I_Am_Second wrote:
I study when i feel like it, got me to USCF A player. Anything more, and the fun goes away.
Oh definitely this. Whether it be a new opening, a new "style" of playing, a particular pawn structure/ending, a new way to attack a castled formation - as long as it seems like a new toy I might get to play with, it will keep my interest high.
Ziryab wrote:
Chefdad123 wrote:
I have decided to start training for the US open chess tournament in August of 2015 (B class), with a particular training regimen in mind. Here's the breakdown:
...
That's a good plan, especially the Encyclopedia of Chess Combinations. I have the electronic edition of its predecessor, Anthology of Chess Combinations (2703 problems), which I use in training as described here: http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2012/04/training-log-taxing-efforts.html.
My current training regimen is less ambitious and more fun. I do occasional tactics training and play far too much bullet and blitz, but mostly focu on studying batches of complete games.
I have been blogging commentary (without reference to engine analysis) on the first match btween Alexander McDonnell and Louis Charles de la Bourdonnais (one game to go). The next step will be to read through all the comments on these 25 games in Cary Utterberg's exceptional history of the matches, still without referencing engine analysis.
My coaching of several of the top youth players in my area has me working through all of Paul Morphy's games from the First American Chess Congress with three students. We make occasional reference to the comments in Sergeant's collection and to Valeri Beim, Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective.
Interspersed with these games, I am working through all of the games in Chess Informant 113. I am going through the games in Chess Infomant Expert and jotting notes in the print edition. I am also keeping a list of my candidates for the best game. When I finish, I plan to go back through my best game candidates and rank my top choices. Then, and only then, I will consult CI 114 to see which games were selected by GMs as the best.
I may repeat this process with Chess Informant 122. My process requires that I purchase the package of book + CD.
I spend regular time attempting to master the blue diagrams in Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, or at least those in the chapters on pawns and the beginning of the chapter on rooks. I created flash cards with the positions but not the answers. I carry these and the Kindle version of the book with me when I teach chess. Especially with my stronger students, we will often draw a card at random, work out our answer, and then consult Dvoretsky to see how we did.
My exercise regimen has dropped my obese body to its lowest weight since the 1990s. I had been walking 4-5 miles per day with my dogs until I fell on my butt and injured my hip. Since then, my walks have been less frequent and of shorter distance--3 miles 2-4 times per week. I hope to resume soon. The hip injury three weeks ago does not hurt much any more.
You are clearly a dedicated student of the game. What do you think has helped you the most to improve as a player? Is there are any particular form of study or training you can pinpoint, or is it more general?
Wow, it's intimidating how much work A players do. I've done most of these (or similar) things in the past, and it makes me think if I do them regularly I'd be ahead of the curve and I'd keep improving... but if this is what everyone is doing anyway I wonder how much I could actually expect to improve...
Love the Dvoretsky flash cards btw 
ABABABx
A:
Squat, Push Press, Glute-Ham Raises.
B:
Bench Press, Front Squat, Chin ups.
x: Rest day
You might want to practice on how to defend difficult/inferior positions and then set yourself some hard fast rules if you do see yourself beginning to get into a difficult position so you won't panic. I use the Latvian Gambit in practice sessions to get my king exposed and to teach myself to deal with an onslaught of pieces coming at me. Yes, in the beginning I used to lose a lot of those practice sessions, but I actually became interested and learned a little bit about the opening and some of its tactical intricacies. That opening taught me the value of the counter attack as an alternative to defensive manuvering. The tactical ideas applied to other openings and formations as well.
ABABABx
A:
Squat, Push Press, Glute-Ham Raises.
B:
Bench Press, Front Squat, Chin ups.
x: Rest day
Is that a cheat code
You are clearly a dedicated student of the game. What do you think has helped you the most to improve as a player? Is there are any particular form of study or training you can pinpoint, or is it more general?
Probably the accumulation of everything. I took private lessons one summer from a master (he's now a FIDE master), which helped build my confidence. I was mid-1500s at the time and broke through 1600 that fall. That was 2006. In spring 2009, I broke through 1800. My goal had been to be USCF class A before turning 50. I accomplished that with several months to spare.
Mondays and Wednesdays I train chest, biceps and legs. Tuesdays and Thursdays I train shoulders, triceps and calves. Fridays abs...and I rest on the week-ends.
No cardio?
LOL Chicken_Monster, yes I do cardio on Fridays with abs....either cycling, running (which I hate) or swimming.