Accountability

On the first day of 2012, I posted "New Year's Resolutions." I have failed. Although I may have averaged fifty tactics problems per week, I have yet to solve a single problem in Gaprindashvili, Imagination in Chess. Only in the past week, have I started working through Alburt, Chess Training Pocket Book II. I have spent close to half an hour the past week, but this time was harried and fragmented. It was not the sort of focused quality training that I had in mind.

Despite my failings so far, the year is yet young. With the 20th Dave Collyer Memorial one week away, I am feeling an interest in renewing my commitment. A good score of 3.5 to 4.0 (I will be taking a bye in round 3) in this year's Collyer would likely push me over 1900.

Problem 10 in Alburt's book was my first clear success this week. It took a minute or two to find the correct sequence.

Black to move

7r/4k1KP/2p3p1/5p2/2pP1P2/2P5/1P4P1/8 b - - 0 1

Although I am driven to push my pathetic bullet rating on Chess.com back over 1800, I resolve to limit participation in such nonsense this week and concentrate on quality tactics training so that I'm in shape for the Collyer. I also intend to review my blog output so as to belatedly suggest to Robert Pearson a few entries for the "Best Of!" series.