The Back Rank

Progress report

I've decided that Fridays mean progress updates. In addition to just spitting out the numbers this week, I'd also like to organize my future plans a little. To that end I've first organized my current work in a table format:

Week ending	CTS rating(max)-tries-%age	Chess Mentor	Book
Aug 4	1600(1624)-7000-76.3%	59	Baburin, Chap 1
Aug 11	1614(1624)-7807-76.8%	67	Baburin, Chap 2
Aug 18	1615(1634)-8770-77.3%	72	Baburin, Chap 3

This table conveys what I've accomplished so far. My CTS rating, the number of challenges done in Chess Mentor and the book I'm currently working on, Baburin's "Winning Pawn Structures." The number of Chess Mentor challenges is deceptive because this week more than half of the challenges attempted were repeat challenges, so the number of new challenges didn't increase much.

While I think each of these things is benefitting me, I also think it will soon be time to shake things up a bit.

Sometimes in Chess Mentor I get a problem that I remember from a previous time. While I believe repitition is necessary for learning, I often score well because I remember the moves rather than having learned how to find them. I think I would benefit by putting CM aside and coming back to it later when my memories have faded.

Baburin's book is very well written and I think I learn a lot from his presentation. However, the book is somewhat narrow in focus. Every game presented involves the isolated d-pawn. Once I finish Part One on the advantages of the isolated d-pawn, I will put that book aside and come back to the second part later.

I am going to stick with Chess Tactics Server long term, so I just need to have something to replace CM and Baburin. Since I am always hearing so much about CT-Art, I've decided to try that. I don't know if I will do the 7 circles or not, I think it's best to see how quickly I work through the levels and make a decision then. To replace Baburin I am leaning toward Silman's Reassess your chess workbook. His book helped me improve quite a bit a few years back and working exercises in that style might be just what I need.

I plan to continue my current three methods through the end of August. I have a week vacation in the beginning of September and following that, I will make the switch to CT-Art and RYC-Workbook.

Labels: chess tactics server, progress report

posted by Loomis @ 9:32 PM 1 comments