advice for a casual player with limited spare time

Hello.  I would like to hear your advice on ways to improve a player like myself.  I am rated around 1300.  I am 30, have two kids, a full time job and night school.  My time for chess is limited to probably 30 minutes per day at best. 

I read Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess and thought it was terrific (easy to take a few minutes at a time, and no chessboard required, which is helpful with small kids around).  I also read Seirawan's first three books and thought they were OK.  Recently discovered Chesstempo.com and think it will be helpful.

Local chess friends have recommended Nimzowitch My System and Susan Polgar's tactics book. 

What tools, books, etc. would you recommend for me?  Keep in mind I'm looking for something I can use quickly and set down easily and will generate some improvement in my chess.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Also in my 30s, with a full (full!!) time career and daughter. Here's what works for me.

TACTICS! Not only do I use Chess.com Tactics or ChessTempo during my lunch hour, I also purchased TacticsTime.com's Chessbase database of tactics. Once a week I go through them, any I get wrong I print up and put them on a stack of note cards, then I leave the note cards in my brief case. In spare moments I pull out those flash cards and go through them.

This old school technique helps immensely and you'll find you have more spare moments in your day then you'd think.

I would steer clear of complex books on theory and positional awareness. They are great for enjoyment and learning, but you want rapid feedback and easy to digest materials, tactics fit this perfectly.

Lastly, I would commit to playing one game against a live or computer opponent each evening after the kids go to bed. It's a great way to stay fresh and creates an enjoyable end of day ritual.

Good Luck!

-hz

no way

Tactics:  Work diagrams every day in order to build a bank of visualiztion patterns in your mind.  Begin by purchasing, Irving Chernev's book, 1,001 Chess Sacrifices and Tactics." 

Begin with the first diagram in the book.  There is usually 9 diagrams per page.  Sit down with a timer and the book.  No chessboard or pieces.  Do not set the position up on any physical board.  Set the timer for 3min. When the time is up or if you choose a move prior to time running out, stop the timer.  Check your answer in the back of the book.  If you got it right put a check mark next to the diagram.  If you got it wrong put an X next to the diagram.  Reset the timer and move on to the next diagram.  DO NOT linger on the diagram you just completed.  You will come back to it at a later date.  The diagram that you got wrong is simply a visual pattern that is not in your memory bank yet.  Do 6 pages of 9 diagrams per page per day.   Do the Chernev book diagrams 3 times all the way thru, paying special attention to the diagrams you got wrong. 

Later on you can purchase or borrow books of diagrams of tactical positions from actual GM and IM tournament games.

This is known as doing your chess exercises so that like an athlete you can stay fit.

Endgame:  Work diagrams every day in order to build a bank of checkmate visualization patterns in your mind.

Begin by practicing the basic checkmate endgames (K+Q v K, K+R v K, K+2Bs v K, and K+B+N v K) until you can do them in your sleep.  You only need to know one endgame technique wih all the basic checkmate endgames.  I call it 'corralling the enemy King.'  The power of the piece(s) form a fence around the enemy K.  With the help of your own K, step by step, you keep making the fenced in area smaller driving the enemy K into a corner of the board, and then you deliver checkmate.  In the K+Q v K basic checkmate endgame caution needs to be exercised in order to not stalemate the enemy king.  In the K+B+N v K, the enemy K has to be driven to one of the 2 corners that are the same color as your B.  If the enemy K runs to either of the opposite color corners, there is a standard W pattern technique for extracting him from that corner and driving him along the edge of the board to the right color corner where you can deliver mate.

Practice these until you can do them in your sleep.  I can guarantee you, after 3 months of practicing these you will see mating nets, in the game you are currently playing, because it will jump up off the board and smack you on the forehead in a flash.  I know because it happens to me all the time.

 

A perspective that will save you thousands of hours.  Chess is siege warfare in the form of a game.  Siege warfare was practiced by human armies throughout history for centuries in many forms.  The assault on a castle in medieval times in movies is the most iconic example for the general public.  No matter what the form of siege warfare is employs three methododlogies: restrain, blockade, and execute the enemy.

Mr. Nimzowitch's book, "My System" is a detailed general instructional manual on restrain, blockade and execute the enemy on the chess board.  It paraphrases an overarching principle in chess:

Winning chess is the strategically/tactically correct advance of the pawn mass.

The essential companion book to "My System" is Hans Kmoch's, "Pawn Power In Chess".  It is the exhaustive manual on the details of pawn play employing the methodologies of restrain, blockade and execute the enemy.  Mr. Kmoch's book as a bonus details, regarding the opening the folowing fact:  Almost all openings result in 6 characteristic pawn structures.  He shines a light on those 6 characteristic pawn structures, and details the prospective plans of attack for both sides (White and Black) based on the pawn structure (terrain of the battlefield on the chess board.)  In other words, the pawn structure forms the hills, mountains and valleys of the battlefield on the chess board.  Any plan of attack must conform to the pawn structure.

Your 1/2 hr. per day will  make achieving a rating of USCF1800 within 2 yrs. possible.  But, you will have to combine that 1/2 hr. with weekend rated over the board round robin tournaments which consume considerably more time (your entire weekend.)  Playing 60-72 rated tournament games per year, which means you would playing chess 10 to 12 weekends per year.  About one tournament per month. One weekend out of every month you would be dedicating to chess.    

If one weekend per month would not fit in with your family's extracurricular activities.  There is always correspondence chess which you can play from home in your spare time.

So, casual player with limited spare time.  I hope this post helps you.

Good luck and hardwork/study in becoming a 'professional gunslinger (a very strong player.)

Tactics trainer and live chess on this site

Some good books for your level:

Sunil Weeramantry (sp.?) - Best lessons of a chess coach

Larry Evans - New Ideas in Chess

I've been told by folks I believe that the very best work you can do to improve is to analyze positions. The material on this site gives you background knowledge for doing that analysis, but the real trick is finding good positions to analyze in the first place.

Yusupov's "Build, Boost, Evolve" series is great for that.

If you have 30 minutes per day, the biggest improvement will come from solving tactical exercises every day, especially at the 1300 level.

However, it would also be useful to develop your feeling for basic strategy, by playing through annotated master games. Since you have only 30 minutes, it may be best to pick one game and play through it at a slightly superficial level, but still looking at comments that interest you.

Also, it will be useful to build your knowledge of simple endgames. Just like tactical patterns, you can build a bank of basic endgame techniques and positions.

If you have 30 minutes every day, you may want to rotate the subjects, but still with an emphasis on tactics e.g. for a 7 day schedule, spend maybe 4 30 minute units on tactics, and divide the remaining 3 among playing over master games and endgame study.

For tactics you couldn't solve and for each important endgame position, make a flashcard, as indicated by a previous poster. Review these flashcards whenever convenient, e.g. in the 5 minutes here or there mentioned by that poster.

Also re tactics, I think setting them up on the board (but NOT moving the pieces) is an effective way of studying, since it more closely simulates finding the tactic in an actual game.

For books to use --

Tactics -- there are many good ones. e.g. "Sharpen Your Tactics", "Test your Chess IQ", "1001 Winning Sacrifices and COmbinations", etc.

Endgames -- a good introductory work is "Just the Facts" by Alburt. Easy to read through. A more advanced book is "Basic Chess Endings" by Fine (more work to read)

Master games -- e.g. Alekhine's My Best Games of Chess, Fischer, Reti, pick one....

I am also in my 30s. I took up chess when I was 10 and have read many books on the subject along the way. The ones that have lasting impression on me are Capablanca's Chess Fundamentals and Last Lectures, Frank Mueller's Fundamental Chess Endings, Pachman's Modern Chess Strategy, and Fundamental Chess Openings. I stopped playing chess in college, and started playing again only recently. When I return to chess, I realize that I no longer possess the tactical vision of my youth, nor can I keep up with the latest opening theories. The ones that still stick are my general understanding of the game. So I dissected my return games, and consciously reconstructed my play. Now I have a more sedate playing style with less reliance on keeping up with the latest opening theories. Some people still manage to catch me with tricky opening lines and unusual move orders, but in most cases I believe I can survive. So reading books and analyzing your own games probably give the most benefits. Having the computer to do the final check on your analysis is tremendously helpful. Endgame and middlegame knowledge is probably more useful than memorizing the latest opening lines. I no longer remember anything from the opening books I read in my teen. This is why I don't read opening books anymore. They keep adding new lines with each edition. Lines that were obsolete now become playable. Lines that were playable now become outdated. They can't seem to make up their mind. I only consulted the Fundamental Chess Opening to get an overall feel of certain openings.

Hi Bruch,

At the tender age of 98, I decided to take up chess.  I have read Bobby Fishcer's book too, which, I agree, was an excellent way to get started.  I have read a few other books as well, including Seirawan.  However, the book I refer to the most often, and which is easy to read, is "Teach Yourself Visually Chess" by Jon Edwards.  The beginning is probably too basic for you, but it has some very good information, it is easy to just flip through to pick up tid bits of chess thought here and there.  It includes some solid opening ideas and formations, some classic mating patterns, and some interesting middle game strategy ideas.  I have not heard much about this book otherwise, but I like it. I find it is very easy to read, and was a good way to move forward despite a lack of time for investigative chess study.  I went from a chess.com online rating of 1300 to 1600 in about 6 months while referring mostly to this book.  I also have been reading Seirawan's Strategy book but I think it might be more than my old brain cells can digest.  Good luck.  Make sure to let your mind and body rest occassionally, eat well, and get a little bit of exercise 3 times a week! I think this is the most important thing! Anyway, the library is closing, so I should go back to my boat.  Best,  Kidpoolside

One puzzle a day, and when you feel like it, either go over some annotated game (even over the course of many days), or play a 10'+5" training game.

Wow!  What wonderful responses.  I truly appreciate all the thought you put into answering my question.  Thank you everyone.

i went from 1300 to 1800 on chess.com video's. easy and fast :)

And now that you've used 27 minutes of your allotted time reading all this, good luck!

I couldn't help but notice some similarities and differences in these posts. 

Similarities:  do tactical excercises of some kind regularly, read about chess strategy

Differences:  no one single author was recommended more than once.  the medium/method of study is different (on board, online, video, flashcards, etc.). 

My plan:  I have been using chesstempo.com more this week and I think it is helping because unlike this website, I am allowed to do more than a few problems a day.  I seem to get into a groove once I get going.  I think online problems from the mentioned website will cover my tactical excercises.  As for reading material, I've looked into all the mentioned books.  I still can't decide what will be best for me.  Silman's Amateurs Mind looks promising, but I would love to hear your thoughts, especially if you have a strong opinion (good or bad) for this book.  Also, I think I might look into How to Beat your Dad at Chess to better understand mating patterns.  What do you think of these books?  Thanks!

Question: will Silman's "Amateur's Mind" be a good next book for me?

Status:  I had to take a break from chess for a couple months, but recetnly I have carved out more time to devote to the game.  From the advice given above, I focused on tactics.  I spent considerable time on chesstempo and bought Heisman's "back to basics: Tactics" book.  I'm about half way though and really enjoying it.  Would more tactics books (like Susan Polgar's for example) be helpful or are all of these tactics books sorta the same thing?  I also am working through Chernev's "Logical Chess".  I think it's interesting, not sure if I am absorbing it all though.  Many people here mentioned Silman's books.  I'm considering his endgame book and "Amateur's Mind".  Rating is around 1300 these days, so I'm in the target audience.  What can I expect to learn from the AM book, do you recommend it?  What about the endgame book?  I think the format sounds interesting...

I would not recommend Silman's middlegame books. 

While his writing is very accessable, but ultimately I think he really fails the pedagogical test. 

For example, in "Amateur's Mind" he criticizes players who make moves which give clear advantages (according to the computer evaluation) because they don't make use of whatever imbalance Silman thinks is most important.

He gives rules that only occassionally apply as if they are hard and fast maxims.

Don't get me wrong, he offers a lot of information that is probably very useful for the person who is able to spot and cope with the inconsistencies, but that isn't the mid-level club player. Or at least, I'm not that mid-level club player.

 If you are interested in improving at OTB play with standard time controls, I can't emphasis enough the improtance of spending time analyzing positions. I'll repeat my recommendation for Yusupov's Build, Boost, Evolve series

The other option would be Cor van Wijgerden's Step series. 

Both are actually part of pedagogically proven systems of chess education, with real research behind what works and what doesn't for helping students improve. 

Kingpatzer has pointed out two extremely good resources, though Yusupov's may be a bit intimidating for someone U1600 I think

Another option is simply to go over well-annotated games, which is less demanding and quite instructive as well.

The level 1 books from Yusupov (the orange covers) are actually very easy to digest. I'm pretty sure that any 1200 or better player who wants to work to improve can use them to great effect. 

Below 1200 OTB I'd stick with the Steps books.