CHESS IMPROVEMENT GUIDE

CHESS SPECTATOR
BY NM ERWIN L. CARAG (IA)


CHESS IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
CHESS LECTURE WRITTEN BY: NM ERWIN L. CARAG (IA)
JANUARY 5, 2005

1. Devise your own personal chess programme / lesson plan.

CHESS PROGRAMME / LESSON PLAN
DRILLS AND ASSIGNMENTS –
CHESS QUIZZES, CHESS PROBLEMS, CHESS STUDIES

3 PHASES OF THE CHESS GAME -
OPENING
MIDDLE GAME
ENDGAME

2. Develop your chess style and enrich your repertoire and chess skills.

REPERTOIRE / S :
OPENING / S AS WHITE ____________________
OPENING / S AS BLACK ____________________
DEFENSE / S AS WHITE ____________________
DEFENSE / S AS BLACK ____________________

STYLE :
CLASSICAL ____________________
HYPERMODERN AND MODERN ____________________
OPEN GAMES, SEMI-OPEN GAMES ____________________
CLOSED GAMES, SEMI-CLOSED GAMES ____________________

CHESS HEROES AND CHESS IDOLS ____________________

3. CHESS is a thinking game.
Recognize and not merely memorize the chess moves, chess positions and chess patterns.

3As IN CHESS

a. ANALYSIS –
Concepts:
tree of analysis, candidate moves (by Alexander Kotov)
“forest of analysis” (CCATS)

b. ASSESSMENT

c. ANNOTATION

4. CHESS is an outstanding educational tool.
CHESS must be studied using a scientific and holistic approach.

a. CHESS LEARNING TOOLS
Computers – CDs, chess videos, databases, chess engines
Books and magazines – Sahovski Informator, ECO, MCO, Batsford
Chess Openings, New in Chess, Tournament Chess
Internet – chess websites, chess groups, chess newsletters,
correspondence / e-mail chess, chess forums, The Week in Chess(TWIC)
Online Chess -Internet Chess Club (ICC), playchess.com

Improve on:

b. SPEED
TIME CONTROLS :
lightning chess, bullet chess
blitz chess
active chess
rapid chess
FIDE time control – with increment
long game

c. COMPREHENSION
CHESS THEORY AND PRACTICE (APPLICATION)

5. Chess is a combination of mental and physical sport. Believe it !

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS

a. BE FAMILIAR WITH THE CHESS BOARD / CHESS CLOCK.
1. rules and regulations – basic, rudiments, fundamentals of chess
2. FIDE LAWS OF CHESS
3. claims and offers

b. BE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR OPPONENTS.
1. chess preparation
2. chess scouting, dossier – individual info on chessplayers

c. BE FAMILIAR WITH YOURSELF.
CHESS DIAGNOSIS
1. strengths
2. weaknesses
3. limitations and potentials
4. PHYSICAL FACTORS
stamina, endurance, adrenalin, momentum

6. Devise a set of criteria or method of evaluating your personal chess performance. Join as many chess tournaments as you can. Practice with worthy chess opponents.

CHESS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

a. CHESS AS AN ART (AESTHETICS, BEAUTY OF CHESS)
chess brilliancies, gems (sacrifices)

b. WIN – LOSS – DRAW RECORD (CHART)

c. CHESS RATING

d. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE – classroom grades

e. SOCIAL FACTORS
ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS
gain friends, acquaintances
dealing with wins and losses (triumphs and defeats)