Hi, I am 18 years old and have only been playing Chess competitively since the summer of last year (2008). I earned a rating of 1162, but soon afterward I began to slack off in chess and I lost a few games in tournaments and fell to 802 over a period of about two months ending in March, starting in February. My "chess coach" so to speak in High School for our Chess Club and one of my friends who is about equal to me in Chess tells me I'm definitely intermediate. Well, I've always heard that a lot of good players started at a young age and I didn't even know all of the rules when I used to just play around with Chess at a child. Is it too late for me to become a really good player because I started at the age of 17, just last year? How can I improve my chess strategies for endgames and middle-games. Any books you can recommend? Any online sources? I play Chess on freechess.org (Free Internet Chess Server) and here on Yahoo! Chess. I also have heard of good player practicing against computers. Is this a good idea? I have Winboard with game viewers from a lot of Bobby Fischer's games. Also, do you know any other good chess websites to play on? Please try to answer all the questions I asked if you can, if not, please answer the ones you can. Thanks so much and God Bless.
Also, I don't want to sound desperate or anything, but Chess is really important to me. I love it so much.Hello, I have a question about learning Chess strategies?
鈥?Did you start too late?
Not necessarily. For example if you wanted to be better than anyone you've ever played and probably ever seen play then no, it's definitely not too late for that. If you want to be a grandmaster it's even not too late for that either, but if you want to be a serious contender for the world champ, it's too late :). So don't let anyone try to convince you you can't become a master (2200+) with dedication and time it's possible for almost any player.
鈥?How to improve your strategy for mid and endgame and any recommended books? Online sources?
The best way to improve your strategy and endgame technique is to learn from books or a coach. The winning chess series by Seirawan has good books. Play, Tactics, Strategy, and Endgame are 4 of the 7 in this series. It's good that you recognize your focus should be endgames and tactics (middlegame). You should definitely get a puzzle book or use a free online resource such as http://chesstempo.com/ and always be drilling on tactics. About every serious tournament player has a book of puzzles handy.
Other very good books include:
"Logical Chess Move by Move" by Chernev for strategy (explains every move of every game -- every time throughout the book, always highly recommended).
"Weapons of Chess" by Pandolfini for strategy
For other online sources, William gave you some good ones -- I'll only add http://www.chessgames.com/ other than a huge free database it has daily puzzles, guess the move games, an opening explorer, player bios, free to read others annotations of games... it's a great place for chess :)
鈥?Good to practice against computers?
No, it's generally not a good idea especially for beginners. You can use them to analyze your tournament games for mistakes. I also use it for _positions_ (not games) that I don't understand and will think and think for a move, then play my move and watch the evaluation for a big change. If you don't understand the computer's recommended move then keep playing till it becomes clear to you why it was bad/good. If the evaluation only changes a little that doesn't mean anything because computers don't know a lot about strategy because they know zero about endgames but that's a whole different topic (I use Rybka 3 btw). Also computers like Firtz, Shredder, Rybka etc can help you find correct moves for the opening.
鈥?Any other good sites to play on?
FICS is the best free one, so you got it down there. Playchess.com and ICC are pay sites, but in truth unnecessary for almost anyone rated under A class or Expert because you don't need master-class competition when you're just starting out. There are correspondence type sites also if you want to get into that, they're easy to find just google them e.g. chess.com redhotpawn.com. These sites give you days to make a move and games can last 1 or more months.
You don't sound desperate you sound passionate! The most important element to improvement is passion for the game, and it sounds like you've got that. By loving the game and continuing to play you'll defiantly improve, I guarantee it!
im in a chess club in school, and generally, we've found that playing against a good computer is always benifisial because it plays differently, the key to bing good at chess is being able to adapt to different opponents, and while your not likely to run into anyone that plays like the comp, it will help you learn to "think on your feet, and make you more able to change your strategy on the fly.Hello, I have a question about learning Chess strategies?
You can play againts computer on the internet everyday or so or try out your power at chesscube.com( i play there)
Chess is indeed a very good idea to learn at a young age, but don't let that get you down. You can become just as good as a really strong player even if you started at 17, which is still pretty young.
I love chess and even though I no longer competitively play it, I still enjoy playing it when I'm bored. I hardly play it, which decreases my skill. If you really want to get better, I recommend playing every now and then as to not lose much of your skill.
Freechess.org is a fantastic place to play chess at, although it lags and it's server isn't the best. The best place I enjoyed playing chess at was at ICC (internet chess club), but you have to pay. Albeit, it has many GMs, IMs, FMs, and many other top players, as well as lower ranked players. Also, its server is fantastic, fast, and awesome. It has countless chess puzzles and other features!
A way to improve your chess skill is to know how the pieces interact and to see the moves ahead. Find weaknesses, strategies, and combos! Sacrificing pieces to make awesome moves that's worth it.Train the end game positions, such as how to checkmate with queen and king, rook and king, and etc. Practice chess puzzles and positions. Look at how top players play, how they move, "why" they move there.
Although I don't remember any chess books I've read, I would just go to the library and search for any chess related book (openings and puzzles) and practice off those.
Its an awesome idea as you have said to practice off computers, because they know how the game works, moving pieces at the best positions (their best from their calculations). That way, you can get the feeling of playing someone better than yourself and trying to win off a strong opponent.
Practice with friends using clocks. Try 10 min games, then after you get the hang of that, try 5 min games, then 3 min games, and when you think you can move fast enough, play 1 min games. My friend who's near the same level as I am, played hundreds of 1 min games against random people on a chess server.
Try your best and have fun and you'll eventually get better. Its often best to play people better or around the same level as yourself. Good luck!! =]Hello, I have a question about learning Chess strategies?
I will be able to communicate with you by the earliest, the 3rd of december. I TOO started at the age of 17!! :) I learned how to play chess at the age of 5, and only played my dad as far as I can remember. After that I didn't touch the game. However, In highschool, at the age of 17 I started to pick it up because a kid always played the game, and fancied himself a wise guy, so i Played him.--I was a complete chess NOOB. I am MUCH better now. I played in a USCF rated tournament and beat a player between 1700-1800 and my performance rating was 2059. I achieved this all through dedication and studying. I am 21 years old and still studying. The game is a very fun game. Perhaps you can talk to me on yahoo messenger. and we could play a few games and see where you're at.--I think you can become a great chess player when starting late. it doesn't matter.
playing on yahoo is a good idea, you can play at 3am and still play with real people
author : irving chernev
title : winning chess, how to see three moves ahead
its a used book and out-of-print...it should help you understand logic and tactics
If your friend is rated around 1100 he's no Teacher a real one is a professional like a Fide Grandmaster or an International Master or Fide Master who's played for many years or won championships and knows what it takes to win.
My advice if your serious and you really want to improve and stop butting your head against a brick wall...........
1) Take lessons regularly from a real Teacher:
http://danheisman.home.comcast.net/~danh鈥?/a>
http://www.andrewmartinchessacademy.com/鈥?/a>
2) Study books appropriate for your level:
The Game of Chess by Siegbert Tarrasch
Laskers Chess Manual by Emmanuel Lasker
My System by Aaron Nimzovitch
Jeremy Silmans Amature Mind and Reassess your Chess
The Sorcerers Apprentice by David Bronstien
3) Work on Tactics daily
The Complete Chess Workout by Richard Palliser is good
and doing exercises on the ChessTactics server helps.
4) Practice regularly against Players who are much stronger than you and don't stink at the game if you play people who are atrocious at Chess your not going to get anywhere!
Best of luck in your improvement don't give up and work hard.
check out www.uschess.org it's the united states chess federations' website
http://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/lear鈥?/a>
http://www.logicalchess.com/resources/le鈥?/a>
and the sites in this search
http://chess.about.com/lr/tactics/356105鈥?/a>
I'd also recommend this
http://www.geocities.jp/bobbby_a/book/B_鈥?/a>
I'll bet you get plenty of good play sites.
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