Tagged...
I was looking for some smart ass comment to make about being tagged a couple days ago when I came across the tagged website and got distracted by some interesting videos. Anyway...
1. How long have you been playing chess? Have you played it consistently since you started, or were there lulls in your play? How did these lulls affect your performance?
I learned the rules when I was 8. I played off and on for fun till about 27. I started playing a college friend regularly in 95 (28) on FICS as well as others. I was just playing for fun in the beginning but started getting my ass whooped on a regular basis. It was like magic, I couldn't understand it. I went to the book store and browsed some books and came home with a tactics book. My play increased dramatically but then leveled off. I started playing in the FICS teamleague and one season my team did not play and my captain did not tell me. So I begged onto the De LaMaza team and accepted the condition that I start this blog and do the tactical training.
2. Aside from playing games, what is your primary mode of training?
Well rounded training. I would like to get a coach at some point. I have a draft of a mostly completed training post that will come sooner or later.
3. What is the single most helpful method of improvement that you have ever used?
1. Heisman's chess cafe article on real chess (just lost a game the other day because I played flip coin chess on 1 move).
2. Study the basics of things first then work deeper in a well rounded program. Concentrate on your weaknesses.
4. What is your favorite opening to play as white? As black against e4? As black against d4?
Who cares if everyone know what openings I play. I play on FICS. A quick look through my history will likely show you:
Bishops / Vienna
Scandinavian 2...Nf6
QID / English D / Dutch D
Halasz Gambit Sicilian Variation
Trying out the Rossolimo
I have also played the Scotch (may revisit) and have interest in checking out the King's Gambit.
5. Who are your favorite chess players and why?
I don't know too much about them. I have studied some games of Kasparov and am studying some games of Tal.
Morphy - what more needs to be said.
Steinitz - tactical master turned positional player (me a tactical player turning positional)
Pandolfini and Heisman - great educators.
Bobby - the personality not the player - interesting and entertaining.
Susan Polgar - if she would come to Cleveland and open a chess center (where are all the women chess players here?) and stop polluting the blogosphere.
Most of the Knights for their entertaining and educational blogs.
6. What is your favorite chess book?
The Tao of Chess. A bunch of simple concepts ready for incorporation into play.
I will probably have a different favorite when I get better.
7. What book would you recommend for a friend who knows only the rules of chess?
1. Heisman's real chess article.
2. Pandolfin's weapons of chess.
8. Do you play in in-person tournaments? What is your favorite tournament experience?
Yes. I don't have a favorite experience. I am not overly excited by playing a bunch of mostly old men, men with poor hygiene, men with poor social skills (yeah that's me), men with mental illnesses or some combination of the above. Oh, yeah i forgot about kids that show up sometimes too...
I did manage to make a new friend though which was the initial purpose of going to the club.
9. Please give us a link to what you consider your best two blog posts.
My currently unposted training post and this one.
Or maybe this one.
10. What proportion of total chess time should be spent studying openings for someone at your level?
For me and anyone below my level you should have 1-3 openings (/complexes) that you understand the basic idea of and can reach a playable middle / endgame with.
I brush up on lines as people take advantage of my opening weaknesses.
What's really fun is when you are at the club and your opponent has set up the board with the numbers and letters reversed and you end up playing the old Benoni instead of the Dutch ;-)
Dutch Defense you are it!
1. How long have you been playing chess? Have you played it consistently since you started, or were there lulls in your play? How did these lulls affect your performance?
I learned the rules when I was 8. I played off and on for fun till about 27. I started playing a college friend regularly in 95 (28) on FICS as well as others. I was just playing for fun in the beginning but started getting my ass whooped on a regular basis. It was like magic, I couldn't understand it. I went to the book store and browsed some books and came home with a tactics book. My play increased dramatically but then leveled off. I started playing in the FICS teamleague and one season my team did not play and my captain did not tell me. So I begged onto the De LaMaza team and accepted the condition that I start this blog and do the tactical training.
2. Aside from playing games, what is your primary mode of training?
Well rounded training. I would like to get a coach at some point. I have a draft of a mostly completed training post that will come sooner or later.
3. What is the single most helpful method of improvement that you have ever used?
1. Heisman's chess cafe article on real chess (just lost a game the other day because I played flip coin chess on 1 move).
2. Study the basics of things first then work deeper in a well rounded program. Concentrate on your weaknesses.
4. What is your favorite opening to play as white? As black against e4? As black against d4?
Who cares if everyone know what openings I play. I play on FICS. A quick look through my history will likely show you:
Bishops / Vienna
Scandinavian 2...Nf6
QID / English D / Dutch D
Halasz Gambit Sicilian Variation
Trying out the Rossolimo
I have also played the Scotch (may revisit) and have interest in checking out the King's Gambit.
5. Who are your favorite chess players and why?
I don't know too much about them. I have studied some games of Kasparov and am studying some games of Tal.
Morphy - what more needs to be said.
Steinitz - tactical master turned positional player (me a tactical player turning positional)
Pandolfini and Heisman - great educators.
Bobby - the personality not the player - interesting and entertaining.
Susan Polgar - if she would come to Cleveland and open a chess center (where are all the women chess players here?) and stop polluting the blogosphere.
Most of the Knights for their entertaining and educational blogs.
6. What is your favorite chess book?
The Tao of Chess. A bunch of simple concepts ready for incorporation into play.
I will probably have a different favorite when I get better.
7. What book would you recommend for a friend who knows only the rules of chess?
1. Heisman's real chess article.
2. Pandolfin's weapons of chess.
8. Do you play in in-person tournaments? What is your favorite tournament experience?
Yes. I don't have a favorite experience. I am not overly excited by playing a bunch of mostly old men, men with poor hygiene, men with poor social skills (yeah that's me), men with mental illnesses or some combination of the above. Oh, yeah i forgot about kids that show up sometimes too...
I did manage to make a new friend though which was the initial purpose of going to the club.
9. Please give us a link to what you consider your best two blog posts.
My currently unposted training post and this one.
Or maybe this one.
10. What proportion of total chess time should be spent studying openings for someone at your level?
For me and anyone below my level you should have 1-3 openings (/complexes) that you understand the basic idea of and can reach a playable middle / endgame with.
I brush up on lines as people take advantage of my opening weaknesses.
What's really fun is when you are at the club and your opponent has set up the board with the numbers and letters reversed and you end up playing the old Benoni instead of the Dutch ;-)
Dutch Defense you are it!
posted by phorku at
3:57 PM
1 Comments:
I'm a fan of the Tao of Chess too. Few chess players seem to have ever heard of it when I mention it, and the ones who have tend to scoff at it thinking of it as "chess-lite" since there's a whole series of "Tao of" such as poker, pool and whatnot.
By
Cratercat, at 2:42 AM
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