwin
moregames.Youwon'tbebeatingtournamentplayers,butyoucanrise
aboveyourcurrentlevelbystudyingtherightthings.Thesame
principleappliestoalllevelsofplayers.Therearethingsthat
youcandoimmediatelytowinmoregames.
Thekeytochessimprovementispatternrecognition.Whetheryou
realizeitornot,toimproveatchessyoumustreprogramyourbrain
toseethingsthatyoudidnotseebefore.Youcandothisby
studyingatleast30minutesoftacticsperday.Iprovide1,500
simpletacticsproblemsforyoutostudy,plusIalsorecommendsome
ofthebesttacticsbooks.
Ialsoprovideinstructioninotherareasofthegame,andrecommenda
systemformemorizingopeningsandotherthingswhenthatbecomes
necessary.
Allthelessonsherebuilduponthelessonsthatcomebeforethem.
Ifyouwanttostartatoneofthehigherlevels,firstreview
thesimplerlessons.
Gettingbetteratchessisnoteasy.Toimproveyoushouldexpectto
workatiteveryday.Becausethehumanbrainisinherentlyforgetful,
Irecommendgoingthroughallthematerialonthispagerepeatedly
untilitbecomessecondnature.
Step1
LearntheRules
Althoughthiswebsitedoesnotspecificallycovertherules,
hereareafewwebsiteswhereyoucanlearnthem:
U.S.ChessFederation
LogicalChess
InternetChessClub
MagicTheater
ChessCentral
ChessCorner
TaketheRulesQuiz!
KingQueenRookBishopKnightPawn
RecognizeCheckmate.
TothisendyoushouldgetthebookBobbyFischerTeachesChessandgo
throughthisbookenoughtimesthateverybitofitseemseasy.
TheInternetChessClubhasagoodpageexplainingcheckandcheckmate.
Likewisesodoeshttp://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/basic/check/check.htm
TaketheCheckandCheckmateQuiz!
Level1Level2Level3Level4
Thefirst112diagramsat1w.htmarepositionswherewhitecanmakeamove
thatimmediatelycheckmates.Althoughthismayseemalittlehardatfirst,
itwouldbegoodtogothroughalloftheseandtrytofindthecheckmating
move.Likeeverythingelseonthispage,youshoulddothese112problems
enoughtimesthattheybecomeeasy.
LearnChessNotation.
Althoughyoudon'tneedtowritechessnotationuntilyouplayin
tournaments,youneedtobeabletoreadittofollowthelessonsonthisweb
page.Hereareafewwebpagesthatexplainhowtoreadchessnotation.....
http://www.logicalchess.com/info/reference/notation/
http://www.chesshouse.com/how_to_read_and_write_chess_notation_a/166.htm
http://www.avlerchess.com/learnnotation.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/LearnChessAlgebraicNotation
http://chess.about.com/od/tipsforbeginners/qt/ReadNotation.htm
http://www.logicalchess.com/hcc/scholastics/tutorials/notation.html
Thesimplestpossibleopening.
Thesimplestpossibleopeningisonewhereyoudeployyour
pieceslikeso.......
Theideaistoplaceonly2pawnsinthecenter,unlessyour
opponentcancapturethem,movetherestofyourarmyinto
playandthencastleeitherkingsideorqueenside.
Sometimesthesearenotsafesquaresforthebishops,sothey
havetogotoothersquareslikethefollowing....
Asageneralrule,youwanttomovetheknightsoutbeforethe
bishops.Thereasonforthisisthatitiseasiertoknowfirst
wheretheknightsshouldgo.Wherethebishopsgodependsupon
whereyouropponenthasplacedhispawnsandotherpieces.
Yourfirstmoveshouldbeapawnmoveintothecenteroftheboard.
Youreallyhavetheoptionofmoving2to3pawnsintheopening,
anditcouldbeanyofthese4....
Again,youdon'twanttomovepawnsouttosquareswherethey
wouldbeimmediatelycaptured,althoughlikeallrulesinchess
thereareexceptionstothisrule,soinsomecasesyouwould
onlymoveapawnuponesquaretopreventitfrombeingcaptured.
Ifyoudomoveaqueenpawnorkingpawnuponesquare,itis
preferablethatitdoesnotblockthepathofoneofyour
bishops,soinsomecasesyouwouldmovethebishopoutbefore
movingthepawn.
Asarule,moving4pawnsintheopeningisprobablyoverdoing
it.Youdon'twanttomovesomanypawnsthatyouslowdownthe
deploymentofyouotherpieces.Movingtoomanypawnscouldalso
create"holes"(weaknesses)inyourpositionthatyouropponent
couldexploit.
Readmoreaboutopeningshere:http://www.dwheeler.com/chessopenings/.
Don'texpecttolearnalltheseimmediatelyasthesubjectofchess
openingsisvastandthousandsofbookshavebeenwrittenaboutchess
openings.Thiswebpagewillcovermoreaboutopeningsfurtherdown.
Learnthevalueofthechesspieces.
SeeChessCornerandAbout.com
TaketheCaptureQuiz!
Level1Level2
Step2
Learnwhattacticsare.
Oneofthegoalsinchessistocapturemoreofyouropponentspieces
thanhecapturesofyours.Thereasonforthisishavingextra
materialmakesyourarmystrongerthanyouropponent'sarmy.
Thesimplestpossiblechesstacticisonewhereyouoryouropponent
inadvertentlymovesapiecetoorleavesapieceonasquarewhereit
canbecaptured.Ifthepersonlosingthepiecedoesn'thaveagood
countermovethenthisiscalled"hangingapiece."Atthelower
levelsofchessskillthisisfairlycommon,anditevenhappens
morerarelyatthehigherlevels.
However,youcan'tcountonyouropponenttojustmakeanobvious
blunder.Winningpiecesusuallyrequiresyoutothreatentwoor
morethingsatonceinsuchawaythatyouropponentwillnotbe
abletodefendboththreats.
Lookforthewords"Forks","Pins",and"Skewers"onthispage.
Beginyourdailychesstacticsstudy.
Startdoingatleast30minutesofchesstacticsstudyperday.Somepeople
Iknowhaveshowntremendouschessimprovementbydoing60to90minutesof
tacticsstudyperdayforaboutyear,butmostpeoplewouldn'tfindthetime
todothatconsistently.
Ifforsomereasonyoucan'tfindthetimetodo30minutesormoreoftactics
perday,thentrytodo15or20minutes.Doingthemconsistentlyeveryday
ismoreimportantthantheexactamountoftime.
Onalternatedaysdothewhiteorblackproblemslistedbelow.
WhitetomovechessproblemsorBlacktomovechessproblems.
Eachday,startwiththefirstproblemandseehowfaryoucangetin30
minutes.Irecommendkeepingarecordofhowfaryougeteachday.If
youarenewtochessthenyoumightnotgetveryfaronyourfirstcouple
ofdays,butthatisO.K.Witheachsubsequentattemptyouwillgetfurther.
LateronIamgoingtorecommendothergoodtacticsproblemsthatyoucan
study,butforthemomenttheseproblemsabovewillformthebedrockof
yourchesstacticsunderstanding.Theseproblemswillhelpyougettoat
leastan1800tacticsskilllevel.Aplayerratedbetween1800and2000
withpracticeshouldbeabletodoallthe1move,2moveandamajority
ofthe3moveproblemswithina30minutetimeframe.An1800to1900level
playershouldbeabletodoallthe1moveproblemsinlessthan10minutes.
Moreadvancedplayersshouldn'tassumethatitisfutiletostudysimple
chessproblems.Beingabletoseesimpletacticsalmostinstantlyisthe
markofaClassAplayer,andstudyingsimpleproblemshelpsavoidtime
pressureblunders.
Ipersonallythinkthatthereissomebenefittostudyingtacticsbefore
bedtime,asresearchhasshownthatweforgetthingswhilewesleep.
LearnhowtocheckmatewiththeKingandQueen.
LearnhowtocheckmatewiththeKingandRook.
Learnmoreaboutchessopenings.
Playchessonaregularbasis.
Iassumethatyouwanttobecomeabetterchessplayerbecauseyoulike
toplaychess.Youalsoneedtoplaychesstobecomeabetterplayer.
Gettingbetteratchessismentallylikelearninganewlanguage.You
havetoliveiteveryday.Juststickingyournoseinabookisn'tenough.
Itisallaboutlearningthe"language"ofthechessboard.
BackwhenIwasinpublicschools,Iplayedchessalmosteverydaywhich
helpedmetoimprove.
Practicethisexerciseonachessboard!
About.comgivesaprettysimpleexplanation,butIdon'tnecessarily
thinkthatthisisthefastestwaytodoit.Asimilardescriptioncan
befoundonChessCorner.Aslightlymorecomplexexplanationcanbe
foundhere,althoughhisexamplesdeliberatelyignoreacoupleofmate
in1'sjusttoillustratehismethod.Thesecondhalfofthisvideo
showsthefastestwaytomatewithakinganqueenbyusingtheking
andqueentogethertolimitthesquaresoftheenemyking.Ifyouever
playsuddendeathtimecontrolsthenIagreewiththeauthorofthevideo
whosaysthatyoushouldpracticewithafriendandachessclock,whichI
occasionallydo,toseeifyoucandothematein10secondsorless.For
somepeoplethatwouldtakeagreatdealofpractice.Ifyouareanovice
player,feelgoodifyoucandothematewithin30seconds.
Thisvideoshowasimplisticmethod,whichishowIfirstlearnedhowto
doit.Idon'tlikethismethodverymuchbecauseittakesmanymore
movesthannecessary,butitcouldbeusefulforsomeonewantingtolearn
thesimplestpossiblemethod.Thesecondhalfofthisvideoshowsthe
fasterwaytodoit.Likethekingandqueenmate,Ifeelthatitis
usefultopracticeitwithachessclocktoseeifyoucandoitwithin
10seconds.
StudyPlanforBeginnershasawealthofmaterialthatyoumightwantto
lookat.
Thepurposeofthisexerciseistopracticeseeingmorequickly
wheretheknightcanmove.Theblackpawnsnevermoveinthis
exercise.Thegoalistomakelegalknightmovestotakethe
knightfromthesquarea1tothesquareb1,howeverwiththe
limitationthattheknightcanneverlandontheblackpawnsor
wherethepawnscancapture.(Forexample,thepawnonc3can
captureonb2andd2,makingallthreesquaresofflimitsto
theknight.)
Theknightcangettob1inthreemovesbymovingNc2,Na3andthen
Nb1.Thenextgoalistogettheknightfromsquareb1tosquare
c1followingthesamerules.Oneofmanywaystodothatisto
playNa3,andthenNc2,Nd4,Nb3andthenfinallyNc1.
Afterthatthegoalsaretogettod1,e1,f1,g1,h1,h2,f2,c2,
a2,a3,b3,d3etc.untiltheentireboardisreachedinthis
fashion.
AgoodclassAplayerwithpracticeshouldbeabletodotheentire
boardinlessthan3minutes.Forlowerrankedplayersthismight
takemuchlonger,evenwithpractice.
Doingthisexercisewillactuallyhelpyouwinmoregamesbymaking
youbetterwithyourknights.
Step3
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Likeallinstructivechessgamesonthiswebpage,youshould
gothroughthegamesenoughtimesthatyoucanrememberthe
vastmajorityofmovesforthewinningside.Onceyoulearn
them,youshouldreviewthesegamesoccasionallytomakesure
youhaven'tforgottenthem.
Thegameswillbemucheasiertorememberifyouunderstandthe
reasonsastowhythemovesareplayed.
Attackingtheking#1
Winningwithtactics#1
Attackingtheking#2
Attackingtheking#3
Attackingtheking#4
Attackingtheking#5
Attackingtheking#6
Attackingtheking#7
AttackingWeaknesses#1
Tacticalpositions#1
Tacticalpositions#2
Tacticalpositions#3
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Kingandpawnending#1
Kingandpawnending#2
Kingandpawnending#3
Kingandpawnending#4
Step4
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Winningwithtactics#2
Winningwithtactics#3
Attackingtheking#8
Attackingtheking#9
Attackingtheking#10
Attackingtheking#11
Attackingtheking#12
Tacticalpositions#4
Tacticalpositions#5
Tacticalpositions#6
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
LearnhowtocheckmatewiththeKingandtwobishops.
Kingandpawnending#5
Kingandpawnending#6
Kingandpawnending#7
Kingandpawnending#8
ThisendgamehappenssorarelythatIhaven'tbotheredtopractice
itmuch,butitisimportanttoknowitbecauseitcanhelpyoudevelop
betterbishoppatternrecognition.Thisvideogivesagoodsummary.
Step5
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Attackingtheking#13
Attackingtheking#14
Attackingtheking#15
Attackingtheking#16
Attackingtheking#17
Attackingtheking#18(asblack)
Attackingtheking#19
Tacticalpositions#7
Tacticalpositions#8
Tacticalpositions#9
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
LearnmoreaboutTacticalideas
Kingandpawnending#9
Kingandpawnending#10
Kingandpawnending#11
Kingandpawnending#12
Kingandpawnending#13
Kingandpawnending#14
TacticalMotifsDefined.
Step6
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Attackingtheking#20
Attackingtheking#21(asblack)
Attackingtheking#22
Attackingtheking#23
Attackingtheking#24
Attackingtheking#25
Attackingtheking#26(asblack)
Tacticalpositions#10
Tacticalpositions#11
Tacticalpositions#12
RuyLopez#1
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Kingandpawnending#15
Kingandpawnending#16
Kingandpawnending#17
Step7
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Attackingtheking#27
Attackingtheking#28
Attackingtheking#29
Attackingtheking#30
Attackingtheking#31
Attackingtheking#32
Attackingtheking#33
Tacticalpositions#13
Tacticalpositions#14
Tacticalpositions#15
From'sGambit#1
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Kingandpawnending#18
Kingandpawnending#19
Kingandpawnending#20
Kingandpawnending#21
Playintournamentsandreviewyourgames.
Averyimportantpartofbecomingabetterplayeriscompetingin
tournamentsandtryingtolearnfromtheexperience.Everychessgame
isapotentiallesson.Takethegamesthatyourecordedintournaments
andanalyzethemwithacomputerprogramlikeFritzorHoudini.Rather
thananalyzeeverymoveingreatdetailwhichcouldtakealongtime,
find2to3positionspergamewhereyoucouldhavemadebettermoves.
Thiscanincludetheopening.Findawaytobeabletogobackand
reviewthesepositions,eitherbykeepingtheminsomesortofdatabase
orprintdiagramsofthesepositions(usingyourchessprogram)and
keeptheprinteddiagramsinafoldersothatyoucangobackand
reviewthepositionslater.
Step8
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Attackingtheking#34
AttackingWeaknesses#2
Attackingtheking#35
Attackingtheking#35
Attackingtheking#37
Attackingtheking#38
Attackingtheking#39
Tacticalpositions#16
Tacticalpositions#17
Tacticalpositions#18
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Learnmoreaboutchesstactics.
StartaMemorizationList
Step9
Kingandpawnending#22
Kingandpawnending#23
Kingandqueenversuspawn#1
Kingandqueenversuspawn#2
Toraisemyratingfrom1800to1900,SharpenYourTacticswas
immenselyhelpful.Ifocussedonjustthefirst550problemsand
didthemsomanytimesthatIcouldgothroughthemveryquickly.
OnthiswebpageIgiveyouagreatdealofinformationtolearn.It
couldbedifficulttoretainallthisinformationunlessyouhavea
systematicwayofreviewingtheitemssothatthosethingsyouknow
wellgetreviewedlessoftenthanthethingsthatyouarestilllearning.
TothisendIrecommendkeepingaMemorizationList.
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Attackingtheking#40
Attackingtheking#41
Attackingtheking#42
Attackingtheking#43
Winningwithtactics#4
Winningwithtactics#5
Winningwithtactics#6
Winningwithtactics#7
Winningwithtactics#8
WinningwithTactics#9
Tacticalpositions#19
Tacticalpositions#20
Tacticalpositions#21
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Learnmoreaboutchesstactics/strategy.
Kingandqueenversuspawn#3
Kingandqueenversuspawn#4
King,Rookandpawnending#1
King,Rookandpawnending#2
ChessTrainingPocketBook,300MostImportantPositionsandIdeas
isastrategybookdisguisedasatacticsbook.Itpresents300positions,
someofwhicharetacticalbutmostarepositionalinnature.Istudiedthis
bookforaround10minutesperdaywithoutfailforayear.Shortlyafter
this,Ihadsomegreattournamentresults.
Step10
Studyinstructivechessgames.
Winningwithtactics#10
WinningwithTactics#11
WinningwithTactics#12
WinningwithTactics#13
WinningwithTactics#14
WinningwithTactics#15
WinningwithTactics#16
Tacticalpositions#22
Tacticalpositions#23
Tacticalpositions#24
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Learnmoreaboutchesstactics.
King,Rookandpawnending#3
King,Rookandpawnending#4
QueenversusKnight
Mixedendings#1
ShredderChessoniOShas1,000tacticsproblemsthatreally
helpedmegofrom1900to2000rating,althoughIhavegone
throughall1,000problemsmaybeasmanyas18times.
Ifyoudon'thaveaniOSdevice,thenconsider
TheCompleteChessWorkout.Ifyoudon'tmindaheftytome,
thismightbetheonlytacticsbookyouwilleverneedwith
1200moderatelydifficultproblems.
Step11
Studyinstructivechessgames.
WinningwithTactics#17
WinningwithTactics#18
WinningwithTactics#19
WinningwithTactics#20
WinningwithTactics#21
WinningwithTactics#22
WinningwithTactics#23
WinningwithTactics#24
WinningwithTactics#25
Tacticalpositions#25
Tacticalpositions#26
Tacticalpositions#27
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Learnmoreaboutchesstactics/strategy.
PracticalChessExercisesisaveryinstructivebook.The
catchisthatthemajorityoftheproblemsarepositionalinnature.
Solikeinarealgame,youdon'tknowifyouaretryingtoachieve
atacticalgainorapositionalgain.Youhavetofigureitout.
ThisislikeamoreadvancedversionofChessTrainingPocketBook
inthesensethatitcoversawiderangeofideas,butithastwice
asmanyproblemsforaboutthesameprice.Thisisbynomeansan
easybook.Idon'trecommenditforplayersratedunder1700.This
bookisidealforstrongAplayerswhowanttobecomeanExpertor
Master.Theproblemsaredifficultenoughthatyouwillhavetogo
overthemmanytimes.Ithastakenmeatleastacouplehundred
hourstogetthefullbenefitfromthebook.
ChessTacticsTrainerandChessTacticsFreeStrategyTrainerare
similariOStacticstrainingappsthatareuseful.Thefreeapp
isfunbecausetheproblemsareusercreated,butthatalsomakes
thequalityalittleuneven.
Mixedendings#2
Mixedendings#3
Mixedendings#4
Mixedendings#5
Step12
Studyinstructivechessgames.
AttackingWeaknesses#3
AttackingWeaknesses#4
Iamparticularlyproudofthiswinfromthe2012Utah
Quickchesschampionship....
WinningwithPositionalPlay#1
WinningwithPositionalPlay#2
WinningwithPositionalPlay#3
WinningwithPositionalPlay#4
WinningwithPositionalPlay#5
SeeSecretsofStrongPlayersforanexplanation.
AlsolookatThemostcommonmistakeand
WinEasilyPart1byGMIgorSmirnov.
Tacticalpositions#28
Tacticalpositions#29
Tacticalpositions#30
Tacticalpositions#31
Learnmoreaboutstrategy
Ifyouarealreadyatleast1800,thenchancesareyouareapretty
goodtacticalplayer,butyoumightneedmorerefinement
strategically.
Ifyouhaven'talready,buySilman'sbookTheAmateur'sMind
andgothroughit.Onecaveattobeawareofisthat
althoughthebookisaprettyfunread,itcantakemonths
tolearntoapplytheideastoyourowngame.Afterreading
thebook,myinitialresultswereworse,butoverthelong
termIbecameamuchbetterpositionalplayer.
LearnmoreaboutTactics.
Learnmoreaboutchessendings.
Relatedsquareproblemsarerare,buttheExpertlevelplayer
shouldbeawareofthem.
Kingandpawnending#24.
Kingandpawnending#25.
Learnmoreaboutchessopenings.
303TrickyChessCheckmatesismorefunthaninstructive,but
itisstillinstructiveandIrecommendmakingitpartofyour
chessstudy.
Mycompleteopeningrepertoirecanbefoundhere.Don'texpectto
studyeverythingonthispage,butuseitasareferencefor
lookingupopeninglines.Atthetimeofthiswriting(Oct2015),
mygoalistoremovemanytriviallineswhileaddingnewones.
Andmore...
UltimatelywewouldliketoattainthetitleofChessMaster.Tothat
end,seemycompanionpageTenThousandPositionstoChessMastery.