I have so many things I want to study.. and yet don't have the time for them all. So I start on one, but another will catch my attention and so I keep going in circles..
1. Opening -
I have 'Starting out: Pirc' and 'Winning with the Scotch'. Not to mention a few resources about the Moeller attack I wanted to read more about. It is perhaps in my nature that I want to end games 'at once' that I continually search for trips and traps. Particularly in the opening phase where such things are common.
2. Tactics -
I have '303 chess puzzles', just ordered 'chess cafe puzzle book' and the seminal 'Art of attack'. The problem with puzzles is that you don't really learn how to play good moves. Sure you recognize things if they were staring you in the face, but setting up tactics requires a more elaborate touch. Although the art of attack kinda teaches you such things. Some of my wins were taken straight out of the book so to speak.
But well, I've been studying tactics all my chess life it seems (Not that I'm good at it). I feel as if it has grown stale. I want something new this time around. Though I just cant neglect this. It is the one thing good in my game.
3. Endgames
Always wanted to study pawn endings. There had been times when I should have won a pawn up game and just didn't know what to do. I also have 'Turning advantage into victory chess'. Just read the first game in it and I learned about how to use the opposition already. Careful study of this book should be good for my chess.
4. Game Collection
Purdy said you need to study master games. It is the 'one' sure thing that will make someone a stronger player. I just ordered Fishers 'My 60 greatest games'. Even 'My system' can be considered to be in this category. Plus, I have chessmaster 10. The game collection in it and the josh games are interesting too. Then I have Tals 'life and works', and Korchnois 'Chess is my life'
5. Art of checkmate
I feel I need to include this. I've been going through this book again and what do you know. I learn something new again. Well, not new but.. I grasp the theory better than when I first read it.
6. Middlegames
A whole gamut of books have I. It is there in the corner even now. I will not list them all. It is miserable to have memories of me poring over them and it not really having an effect on my game. But perhaps I'll make an exception and re-read 'Simple Chess'.
Btw: Hey bahus, are you still playing in Fics? Lets go play training games together :)
Anyway, there it is. A whole lot of things to study and no time to do it all. It would take years just going through my present collection. Not to mention the other books I wanted to order from Amazon.
And also, I'm secretly afraid that even if I did study all of these, that it wont matter a lick. After all, this kind of thing has happened to countless people in ages past. I would not be the first person to plateu. But I sure hope not..
1. Opening -
I have 'Starting out: Pirc' and 'Winning with the Scotch'. Not to mention a few resources about the Moeller attack I wanted to read more about. It is perhaps in my nature that I want to end games 'at once' that I continually search for trips and traps. Particularly in the opening phase where such things are common.
2. Tactics -
I have '303 chess puzzles', just ordered 'chess cafe puzzle book' and the seminal 'Art of attack'. The problem with puzzles is that you don't really learn how to play good moves. Sure you recognize things if they were staring you in the face, but setting up tactics requires a more elaborate touch. Although the art of attack kinda teaches you such things. Some of my wins were taken straight out of the book so to speak.
But well, I've been studying tactics all my chess life it seems (Not that I'm good at it). I feel as if it has grown stale. I want something new this time around. Though I just cant neglect this. It is the one thing good in my game.
3. Endgames
Always wanted to study pawn endings. There had been times when I should have won a pawn up game and just didn't know what to do. I also have 'Turning advantage into victory chess'. Just read the first game in it and I learned about how to use the opposition already. Careful study of this book should be good for my chess.
4. Game Collection
Purdy said you need to study master games. It is the 'one' sure thing that will make someone a stronger player. I just ordered Fishers 'My 60 greatest games'. Even 'My system' can be considered to be in this category. Plus, I have chessmaster 10. The game collection in it and the josh games are interesting too. Then I have Tals 'life and works', and Korchnois 'Chess is my life'
5. Art of checkmate
I feel I need to include this. I've been going through this book again and what do you know. I learn something new again. Well, not new but.. I grasp the theory better than when I first read it.
6. Middlegames
A whole gamut of books have I. It is there in the corner even now. I will not list them all. It is miserable to have memories of me poring over them and it not really having an effect on my game. But perhaps I'll make an exception and re-read 'Simple Chess'.
Btw: Hey bahus, are you still playing in Fics? Lets go play training games together :)
Anyway, there it is. A whole lot of things to study and no time to do it all. It would take years just going through my present collection. Not to mention the other books I wanted to order from Amazon.
And also, I'm secretly afraid that even if I did study all of these, that it wont matter a lick. After all, this kind of thing has happened to countless people in ages past. I would not be the first person to plateu. But I sure hope not..
Concerning your problem with number 2, i highly recommend Understanding Chess Tactics. And concerning number 6, Chess Strategy for Club Players comes highly recommended as well.