[The "Leave a comment" button took me to Week 3 comments.]
1) What went well?
I practiced tactics puzzles almost every day. I played two online classical time control games (+1-1=0). I analyzed the one I lost.
2) What did not go well?
My training was haphazard. I did tactics and played, but without following a plan or schedule. I didn't make time to analyze my four OTB games from my tournament last week.
3) What will I do this week
I'll try to be more deliberate in my training. I'll review my games and solve puzzles in a more systematic manner.
I don't practice meditation, but I'd be willing to try. What are some resources I can check?
I did over 20 hours of good study, and have continued to make slow progress on the Aagard calculation book.
2) What didn’t go well
I have struggled to get back the rhythm I had pre-holidays and I have had too many distractions to be as effective as before. Managed to lose an utterly won position playing without much (any?) thought the “winning move” which unfortunately was simply losing. It was a good (but painful) learning experience - at key moments in classical OTB games I often seem to get a brain short-circuit when I’m winning. This has now happened to me 3 or 4 times recently.
3) What will I do this week
Try to get the rhythm back, and start to address my OTB problem.
Finally trying to join up with Clockify after reading this group for many weeks. How do I reach the tracking that you've set up? I've searched through old posts but have not (as of yet) been able to figure it out.
I played my first OTB game in almost a year. Was almost 5 hours of play. Also had a coaching lesson where it was pinpointed that my openings need a lot of work.
2) What did not go well?
I blundered in the opening, so had to suffer the whole game.
What went well? I was able to find 11hr and 42 minutes for chess!
What didn’t go well? Shaky puzzle solving after a period with little chess. Two poor rapid games (losses). All that being said, there was some improvement in my overall clarity and results as the week progressed. I’m beginning to wonder if my slide is related to Covid which I had in October, my focus has been lacking from around that time.
What will I do this week? I will continue to grind out puzzles on oldchesstempo.com, study some more of Botvinnik’s games and venture into Aagaard’s difficult book. Hopefully I will have the courage to play some games again. I don’t like losing streaks!
I finished 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players. I got some good Rapid games in. I learned the Bishop+Knight checkmate (now I can beat stockfish level 8 in less than a minute from the theoretically worst starting position possible). Played through a lot of Rubinstein: Move by Move. Picked my next chess book (The Ink War, about Steinitz and Zukertort). Enjoyed some games at the club. I studied openings for maybe an hour this week, and I don't plan on doing much more this week. Openings are not really my issue. Tactics are.
2) What did not go well?
I lost a game missing a relatively easy mate. It felt bad. Really bad. But I recovered in a few hours emotionally speaking. I could have done better in the tactics practice I was doing, but sometimes I tilt after missing them.
3) What will I do this week?
I'm now "majoring" Rubinstein: Move by Move. I'm almost 50% through it already, I expect to finish it within a couple weeks if not sooner. I'm going to be doing a lot of lichess tactics trainer while I take a break from tactics books for a while. I want to increase my floor, and I think bread and butter moments from online games is a good way to build that skill.
My local chess club starts its team championship this Tuesday. Four-player teams, I'm on board 3. I imagine I might be a bit higher rated than most board 3 players, but possibly not; I'm going to try to win every game of course.
I have a simul vs an NM online on Wednesday as well. Busy week ahead!
Regarding meditation - I have practised Acem meditation for several years - it's a science based approach to meditation. I find the practise helpful simply for relaxation (and the health benefits that brings) but also from the point of self growth and personal development.
They have also done a lot of work on the process and psychology of meditation - backing it up scientifically wherever possible. They have beginners courses, follow ups, regular meet-ups and also run weekend and longer retreats.
They work in many countries - it's a not-for-profit organisation.
- Experimented process change. Setup daily theme to focus. Focus on Chess goal on certain days as primary. Performed on one of the day.
2) What did not go well?
- Couldn't show up at all for 2 days.
- It happens. Move on with showing up atleast and bit further as possible.
3) What will I do this week
First 5-10 minutes of Chess time every day
- Continue Warmup exercises - Tactics Ladder - 1000 Opening and Middlegame puzzles for 1400 level player
80% Focus - 30+ mins [one of these]
- Continue Positional Understanding course
- Play practice game - Rapid or Blitz [mainly for Opening] and Review
- Solve atlast 1 session of Build Up series
- Visit atleast 1 Opening area
Note taking
- Capture ideas / learnings / principles in mind maps
- Week filled with personal event, may have hard time touching any training routine for few of the days
-- Regarding meditation and deep breathing - Have been doing it for many years. Started under the guidance of experts in the field, known personally from many decades.
What went well? This week I finished a book, and reached my puzzle goal. Even got a few extra tactics in for good measure. So I decided to start my February book, Evaluate Like a Grandmaster. by FM Nate Solon and GM Eugene Perelshteyn. It's laid out similar to a workbook.
What did not go well? As I started the Evaluation Exercises I confess I'm really lost. Unless the position is super clear, I give my opponents lots of credit for understanding that I don't have. I don't normally think in terms of who's better and why. I think in terms of what should each side do to fulfill a plan.
I'm thinking a lot of the answers that they give as clearly better for one side or another as very equalish. I'll continue to go through the book but I'm not convinced that I'll gain much from it, in that I might need to work on learning the opening plans for some openings in order to really understand what makes a position better or worse. This book feels like it's one to go through with a partner or a coach, self study here might not be productive.
Plans for the week: 50 problems from Polgar's Chess book. And as the Evaluation book is broken into 4 problem pages I'll try for a page a day. That should be 20 positions to contemplate. It's a simple plan but I think quite ambitious for this week as I have a concert I'll be attending so one day this week isn't free for study.
Regarding meditation, I try to start each workday with a 10-15 minute yoga video on YouTube. I found it's helped a lot with my breathing and tension throughout the day.
1) What went well?
I met my 10hr goal, got a new coach, and was able to develop a good study plan moving forward to better analyze master games in the openings I'm playing.
2) What did not go well?
I scored 1.5/3 at our club's online rapid tournament, and felt I didn't play particularly well, drawing a won bishop-pawn endgame, and struggling to convert a better position against a much weaker player.
3) What will I do this week? Prioritize analyzing games with a focus on certain themes, and continue reviewing tactics to try and stay sharp OTB for this week's rated game.
A comment on the mediation question: This topic has been in my mind this week as well, so your question is timely. I have no idea how to proceed with this. Any ideas?
[The "Leave a comment" button took me to Week 3 comments.]
1) What went well?
I practiced tactics puzzles almost every day. I played two online classical time control games (+1-1=0). I analyzed the one I lost.
2) What did not go well?
My training was haphazard. I did tactics and played, but without following a plan or schedule. I didn't make time to analyze my four OTB games from my tournament last week.
3) What will I do this week
I'll try to be more deliberate in my training. I'll review my games and solve puzzles in a more systematic manner.
I don't practice meditation, but I'd be willing to try. What are some resources I can check?
1) What went well
I did over 20 hours of good study, and have continued to make slow progress on the Aagard calculation book.
2) What didn’t go well
I have struggled to get back the rhythm I had pre-holidays and I have had too many distractions to be as effective as before. Managed to lose an utterly won position playing without much (any?) thought the “winning move” which unfortunately was simply losing. It was a good (but painful) learning experience - at key moments in classical OTB games I often seem to get a brain short-circuit when I’m winning. This has now happened to me 3 or 4 times recently.
3) What will I do this week
Try to get the rhythm back, and start to address my OTB problem.
Hey Martin,
Finally trying to join up with Clockify after reading this group for many weeks. How do I reach the tracking that you've set up? I've searched through old posts but have not (as of yet) been able to figure it out.
Thanks!
1) What went well?
I played my first OTB game in almost a year. Was almost 5 hours of play. Also had a coaching lesson where it was pinpointed that my openings need a lot of work.
2) What did not go well?
I blundered in the opening, so had to suffer the whole game.
3) What will I do this week
Start working on my openings 💪🏻
Training time 6h30m
What went well? I was able to find 11hr and 42 minutes for chess!
What didn’t go well? Shaky puzzle solving after a period with little chess. Two poor rapid games (losses). All that being said, there was some improvement in my overall clarity and results as the week progressed. I’m beginning to wonder if my slide is related to Covid which I had in October, my focus has been lacking from around that time.
What will I do this week? I will continue to grind out puzzles on oldchesstempo.com, study some more of Botvinnik’s games and venture into Aagaard’s difficult book. Hopefully I will have the courage to play some games again. I don’t like losing streaks!
1) What went well?
I finished 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players. I got some good Rapid games in. I learned the Bishop+Knight checkmate (now I can beat stockfish level 8 in less than a minute from the theoretically worst starting position possible). Played through a lot of Rubinstein: Move by Move. Picked my next chess book (The Ink War, about Steinitz and Zukertort). Enjoyed some games at the club. I studied openings for maybe an hour this week, and I don't plan on doing much more this week. Openings are not really my issue. Tactics are.
2) What did not go well?
I lost a game missing a relatively easy mate. It felt bad. Really bad. But I recovered in a few hours emotionally speaking. I could have done better in the tactics practice I was doing, but sometimes I tilt after missing them.
3) What will I do this week?
I'm now "majoring" Rubinstein: Move by Move. I'm almost 50% through it already, I expect to finish it within a couple weeks if not sooner. I'm going to be doing a lot of lichess tactics trainer while I take a break from tactics books for a while. I want to increase my floor, and I think bread and butter moments from online games is a good way to build that skill.
My local chess club starts its team championship this Tuesday. Four-player teams, I'm on board 3. I imagine I might be a bit higher rated than most board 3 players, but possibly not; I'm going to try to win every game of course.
I have a simul vs an NM online on Wednesday as well. Busy week ahead!
Regarding meditation - I have practised Acem meditation for several years - it's a science based approach to meditation. I find the practise helpful simply for relaxation (and the health benefits that brings) but also from the point of self growth and personal development.
They have also done a lot of work on the process and psychology of meditation - backing it up scientifically wherever possible. They have beginners courses, follow ups, regular meet-ups and also run weekend and longer retreats.
They work in many countries - it's a not-for-profit organisation.
I recommend it. See https://acem.com/ for more details.
On the chess study front I need to get back on the wagon... some openings work but a bit too much blitz this last week!
Regards
Nigel
1) What went well?
- Clocked 1.04 hours
- Showed up 5 days atleast with warmup exercises
- Reviewed one of the recent OTB game
- Experimented process change. Setup daily theme to focus. Focus on Chess goal on certain days as primary. Performed on one of the day.
2) What did not go well?
- Couldn't show up at all for 2 days.
- It happens. Move on with showing up atleast and bit further as possible.
3) What will I do this week
First 5-10 minutes of Chess time every day
- Continue Warmup exercises - Tactics Ladder - 1000 Opening and Middlegame puzzles for 1400 level player
80% Focus - 30+ mins [one of these]
- Continue Positional Understanding course
- Play practice game - Rapid or Blitz [mainly for Opening] and Review
- Solve atlast 1 session of Build Up series
- Visit atleast 1 Opening area
Note taking
- Capture ideas / learnings / principles in mind maps
- Week filled with personal event, may have hard time touching any training routine for few of the days
-- Regarding meditation and deep breathing - Have been doing it for many years. Started under the guidance of experts in the field, known personally from many decades.
What went well? This week I finished a book, and reached my puzzle goal. Even got a few extra tactics in for good measure. So I decided to start my February book, Evaluate Like a Grandmaster. by FM Nate Solon and GM Eugene Perelshteyn. It's laid out similar to a workbook.
What did not go well? As I started the Evaluation Exercises I confess I'm really lost. Unless the position is super clear, I give my opponents lots of credit for understanding that I don't have. I don't normally think in terms of who's better and why. I think in terms of what should each side do to fulfill a plan.
I'm thinking a lot of the answers that they give as clearly better for one side or another as very equalish. I'll continue to go through the book but I'm not convinced that I'll gain much from it, in that I might need to work on learning the opening plans for some openings in order to really understand what makes a position better or worse. This book feels like it's one to go through with a partner or a coach, self study here might not be productive.
Plans for the week: 50 problems from Polgar's Chess book. And as the Evaluation book is broken into 4 problem pages I'll try for a page a day. That should be 20 positions to contemplate. It's a simple plan but I think quite ambitious for this week as I have a concert I'll be attending so one day this week isn't free for study.
Regarding meditation, I try to start each workday with a 10-15 minute yoga video on YouTube. I found it's helped a lot with my breathing and tension throughout the day.
1) What went well?
I met my 10hr goal, got a new coach, and was able to develop a good study plan moving forward to better analyze master games in the openings I'm playing.
2) What did not go well?
I scored 1.5/3 at our club's online rapid tournament, and felt I didn't play particularly well, drawing a won bishop-pawn endgame, and struggling to convert a better position against a much weaker player.
3) What will I do this week? Prioritize analyzing games with a focus on certain themes, and continue reviewing tactics to try and stay sharp OTB for this week's rated game.
A comment on the mediation question: This topic has been in my mind this week as well, so your question is timely. I have no idea how to proceed with this. Any ideas?