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kiwiPete's avatar

This approach sounds useful but it does miss an important category of human mistakes. I'm talking about moves that lead to difficult to play positions even though the engine eval is fine. Or, flipping it around, missing moves that make it easy for you to keep playing good moves.

Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

True. Ideally there’s a stronger player in your life to teach you these things. However without that person, this will have to suffice.

3 Questions Deep's avatar

Your articles are helpful.

Thinks.

Nigel Smith's avatar

A couple of tactics books to add to your list

https://www.chessable.com/1001-chess-endgame-exercises-for-beginners/course/128626/

https://www.chessable.com/1001-chess-endgame-exercises-for-club-players/course/346984/

It's a step by step workthrough of tactical themes based on positions with fewer pieces. There are a set of flashcards for key tactical themes in each book , and the books systematically work through tactics with different pieces and combinations of pieces in a very structured manner.

Similarities with 1001 chess exercises series (which I like) but the approach is built up systematically with examples followed by tests and flashcards for the key themes.

https://www.chessable.com/a-field-guide-to-chess-tactics/course/100736/ is also good as tactical primer

As a self taught player I keep coming across little blind spots when working through these books

Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

Great suggestions!

Highground Chess's avatar

This is remarkable. Most people will never go this deep into detail but it’s overwhelmingly necessary I believe. Have you read Pump Up Your Rating by Axel Smith? It goes even deeper into the weeds on mistakes and categories. Might be something you’re interested it to further narrow down said mistakes. Well done.

Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

I have and I did enjoy it. I struggled to apply it, but using the simplified categories really worked for me.

Highground Chess's avatar

Yeah I find some of these books go rather deep into the minutia and we have to find what works for us. A lot of times is a simplification such as you have done that we will continue to follow. I learned recently it’s super important to also work on what’s fun and enjoyable and not have it always be work to improve.