Day 27 / 338 to go

Evening before the tournament: It is a very small one and even with my low rating I am deep in the first half of the field... I am a bit excited and worried - how will things turn out? Will I fail horribly? Will this almost one month of intense training already kick in?

I did some opening lessons, but on pupose not more (not one day prior to the tournament).

Day 26 / 339 to go

I did my usual PAT session and failed on one position (out of six). That is acceptable.
In addition, I went for another middle-game book - pattern recognition - where I did fail on the following position:

Actually, I consider the above failure "typical" for me: I tend to miss this kind of moves (a lot; luckily, for the sort of games I play and positions I have on the board, that kind of miss happens seldomly)...  8-)
Nevertheless, it is typical for me and I need to close this gap!

On top - and due to the tournament starting on Thursday evening, I had yet another sniff at my opening repertoire with Black.

Day 25 / 340 to go

On day 25 I only managed to do one opening lesson - after that I fell asleep.

Day 24 / 341 to go

I was offline for four evenings - I simply forgot my recharging unit for the laptop...  8-/

On day 24 (Sunday) I took a break.

Day 23 / 342 to go

Due to family affairs I didn´t really have the time for a decent session, so I did a lot of online chess and saved each relevant game concerning my opening repertoire. These games will be analyzed tomorrow!

Day 22 / 343 to go

Today I spent quite some time with my new opening repertoire for Black - including some online blitz games. It showed - pretty painfully - that it is vital to strive for excellence when it comes to move orders. Excitingly, even without the virtuosity of knowing the correct move orders some games revealed the "hidden power" this opening possesses.


Due to family reasons I was in hospital twice today - spending some 4 hours there.  So I actually didn´t do any endgame or PAT training session...

Day 21 / 344 to go

Yesterday I did some studies with regards to my opening repertoire with Black (new books arrived)!

In addition, I met with my old+good chess-pal and we spent somewhat over two hours on some endgame studies. Any hint on the one below (White to move and win)? But please, just a hint...

Day 20 / 345 to go

Remember that I was talking about including prophylaxis into my PAT?  My mind was circling around prophylaxis and Wu-Wei and how to include them into my thinking and analysis. Currently, I guess they are best placed in the initial step: I don´t want them to control and direct too much of my thinking or directly influence my candidate moves. Hence, asking myself whether the position - in general - fullfills the characteristics of a Wu-Wei position or allows me to focus on prophylaxis right at the beginning of the thought process currently seems to be the most appropriate place...

Tonight, I tried to practise my middlegame understanding. But it seems like I was simply too tired: I failed on three positions and decided to stop it for today. Interestingly, I didn´t apply my PAT properly: So being tired influences directly my willpower to really go for the PAT and instead trying to take a shortcut by finding a move without it. The following position summarizes what it´s (currently) all a about (at least for me):

In good mental shape and applying the PAT - I am convinced I would have seen the correct move for White (simply because it is pretty obvious that Black has only one):

(But without it, I focused way to much on the kingside and how to actively approach it. Instead, I should have paid maximum attention on Black´s only decent move, actually, his only active piece - and how I can prevent it: b4!)

Later on, I will do some endgame basics. Today is not the day for heavy endgame puzzles!

Day 19 / 346 to go

Today - taking the subway to work - I tried to solve some really easy tactic puzzles. Ohh boy did I fail!!!  I assume, it was mainly because during the last two weeks I concentrated so much on strategical thinking. Hence, I might have to adopt my training plan in order not to enter the next tournament being totally blind on one eye... (Maybe my coach has some advice on this.)

Tonight, I startet with middlegame studies and came across a nice position:

Can you spot a nice plan for Black in order to increase is WOP - worst-placed piece?
Well, it is worth mentioning that the plan as such will not really have the time to be put to reality with correct play by White. Nevertheless, the plan as such is worth a thought...

Furthermore I contintued with studying endgame-basics. (During the weekend I will focus on my opening repertoire with Black.)

Day 18 / 347 to go

Visualisation + Calculation

Today I had my weekly training with my coach - a very impressive session! The topic of tonight and one major theme of the coming months is to work on and finally increase my visualisation and calculation ability by using endgame studies and endgame puzzles! In a two hour training session we actually managed to go for 3 studies, one of which I am happy to share. It did cost me over one hour and some help from my coach to solve it, to be honest; but guess what - time was flying!
White to move and win:

Can you identify the "pattern" - without going into the correct+complete variation(s)?

Later on I will practise my middlegame understanding with Aaagard´s book - and then call it a day!

Day 17 / 348 to go

Accountant or Axe-wielding Madman?

Those knowing me can easily answer Aaagard´s question!  8-)
He compares the accountant with Karpov´s style and I can easily add what my Coach told me about Capablanca´s...  8-)
I will try to make this sort of thinking more my own. I think it is important NOT to mix that sort of style with simple passive play and I assume this is where I need to sharpen my senses, too...

Preventing counterplay by asking yourself "What would my opponent do now if it was his move?" - Prophylaxis - is the chapter I am currently working on. And, guess what, it would have saved my life in yesterday´s game! I would have easily spottet what he definitely does NOT care about - and would have paid the necessary attention to what really happened on the board! My Coach even has a name for it: SOC - surpress opponent´s counterplay! And he adds that it is especially successful once you managed to get an advantage...
So maybe, once more, I will have to adjust my PAT. However, I will not rush into yet another amendment but give it a few more days (learning sessions) before I make up my mind. I don´t want to adjust every time I learn something new, but keep it condensed, well destilled and thought through...

Next to the daily PAT-training. I paid some attention to an opening variation my Coach instructed me on last week. Looks like there is yet another chess book to be bought...  8-/

Apropos, bought chess books: I just received "1357 endgame studies" by Lommer, THE set books advised by my Coach. It is a didactical nightmare! But, hopefully, together with de la Villa´s book I can manage to work myself through it. Actually my coach wants me to approach it with an "easy start": not trying to solve the puzzles yet but have a look at them and quickly refer to the solution... Next to today´s middle-game training and spending some time with my opening repertoire for Black, I will now spend another hour (maybe a bit less) on endgame studies...

Day 16 / 349 to go

Today was the last match of our chess team. We won - and completed the season 4th. This was not to be expected at the beginning of the season!
I lost. The post mortem showed that I - once more - have to become more precise with regards to my move order. I simply have to sharpen up: Knowing the opening "as such" is not really worth much if I mix up or simply disregard the correct/best move order! Using Komodo I did spend quite some time this evening (allowing the machine enough time to calculate) to sort things out with this opening!
Regardless of the imprecise move order - and very much to my own shame, I missed the chance to get a slight advantage when I lacked to show the necessary calculation depth: I was afraid of opening up my king-side, fearing a sacrifice which would have never worked as well as a king-side attack, which never would have had the time to kick in, due to me being "faster" in the centre...  8-/
Two heavy mis-judgements - totally justifying my defeat!

Although I lost and I am pretty p... off with that; I did practise my middle game understanding later this evening using my PAT for the "usual" 6 positions.

Achievement of the day:

• Move order (for heaven sake, dude! When will you - finally - pay attention and respect the correct move order)! 
• Being afraid of an all-in king-side attack rolling over you - CAREFULLY check your chances in the centre before you chicken out!

Day 15 / 350 to go

Yesterday I didn´t do a "full training day" but only one (instead of at least two) sessions. I was repeating "rook vs. pawn" endings as I found some interesting examples on a website by Christian Wolbert --- thanks!

Day 14 - day off

Due to work as well as travel - I didn´t really do anything for chess today.

I had a look at Dworetski`s famous " Universität der Schachanalyse". Yes yes - I know: "to have a look" is definitely not the same as "studying"! Purposely, I didn´t write that I was studying...   A very tough one, at least for me. He gives each puzzle a rating from 1 to 5 and I am yet not really able to solve those rated 3...

But yet again - this only means that I have to work harder; and I will!

Nevertheless, I am more than willing to share one of Reti´s famous endgame studies (which I studied - yes studied - yesterday night) - do you remember it (White to move - and win)?

Day 13 / 252 to go

It still takes me about one hour to practise my PAT and solve 6 middle-game positions from Aagard´s book. That´s what I did tonight next to endgame theory. So up to now I didn´t speed up (but maybe it is simply too early for that)
Here is an impressive one (Anand - Wang-Hao / 2011) - White to move:

I also did some online blitz - trying to reach any of the opening variations I recently learned/sharpened. However, today nobody went into any of these variations against me... Nevertheless, I am now able to keep my online rating at FIDE.com constantly between 2120 - 2160. Whereas earlier on I experienced pretty large swings ranging from 2050 to 2150. Looks like "something" has already kicked in...
All in all I conclude that online blitz games are fun, but the amount of time spent and the direct benefit due to variations (or endgame positions played) is way to high! Consequently, my coach 100% correctly made clear that these blitz sessions can only be on top and after the daily dose of theory! And up to now, I am more that willing to follow his advice!

Later on I will also dig deeper into rook-endgames...  I wish I could say that I am looking forward to it. 8-/  However, I guess in about two or three weeks things will fall together more easily and the bigger picture achieved will then be worth the effort. My coach actually warned me: "Three to six months endgames will either make or break you!" It´s definitely no fun, but I am not yet willing to give up. Not yet!

Day 12 / 353 to go

Uff, today I felt a bit demotivated and didn´t really want to start at all: endgames   uuuaaaarrrrgghhh!   But I guess I am not the only one out there, right?!   What is kind of motivating is the outlook that one time (!) I will be able to apply it in a tournament game - I hope (and even more so I do hope I will not f... it up then!)   8-)
For the time being: plain persistance will be necessary when it comes to endgame studies!
Have a look at the following two diagrams - Black to move: In the first diagram it is a draw (with the right move from Black); the second one is won for White.  Took me a bit to get behind it...  8-/

 
What I only today recognized: I can use the software I use for hammering opening move-orders and variations into my head BRILLIANTLY for practising my endgame abilities! Because, let´s be fair about it, the lack of practice when it comes to endgames makes much of the training effort worthless; since too many things are forgotten (too fast) - as good old Ebbinghaus already taught us...

Next to the endgame session I did some online practising bundled with some engine analysis for Black. This was followed by practicing my PAT. All in all, I did about 3 hours today - not too bad (but again, I don´t have yet any feeling with regards to progress; even worse, I believe I am rather progressing slowly; but at least constantly)!

Achievements of the day:

• All else being equal (ceteris paribus) - it is better to have the bishop-pair!
• Rook versus pawn endings (outflanking / pawn having passed the middle of the board / under-promotion / stalemate-chances for g/b-pawns)

Day 11 / 354 to go

Today I focused on my opening repertoire with black - both with software (Komodo as well as using special software to learn the correct move-order and variations) and my coach.
I spent some 90 minutes on my own with one opening plus almost two hours with my coach on his main research lines.
Very productive!
I also did "a few minutes" on Queen versus pawn-endings - when/how to draw (or win) against rook- or knight-pawn. Yes yes - these rules should be well known to a 2050-guy like me. But to be honest, they weren´t until today! So even this short session and these rather simple+easy endgames were very instructive!
(Hmmm - do you really remember the rules when the queen wins again a rook- or knight-pawn on the 7th rank? You are - really - aware of the correct "winning zone" for the stronger-side king; including the differentiation based on the "wrong" or "right" side of the weaker-side king?!)   8-)

I caught a cold. Nevertheless, later tonight I will try to proceed with Aaagard´s "Positional Play" for another hour - practicing my PAT... The plan for tomorrow is to have an excessive session on Endgames and one further lesson on Aagard´s work!

Day 10 / 355 to go

Today I took the (very rare) chance to leave work pretty early - and actually invested it into chess (and some house cleaning)! Whereas the latter is simply a "must" (every once in a while), the first is still done with high motivation.
Let me start today by adding one of yesterday´s positions which - I admit - I didn´t solve correctly (Black to move):

I assume, I would have spotted g5 in case it wasn´t the king-side. So it really is vital not to narrow one´s focus! (I actually considered it to be either a sort of a Wu-Wei position or using b5 as a lever; "luckily" Komodo considers b5 equally good for Black, so I was not really doing bad...)

Today I continued with

• Aagard´s book for some 75 minutes
• Opening theory for Black - for some 90 minutes
  I actually found a pretty helpful piece of software (or shall I call it "App"?!) assisting me to hammer the variations and move-orders into my head!  Nevertheless, I consider my progress with the opening theory as rather slow. Somehow I would like to speed it up and recognise faster/more progress (maybe I am doing something wrong - or I am simply getting old)...

Achievements of the day:

• Weaknesses not only include squares but also pieces; and sometimes these opponent´s  weaknesses can be created and/or exploited  right in front of your own king-side!
• Today´s work on the concept of the worst-placed piece(s) made me re-think and actually adapt my PAT (again) - mainly because it works both ways: While my own worst-placed piece needs to find a better place, my opponent´s worst-placed piece might become a valuable target!
  

Day 9 / 356 to go

Almost 2 hours of slow progress with my new opening: I made some 50 pages of a 350 page book. I had to assess positions with the engines in order to be clear about some variations and moves (in order not to follow the author´s advice when having to take a junction)... pretty time consuming.  And yet no practical experience at all: On top, I once more tried to get the opening on the board within a few online blitz games...  No luck!   Come on, folks!  It is an ordinary queens gambit opening!!!!

I will now get back to my PAT - practising middlegame to endgame transformations...

Day 8 / 357 to go

I went a bit further into the "100 Endings you need to know"-book, for some 70 minutes. Still interesting, really (well written). I actually did a lesson together with my son. This not only increases his endgame abilities as well, but also serves as a good repetition and deepening for myself.

In addition, I did some online blitz games: I was trying to practice my new opening with black. But guess what - I actually didn´t get a single position with my new opening... 8-/

(It´s my mum´s birthday today - so this will be it for today!  Tomorrow, I have enough time to get back to my PAT and my new opening!)

Day 7 - day off!

Yesterday I started to sharpen up my endgame knowledge - with the VERY basics (and yes, I admit, already with the very basics I learned a lot)!

I did about some 75 minutes and went over the first 40 pages (or so) of a very well written endgame book: 100 Endgames you must know (Jesus de la Villa) - thanks, Ralf, for the advice!

Nevertheless, I call yesterady a "holiday" (since I didn´t do anything else but a "light" session of endgame basics!


Achievements of the day:
Rule-enforcement for b/g-pawn endings
Rule-enforcement for a/h-pawn endings
Rule-enforcement for the king´s position in pawn endings

Day 6 / 359 to go

Tired, I have to admit I was tired the whole day...
So today´s PAT-session was a challange, mainly challanging my willpower and not so much my chess capabilities. But sometimes it´s nothing but plain persistence that keeps efforts high (and training is never meant to be just fun - it is about pushing ones comfort zone)!
I forced myself to evaluate as many positions it takes to have spent at least 60 minutes on it --- resulting in 6 positions. So I am doing about one in 10 minutes. This sounds reasonably fine, given that many training books advise to spend between 5 - 10 minutes per position AND taking into account that I only started. Nevertheless, this definitely has to speed up - but I am confident!

Here is a nice one which I missed:
1) Can you see the right continuation (which was even missed by Nakamura himself)?

Nakamura - Sasikiran (2005)

 

2) Can you tell me WHY it seems to be hard to spot/easy to miss?
3) Can you tell me WHAT DO TO in order not to miss it in the future?

After a decent break I will continue with my new opening. I am still at the very first steps of it - going through the different variations. But at least, I now made it to the main variation! At at first glance, it looks pretty interesting!  8-)

Achievement of the day:

• Trained my Persistence
• Weaknesses are not only limited to structure and/or pawns - but also to badly placed pieces an/or too exposed pieces!
• This Placeholder is reserved for YOU --- answer question 2 and 3 above --- and I will add it here!

Day 5 / 360 to go

Today I spent over one hour on Aagard´s book - practising my middle game understanding using my PAT; I managed to analyse 7 positions. Apart from the last one, I got them all right - I even corrently identified a Wu-Wei position!.

On Saturday+Sunday I wil apply the PAT to more endgame-oriented positions (based on a different book). This will be more difficult - given my humble understanding and often instinct-based (in contrast to decently calculated-based) decisions made in endgames. However, my coach is convinced that as long as I put the right effort into it (hard working - no cheating, no short-cut), I will reach a level that probably goes beyond the average 2150-rated player by the end of this summer...  Personally, I consider this to be an important interim-target making the overall journey a bit more tasty.  I just hope that an improvement of my game - and as such, my tournament performance and rating - will start to kick in (much) earlier...

In addition, I made a deeper dive into one of the two main lines of my new opening for black. I start to get a certain feeling about the main motives, but, of course, still tend to mix them (cannot yet really distinguish when to go for which motive)...


Achievements of the day:
PAT-practice for middle game positions (including a successful identification of a Wu-Wei position)

Day 4 / 361 to go

Tonight I had the weekly training session with my coach. We had a sniff into my new opening, ending up in a very dynamic middle game and a nice demonstration of the power of control in the centre: even in positions the engines evaluate as being equal, controlling the centre can make a huge difference for human players - and increase the prospects of the side having the centre (tremendously)...

Later the same night, I continued studying the new opening for black. Main focus at the current stage is to get a first understanding of the main ideas and plans for black. Precise moves and move-orders are next, when also using both Komodo and the latest MegaBase from Chessbase will show which moves are actually played (most) by the chess pros and help discriminating certain (unfavourable) lines. Contrary to yesterday´s plan, I will start practise my new opening in online blitz-games only later this week (perhaps Thursday, perhaps only during the weekend), there is simply too much to read+learn first!
My current plan is to start including the engines this weekend. Maybe it is a good idea to start online games and then use the engines after each relevant game...

Achievement of the day:
Appreciation of the centre

Day 3 / 362 to go

Today I started to work on my repertoire with black - a complete new opening as adviced by my coach! I already own a "move by move"-book by Everyman Chess and I am confident that the new one will provide me with the necessary to stand the test and get going with yet a completely new opening...
It is a bit scary to start a totally new opening in tournament chess - and my age doesn´t really make things easier.
(Maybe tomorrow I will start some online blitz-games in order to get acquainted with the new positions and moves...  but I have to ask my coach first --- as he made cristal clear that training does not include "online fun"!)  8-)

In addition, I did progress with my PAT, using Aagaard´s book. I just started, so I assume the positions to solve are yet easy (and my achievement of 100% is rather not really anything special; but this way it keeps motivation high).

Day2 / 363 to go

Wu Wei - have you ever heardt about it?  Maybe you came across Yin + Yang and maybe you can relate it to chess. Well, then it is time for Wu Wei!  I read about it just today in Rowson´s book "Chess for Zebras".

During the Grenke Chess Open (formerly known as the Deizisau Open) I had one match were I reached a position where (i) I controlled the kingside, (ii) the centre was blocked and (iii) counterplay on the queenside was yet not possible.
It was NOT a kingside attack (unfortunetally) and I put all my energy into making it a kingside attack, but there was none.  In this situation my coach (as well as Komodo 9.3) advised to gain some space on the queenside and BLOCK it! This would have resulted in a position where my opponent would have been left with hardly a decent move (which would not worsen his position)!

That´s Wu Wei! That´s what I have to keep in mind from now on: don´t overdo it, don´t try to force things (unless really necessary), keep the whole board in mind and allow your opponent to make mistakes!

In addition, I had a deeper look at the opening I am playing with white already "my whole life": I identified a possibility to get more often into the position I like most by simply fiddling around with the move-order! It is actually a very simply thing, I just have to "un-learn" what I used to do so many times and so many years in an inappropriate automated fashion. But it is a pretty obvious move and I am confident...

(After a break - I will apply my PAT to some middle game positions for about one hour; and call it a day!)


Achievements of the day:

• Wu Wei
• Move-order in my opening (there is especially one thing I will change from now on)

Day 1 / 364 to go

I spent about one hour on some sort of "analysis tree"-calculation referred to me by my coach as "fruit tree" (FT).  Practicing the FT will cover the complete year; its purpose it to internalise a decent method of how to analyse a chess position (mainly within the opening and middle game, but also for endings with decent material being left on the board). I actually included/adopted some interesting thoughts by Aagaards´s book "Positional Play" - so that I have my own "personalised version" of the FT, now being referred to as PAT (I actually posted my PAT - feel free to use it, why not - or adopt it, or leave a comment). Actually, adopting the FT was advised by my coach!
I have to start including my PAT into my thinking and use it at least 3 times per match into my thinking process. This will increase the time it takes me to come up with a move during a match. But the more I practice, the faster I will get!

In addition, I was working on my new and additional opening line with white. I reviewed the latest literature and created some sort of "abstract" covering only those variations relevant for my game.

By the way (as part of my todays excersises) - can someone out there solve the one below (white to move, of course)?
Once you know the pattern, you will never forget it!

Achievements of the day:

• Adoption of the FT and creation of my PAT
• Working with Aaagard´s "Positional Play" - applying my PAT
• Variation consolidation for my new and additional opening line with white
• Hammered one interesting pattern into my head
• When calculating variations, the right order to do so is (i) checks (ii) capturing pieces (iii) threats.