What I have experienced as a Chess coach observing the process of ‘UNDERSTANDOING’
Yes you read it right. It is not a typo and it stands for doing things right by understanding them first. I would like to share my experience from the Chess Coach’s perspective in coaching juniors, who are improving rapidly. They are also getting positively addicted to the game. I have been varying my training methods to ensure that the interest levels are sustained for a long time and compared to when I started some 8 years back, made some observations and corrections vis-a-vis my coaching/training regimen.
I believe that at present I there is a good amount of involvement and drive in the children, and that is due to the different approach to remolding their thinking.
Let me hear from you if you have had any similar experience so that we may learn from it and benefit.
Here are my observations on what I think are important factors to be considered when coaching children:
What I have found is that there is a difference between juniors and adults in terms of interest areas.
Juniors are way too interested in competition and thrill, while adults like to arm themselves with concepts and have a learning approach to the game.
I have also found that children who do not have any thing forcibly thrust on them tend to do weaker than the children who have a fixed homework schedule. Not only fixed but studiously followed.
Some discipline is usually expected here.
From the Chess Coach’s perspective – Learning by teaching.
The Master and the student.
The meeting point when children sit with me is also not trivial (for me), in my experience. I have achieved a fulfillment when the entireclass sits and contributes, rather than just the bright kids. In order to avoid this disparity I usually break down the position to make it digestible to the weaker or younger kids after having given everyone some time to think about a tactical position.
I make it a point to get a written answer rather than a verbal one as it helps maintain track of each and every kid while keeping the answer hidden as long as possible. And in the rarest cases when everyone falters in getting the right answer I follow the pattern of mental imaging and visual guiding.
There are a few kids who I consider as the brighter ones but they too sometimes fail to get the right answers after 10 minutes or so. In such cases two things happen.
I take this opportunity to pamper a weaker player to perfect his answer if he somehow intuits the correct move but fails to see the follow-up continuation properly.
My analogy is to see the chessboard like an eagle flying over it and approach any middlegame position after getting a grip on what actually is the problem in that position. This helps in understanding. I will divulge more about this method later.
Some books are great a must-read and learn to improve your chess.
At present I have a few good books going. To generate interest I usually start with1000 Checkmate Combinationsthat brings the stronger players’ forward and also is not that difficult for the weaker players to rub shoulders. I do around 10-12 positions at most to kick-start the momentum.
After 4-5 positions of great difficulty the weaker players get the hang of it and they start chipping in with their intuition guiding them now rather than brute force calculation.
The internal dialog starts and then understanding sinks in after the warm-up session, by solving 6-8 positions. It’s akin to the people with defective eyesight getting a sudden burst of clarity by using some corrective lenses.
My job here is to make them see the position in its entirety.
Tip for fellow chess coaches: –
Sometimes I have to get my thoughts in focus and need some warm-up myself to answer or refute the wrong variations. It is fun to see children catching my ruse; the stronger ones need to have proper visualization skills to see my ruse while the weaker ones don’t see it coming for a long time till they play it out manually!
Mistakes by stronger students:
I usually frown upon the ‘silly’ mistakes made by stronger players as it shows their weakest link in the chain. This area is where they will falter while in a tournament. In this regard girls are better than boys as they have a better discipline and understand the importance of good thinking habits. The books may vary – the orientation may vary but the mental self- discipline is something that I stress all students right from day one.
Then comes the playing part:
I make them play blitz and if the class strength is good they play a mini tourney. That way the session is lively and interesting. While they play I also remind them of the the “viewing from a higher vantage point” to separate the woods from the trees (‘see the chessboard like an eagle’ and ‘approach any middlegame position as a human’). That way they have a sense of satisfaction when they implement the tactics they have just recently learnt and it brings a big smile on my face.
My question to you is –
Should I allow take-backs and not enforce touch-piece rules while they are training? Also should there be a difference in this according to the strength of students?
Your comments are always welcome…
Oh BTW – Empire Chess is offering a huge discount on digital and hard copies! Make sure you get the deals while they last.
My first memory on seeing this is Judo. It does an amazing job of using your opponents force and weight (damage from the throw), then adding in your force to damage your opponent. This is what happened in the game.
Judo (Japanese: 柔道, jūdō; “gentle way”) is a martial art and combat sport, which originated in Japan. Judo, now primarily a sport, is a system of unarmed combat. The objective is to throw, pin, or cause the opponent to yield by applying pressure to arm joints or the neck. Judo techniques are intended to turn an opponent’s force to one’s advantage, rather than confronting it directly. Rituals surrounding the practice of judo promote an attitude of calm readiness and confidence – Source
It is all about maximum results with least effort, and simple chess is all about it. The key is to react with quiet consciousness, not blind raging urges.
Please go over the game slowly and see where my moves appear strange to you.
These would be the points you have to understand.
So what exactly happened in this game?
I did not do anything but only used my opponent’s own urge to ‘do something’, against him. I am a fan of Petrosian and Karpov.I always think what they would do in such a position.
The reason I am showing this game is because I feel that beginners and intermediate players usually are never taught to play as per the needs of the position or how to change gears based on the opponent’s moves.
Here when I say ‘opponent’s moves’ and let me clarify that I refer to the beginners urge to try and dominate – usually obvious in the first 10-15 moves.
Coming to the topic of how to train this method of using your opponent’s force against him, I would suggest – always sitting with a stronger player and asking him to block your attacking attempts by playing ferociously, and then see how he can withstand your onslaught. Then go over that game and see where you rushed in. All these moments will be our learning notes.
In this experiment you will see where you are lacking, like lack of patience or lack of proper visualization + calculation in critical positions or both.
One more method would be to slowly go over games by players like Karpov, Capablanca or Petrosian and see how you are able to find their moves. Every time they make a move that appears difficult to understand, you need to pause and meditate.
That is all for now friends! Hope to hear from you soon – if you are in Facebook why not join me there and like my page ?
Golden Chess Centre conducts regular training sessions for dedicated and upcoming chess players in Nanganallur, Madipakkam, Adambakkam, Moovarasampet, Kilkattalai, Kovilambakkam, Puzhuthivakkam, Ullagaram and Pazhavanthangal – Chennai, as well as online sessions for those players who live out of Chennai.
Chess is a fun game, till you enter your first tournament!
After which all hell breaks loose and two things may happen. Either you will be consumed by passion – or – stand as a bystander in frustration or awe. My intention is not to scare you out of the sport called chess but to help you prepare for it with a proper mindset without any fear or phobia. Separating the wood from the trees …
Chess is both science and art – and chess improvement will come when you consider this fact in your training.
Separating the wood from the trees – Key points to keep in mind.
If you practice only tactics, you will miss out on the connecting-big-picture while playing, and if you only play with strategic understanding with a weak tactical acumen you will be running a race with just one leg.
What is the best way to stand calm amidst the chaos regarding your Chess improvement?
Lets take some important points and talk about it in case you decide to take up the challenge of a real tournament Chess game!
Absolute passion or interest in Chess. Why? Its simple. Just as coal or water is needed to fuel a Steam Engine train – in the same way the fuel of excellence is interest or passion in whatever we do. Without this basic foundation, the building will collapse for sure. Ask yourself – are you passionate about your chess improvement and if so how much? Your chess improvement is directly proportional to your innate passion.
Time management. What do we mean by Time management? Its just a way of squeezing time whenever we are able to – for the sake of our training regimen. Plan for a day/week/month and keep looking for more. Do not allow lethargy or laziness come in the way. Diligent training will fetch rewards. Not just getting up one fine day and solving 50 positions and not looking at them for the next few days completely!Do you eat your food in the same way? I mean stuffing 3 meals at one time and then going without food the whole day?
Weeding out the negatives. What is meant by negatives? It can be anything. Eating too much or too little. Watching too much TV or having a late night sleeping time every day. It can also be anger or frustration or even lack of confidence. Just avoid these to the best you can.
Getting motivated in real life. I get motivated whenever I see the achievers and the dedication in almost all chess players who have been playing for more than a decade. (Not just in Chess but in other sports too). Our focus in chess gets a boost when we see the energy levels of the legends.Their achievements seem like a miracle but their efforts and sweat are hidden.Imagine and appreciate that hidden aspect and sit down for the training with a thought to achieving that height of dedication.
Let me know if you have any suggestions or doubts by way of comments. Share if you feel it will help others.
Golden Chess Centre conducts regular training sessions for upcoming chess players in Nanganallur, Madipakkam, Adambakkam, Moovarasampet, Kilkattalai, Kovilambakkam, Puzhuthivakkam, Ullagaram and Pazhavanthangal – Chennai, as well as online sessions for those players who live out of Chennai.
7 Tips – How to prepare for chess tournaments successfully
I would like to share some thoughts on this aspect of Chess. How to prepare for chess tournaments. I am sharing these techniques as I have seen the impact of these points personally.
The players I am directing today’s blog post are in the Beginner to intermediate strength and for higher rated players the mileage may vary depending on a myriad of other factors in play (mainly based on age).
Success does not come randomly in a day. It is merely a by-product of doing things correctly consistently.
Let us get on with the points in contention – how to prepare for chess tournaments:
Eating Right, Sleeping right, and Living Right: I would say in general keep a positive state of mind and nurture emotions and feelings of hopefulness, joy, and plenty of laughter (I recall watching loads of comedy films). This will ease the pressure that builds up for some players.
Creative Problem Solving: I would encourage you to keep your mind sharp and flexible by learning other games and puzzles outside of chess such as GO, Scrabble, Sudoku, Shogi, etc. Learning new skills and thinking about the connections to chess, is a creative way to give your mind a break from chess while still staying, “in the zone”.
The Power of Visualization and Positive Thinking: Let us face it. We all have hopes and fears of the upcoming event; why not build yourself up to being a confident player, who believes he is going to be fighting for the first prize in the final round and coming out on top. Try it while you are in the act of studying chess or playing casual games or training games; see yourself playing these same winning moves at the tournament. Try to imagine yourself putting all that work into action; playing strong chess and avoiding bad habits (playing too fast, getting up from the board, not getting tired, blunders). Confidence and “game” are huge parts of the chess battle. In many games, I have observed it comes down to who has more confidence, will, and energy than anything else.
Sharpening Up: Calculation (and evaluation) and Tactical Strength are the base level ingredients of being on form and achieving desired results. We all know what happens if we are not able to spot double attacks, combinations, or simply dropping pawns and pieces. The study of King and Pawn endgames along with solving tactical studies works wonders. The trick here is to choose a book (or software) that has just the right mix of problems that you can feel challenged yet still be able to solve many positions in a sitting. As a Chess Coach, I like to give tactical positions that are challenging, but not so hard to give my students a headache.
Going All Out: This idea ties into my thoughts on creative visualization, but I want to stress the importance of being psyched up to play great, uncompromising chess during the event. Be creative and cultivate your inner fire; become inspired at the actual tournament and believe that you have what it takes to take it all.
Relaxation with Family and Friends: Do not forget about making the most of the time you spend with your family, friends, and loved ones. This is your support team and you need to feel emotionally strong and loved in order to achieve maximal results.
Regular Exercise:Benefits of Exercise are well known and documented. However, from a chess point of view, I would suggest it primarily for one reason – the oxygen intake helps de-clutter your mind. If you would like more info I suggest this book as a must-read: Exercise Every Day: 32 Tactics for Building the Exercise Habit by S.J Scott. It contains some of the best tips.
My advice on how to prepare for chess tournaments – do not be afraid to dream and believe you are going to have a great result. Of course, this has to be backed by hard work before the event and during the games.
I do hope to see you playing the best chess of your life and more importantly – enjoy the process!
The common misconception is that blunders are just tactical errors. Tactics are definitely involved, and better tactical vision will certainly help reduce the number of these blunders, but merely studying tactics is like treating the symptoms (blunders) and not removing the disease (blank spots). Reprogram your brain and see better results.
Consider the errors you make in a game. How many of the critical errors (those that change the expected result of the game–win, lose or draw) were immediately obvious to you, and how many required some serious thought or computer assistance?
Reprogram your brain to think differently about chess training to achieve maximum results.
If you had to think about why your move was bad, or why your opponent’s move worked, then the problem is related to some other facet of your game like strategic misunderstanding or mix-up of tactical ideas in the wrong sequence.
However, if your error provokes an immediate “Oh No!”, then it wasn’t your tactics that were faulty, but your thinking.
If:
shortly after you make your move you suddenly realize it was a blunder, or
your opponent makes an unexpected move whose strength is immediately obvious, or
your opponent makes a move that you didn’t consider, but it’s immediately obvious that you should have,
then your thinking process failed you, not your tactical ignorance.
How do you train this error-free thinking in chess?
Solution:
Ask yourself before moving – what your opponent can do and whether you can handle his threat.
Is your threat bigger than his?
Many of us make a superficial attempt and select a move without analyzing the full line.
A really good tip is to create a set of positions for solving – not too challenging but not too easy either.
These task positions must resemble those that players regularly face over the board, and are especially useful from a trainer’s viewpoint.
That is due to the fact that there must be no hints or themes given for these positions.
You just need to find the best move and that in itself will reward you if you are sincere.
If you are from India click on the image of the book.
As a further example, consider bowling or basketball. One thing you train is to be able to consistently pull off a certain stroke or a push, such as hitting all 9 balls or putting the ball inside the basket 7-10 feet away from the basket.
After practicing again, and again, and again, the “right” way to do it becomes programmed in your “subconscious memory” and you can just execute it with the least thought.
The solution would appear to be to play more games at slow time controls and whenever you play online, force yourself to play chess seriously, like in a tournament.
Repetition is the key to embedding information into your subconscious brain. Keep training regularly. I always tell my students to treat all training positions as tournament gameplay and all tournament games as a training scenario.
This way there will be pure attention whilst solving and pure relaxation without fear while playing in a stress-filled tournament.
At present I have a few good books going. To generate interest I usually start with 1000 Checkmate Combinations that brings the stronger players’ forward and also is not that difficult for the weaker players to rub shoulders. I do around 10-12 positions at most to kick-start the momentum.
