Chess Improvement, Time and Study (Long)

This is for those people who keep asking, "How strong will I get in..."

While the above generally proceeds with relative answers such as, "It depends on how: 1. Talented you are 2. How much time do you have? 3. Coach? 4. Books? 5. Magical Powers?" The list goes on.

The answer really just comes down to you. Is this just some passing trend? Or have you had the dream to become stronger since you first set eyes on a board and moved your first piece? You don't need a coach, or books, heck in some cases you don't even need to be intelligent, but you do need patience and diligence.

About this time last month I began playing more, and losing often. Three weeks ago or so I made the decision, one I have wanted to make but never have followed through, to become stronger. Now, a month later I have risen nearly 200 points and estimate myself at about a Chess.com rating of 1400. Not gonna stop there either :)

What I have done:

1. Spent more time studying tactics. Not a lot either, just look for the move, make sure it is the right one and make it. However, unless you can calculate and visualize quickly, I recommend you forget about the ticker and study the position.
2. I've made a friend. His name is Chess Mentor and he was kind enough to explain things to me from the top. I started with the "advanced basics" (sorry, I already know how to move pieces lol) and have just made my way progressionally through one move checkmates to two move checkmates.
3. I study and/or play every day for an indeterminate period of time. The pattern that has been working for me is I play three or more 15|10 games one day and the next day might play none but will instead use the majority of that time on Tactics Trainer or the Mentor
4. I read people's advice here on the forums and solve problems or go over games people post. I don't like to go over my own games if I can help it, so I go over everybody elses'. Recently I figured out a series of moves that was made by a GM to win a game. Even if it isn't, to me this feel like an accomplishment and I was damn proud.
5. I think about chess...a lot. I will find myself bringing up old positions in my mind or making up new ones if I have a spare moment. It's almost like image training in martial arts. Not as good as the real thing, but it is better than nothing.
6. Now most important: I try incredibly hard to apply what I have learned in each of my games and have sometimes given myself small handicaps to put myself in a corner (such as hanging my Queen back for as long as possible or trading a Bishop/Knight for a Rook - again, the corner).

The moral of the story is to find what works for you. Asking around and getting ideas is fine, but come up with a system that you enjoy, one that you can handle. For instance, I just can't sit down and go over position after position for hours on end, day after day. Instead I study up and give myself a day of play and let my brain catch up with the material.

So study at your own pace. Improve at your own pace with your own realistic expectations. Carry that dream, if you don't have one, make one; but don't give up. You will never know whether you can reach GM status or even strength unless you truly apply yourself, damned what others may think.

Tony

Note: This post may seem like worthless junk to some, but if it helps even a single player improve in the slightest fashion...I'll be a happy guy ^_^

Don't forget to mention the endgame. 

 I don't like to go over my own games   big mistake.

I will do it occasionally. However, I will tend to go over older games that I don't remember as well. I get burned quickly by going over a game shorly after finishing it (unless at a tournament or OTB when I have somebody to go over with).

I am leaving endgames on the sidelines for now. Prefering to study up on tactical and positional sense and leave endgames for when I finally hit another wall, something to freshen everything else up. They are certainly thoroughly important to every player, especially to the ones that want to succeed in improving past the 1800 level effeciently, but can also wait for now.