tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57726894266049739.post6991432803642359127..comments2024-03-28T11:37:38.689-07:00Comments on Chess Skills: Measuring ImprovementJames Stripeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13437334325501974461noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57726894266049739.post-51958581695075129842009-04-18T07:05:00.000-07:002009-04-18T07:05:00.000-07:00Your dedicatin is contagious and quite enviable. C...Your dedicatin is contagious and quite enviable. Congrats you seem to really be improving! (Chesstiger, while I understand your overall point the rating is the only objective measure of improvement!!!)Blue Devil Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12045468316613818510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57726894266049739.post-85252000696307215422009-04-07T21:00:00.000-07:002009-04-07T21:00:00.000-07:00In order to play more against players above 1800, ...In order to play more against players above 1800, I need to either convince a few inactive local players to resume competition, or need to travel 280 miles to Seattle for tournaments.<BR/><BR/>The move from B to A is less about filling gaps in knowledge than about improving consistency. Better nutrition, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep might do me as much good as tactics training and opening study. (I walked three miles this morning.)James Stripeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13437334325501974461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57726894266049739.post-7971036040257846122009-04-03T16:13:00.000-07:002009-04-03T16:13:00.000-07:00I think it should be some qualitative change in th...I think it should be some qualitative change in the opening preparation, board vision and calculation to get from "B" to "A". If you get that better, you will beating all 1400-1500 players and play well with 1600+. Why I said "I know it's hard" - I got 250 rating increase in the first 9 months returning to OTB, then +50 in a year. Looks like I have a good chance to become a super-GM in 20 years :). Do you have possibility to play more against 1800+ players in tournaments bigger than in the local club but smaller than "2009 Washington Open" ?Rolling Pawnshttp://rollingpawns.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57726894266049739.post-64237847742435002232009-04-03T08:24:00.000-07:002009-04-03T08:24:00.000-07:00Words of wisdom Chesstiger. Thanks.The number is u...Words of wisdom Chesstiger. Thanks.<BR/><BR/>The number is useful because it is a measure of strength. I have many improvement goals. Chasing a number helps organize them into a focus. It's not about the number, but the number helps.<BR/><BR/>My goal for the Washington Open: a plus score. It is six rounds, so I seek 3.5 or better.<BR/><BR/>Ratings go up and down, and they are relative to the pool in which you play. I'm near the top in my city, but not quite the top 100 in my state.<BR/><BR/>I want near perfection against most members of my club, and a clear plus score against Dave Griffin, who beat me last night. I might be at +1 (I'm not certain). I have an even score against a few players that I should always beat. There are players I have not yet scored wins against, but intend to. I've beat John Julian in blitz, quick, and on Facebook, but in standard rated play, he always wins. I've been close a few times.James Stripeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13437334325501974461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57726894266049739.post-24031289511444371382009-04-03T07:21:00.000-07:002009-04-03T07:21:00.000-07:00What's in a number? You want to become class A pla...What's in a number? You want to become class A player, great! But it's not the rating that will bring you there, it's your chess strenght. So dont focus so much about your rating but focus on to eliminate the mistakes you make. At first you may lose ratingpoints but when your strenght goes up your rating will aswell.<BR/><BR/>So stop thinking about that 1800. Just play your games the best you can, analyse them and try to improve where you went wrong.<BR/><BR/>I am speaking from experience. A friend's first rating was 1898 and he thought to get to 1900+ easily. However, in his hunt to 1900+ he was so focussed on this 1900 number that he never reached it because his chessstrenght never got up.<BR/><BR/>Until now his highest ever rating is that 1898. His rating now is about 1750. So dont look at the rating, it only distracts you of your goal and that is to have a strenght of 1800+.From the patzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04499383398575774704noreply@blogger.com