As to tactics, what about your earlier realization that tactics grow on trees? Why try to set them up? Keeping the pieces active should be enough for them to appear regularly. On the other hand, maybe it's different when you really are an attacking player.
A nameless one have left a comment. One which I will attempt to answer -
It is true that tactics grows on trees at my level. However, as one proceeds to play stronger and stronger opponents, more sophisticated tactics is required. 1800 and above players rarely falls for a simple fork. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that the tactic was there all along but I could not see them.
Anyway, rather than waiting for some weak move of the opponent wherein something like a skewer suddenly shows itself, you can also attempt to bring about positions where large scale tactical operations are possible.
For example, the classic bishop sacrifice. A sacrificial attack that has become my personal favorite. It doesn't always succeed so I could not say that its just a simple trick. I've lost quite a few misplaying the attack, but yet, learning it has been one of the things that makes me say I'm a better player now than I was then. If a little slower in calculation.
Did you know that i've played my ipod computer perhaps a hundred times and won just two? One was involving a queenless middlegame, and the other win was with that bishop sac. Its really sweet.
Well, the point is if you've read this far is that by placing the pieces 'just so' you can invite tactical operations to come forth.
Here was the critical position of my last game.
It is true that tactics grows on trees at my level. However, as one proceeds to play stronger and stronger opponents, more sophisticated tactics is required. 1800 and above players rarely falls for a simple fork. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that the tactic was there all along but I could not see them.
Anyway, rather than waiting for some weak move of the opponent wherein something like a skewer suddenly shows itself, you can also attempt to bring about positions where large scale tactical operations are possible.
For example, the classic bishop sacrifice. A sacrificial attack that has become my personal favorite. It doesn't always succeed so I could not say that its just a simple trick. I've lost quite a few misplaying the attack, but yet, learning it has been one of the things that makes me say I'm a better player now than I was then. If a little slower in calculation.
Did you know that i've played my ipod computer perhaps a hundred times and won just two? One was involving a queenless middlegame, and the other win was with that bishop sac. Its really sweet.
Well, the point is if you've read this far is that by placing the pieces 'just so' you can invite tactical operations to come forth.
Here was the critical position of my last game.
Guess what happened next?The bishop being placed on d3 was a very deliberate attempt to setup the classical bishop sacrifice.
--------------------
Well anyway, having said that - things like this is great but I also need some other things too. Its not that I don't want to concentrate on tactics, its just that.. its boring just thinking of the same thing over and over again.
I want my chess to have some logic. To have some strategy, to have some prophylaxis, to have something.. else.
Thanks a lot for your post answering my comment. Maybe you are right. Maybe there is something like "setting up tactics". On the other hand, when more complicated tactics become familiar "smaller fruits" can be seen again and it's true again that tactics grow on trees.
But what you said, I'll have to think about that some more. The game was impressive, you seem to play such great attacking patterns almost as a matter of technique.
As to avoiding boredom... in a way chess is a boring occupation, almost by its very nature, at least if it's played in slow games. What I found really interesting is going in depth, like studying mate combinations in the Polgar book, seeing what the pieces can do in detail. To understand what's the nature of the "atoms" of this game. For you it may be something else. Good luck on your journey.