I used to go fast

Back in a day ( over 10 years ago), I was a disciple of the MDLM (Michael De la Maza)  Rapid chess Improve school. A group of us known as “the Knight’s Errant” did the seven circles of hell solving tactical problems in ever increasing rhythms using various tactical tools and engines.  In general, those below 1800 ELO seemed to benefit more from this in terms of a rating boost. However there was a point of diminishing returns and for myself, I hit a wall and burnt out.  Had I taken more time per position to savor the nuances, build a better mental image and understand the types of positions, I might have found longer lasting benefits.  Instead, I was crazed. I wanted to go through as quickly as possible and go on to the next task. “Maybe this will get me to 2000!”  I took this approach in learning openings, middle games and endgames. “How quickly can I *learn* this new idea?”. I rapidly read through Silman’s How to reassess your chess  thinking I had “mastered” the concepts of the 7 major imbalances.  I peaked to just over 1800 before I burnt out and took a hiatus of several years.

The past couple of years, I came back in fits and starts still trying to hang on to the old glory days and try to continue to climb. Now, my training was even more feverish. Maybe I’d do a fast batch of tactical puzzles. I had an opening trainer ( Chess Opening Wizard) I queued up with my repertoire and rifled through each of the variations repetitiously AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. How was my performance? It sucked. I rapidly fell to my rating floor (1600 USCF).  

Life in the SLOW Lane: 

Back in January, after evaluating my most recent tournament games, I realized most of my gaffs came from having difficulty looking deep into a position and going through calculations. I pulled my dusty old version of Kotov’s Think Like a Grandmaster off the shelf. Again, this was a book I “rapidly skimmed and thought I mastered” back over 10 years ago.  This time I down shifted. I slowed down my approach and realized there was no need to rush.  I committed to doing the following:

1.    Use a real board and set up EVERY POSTION in book and write down my own analysis before checking the answers
2.   Develop a scoring system for each position that evaluated my progress in: (  Calculation Depth; Overall Accuracy of my assessment; Candidate moves;  Positional Evaluation )
3.   Use a clock set to 20 or 30 minutes and not move the pieces  
4.    Use my own methods for notating position  to record my analysis/evaluations etc.

I’ll spend the rest of this post elaborating more on my method. Next post, I’ll get into some of the learnings I found about myself and Kotov’s methods.  I know…I know… there is a folly about Kotov known as the “Kotov Syndrome” where a player is so deep in analysis paralysis then looks at clock and plays some random move that was given no thought. Guilty. More on that next post.

Why use a real board?

  I am training for over the board (OTB)  tournaments ( hopefully post Covid-19 that we can do this in the future). I love the experience of OTB over virtual. In my mind, nothing like it.  So, if my goal is to play with real set, I must train my brain to see problems in 3 dimensional space. The act of setting up the position, checking to make sure I did it accurately  and staring at it while I evaluate the position is a much richer visceral experience using more senses to lodge into my memory that I find it actually helps with retention and recall.

Scoring system

I wanted a way to measure any progress or learning gaps to see if I was actually gaining something from Kotov’s teachings.  In his book, the main emphasis was on improving calculation so I thought I’s use that and look into how many ply  moves I could go per problem.  Mind you, depending on the section of the book, some were really deep for complicated problems and some were singular branches and forced move sequences.  My overall learning was to improve my ability to calculate without moving the pieces.

The reason I list Accuracy and Positional evaluation separately is to differentiate the positional evaluation of the starting position and its nuances to the accuracy of the positions I could see down the branches. One is based on my ability to accurately see and evaluate down a branch. The other is overall evaluation of the starting position.

My ability to find candidate moves will be a topic in a further post. I’ll cut to the chase. I suck at it… still did after my journey with Kotov and will elaborate more on why I feel his book didn’t do enough justice on this topic. More on that in a later topic.

Using a clock

Kotov suggested this as well in his book and the overall practice of setting up a board with a position from either a book, magazine or from you own games to review. Putting 30 minutes on the clock to take the time to jot down all the lines you are considering and your evaluation is a good simulation to OTB experience.  I tried several increments… 30-, 20-, 15-, and 10- minutes. I found the sweet spot for me was at 20 minutes and some of the time I was in “Kotov Syndrome” mode by minute 15. This was good to recognize while not in a tournament and take a step back and ask “what am I missing?”  If my thought process is spinning its wheels 10 or 15 minutes into a session, I’m either not understanding the position correctly or I’m obsessing over trying to force MY MOVE to work and getting discouraged.  This process with using a clock was proving to be extremely valuable in better understanding myself and my ability to evaluate a position under time pressure. I highly recommend it.

Developing a method for notating positions

Taking it a step further and even slower, I have a note book where I jot down concepts from the book and  key insights from where my thinking process went wrong when verified with the book.  I also needed a method to record positions/ variations “off the board”. I thought of having an analysis board or using my computer and notating my thoughts. These would all be  valid methods. I chose to use a study sheet with a diagram. I created my own using a blank Diagram and lots of space to write my analysis. For the position I used a hand drawn method I learned from another book, by Rolf Wetzel Chess Master at any age. This was a cool book about a guy who reached master class after turning 50! There was a section about creating flash cards ( a bit old school) which I liked using for the diagrams.

This is an example analysis notes I had from a position in the Kotov book.  I “corrected” my analysis with a red pen.

Playing Down

Because of the busy schedule, I committed to chess by starting a club at work during lunch time. There are a lot of folks who “play-only-on-chess.com” and were eager to playing someone who played “seriously” or at least, used to. What this means is that there is a mixed bag of competition who’s playing strength is marginally on par with my most rusty capabilities… but I welcome it.

It’s like playing as the top seed in the lowest section of tournament. The expectation is that you’d win EVERY TIME… but reality is I don’t and it’s more embarrassing for me who can “talk a good game” but following through is much different story.  I also know playing up a section in a tournament is always better for improving performance than playing in the top percentile of the lower section.

But I need to take some rust off. So this once a week lunch time chess club is what I have to work with. The “play-only-on-chess.com-players” are also learning to play with real opponents, slowing down, playing with a real clock, and not just blitz and mouse clicks. So, I think I am also providing a service and spreading the enthusiast chess bug around. We play G15 time controls which is quick ( for an old timer like myself), have a club rating system and monthly matches for friendly bragging rights. The time control allows us to get a game in during a lunch break as the corporate world often bookends meetings around lunch breaks.

I use this as a sparring practice. G15 time control forces me to really not dwell to much in the opening and have a plan for the middle game so I can try to capitalize for the point. Problem is that, if I  get thrown a doozy of an opening variant… and I know I should be able to punish my opponent if I had the time, the quick and dirty “play-only-on-chess.com-players” are used to such shenanigans that they once in a while are able to squeak in a point.  I find going back to the database following a defeat sooths the bruised ego and I move on. Tactical training helps me in some of these games as I can see knight forks, discovered attacks and mating nets a little better than this group though that’s changing. As I am learning to adapt to their style of play, they are getting better as well.  So, it’s all good.

One other thing I will mention is how board blindness seems to be a big thing in G15 games for me and a couple of other players.  For myself, it happens when I am short on time and I hyper-focus on a small part of the board.  Others talk about how the clock is a huge distraction… talking about increasing time limits for the game. I’m reluctant, as I think this is good training for us and levels the playing field.  I’m older and rusty. Short time controls give my younger novice players a little more of an advantage as well as forces them to work within the constraints.

Sparring is good practice no matter at what level. I am using this opportunity to find ways to improve my quick chess skills as this has always been a hindrance for me. I also think if I can improve my ability at these time controls, my abilities at “normal time” will improve especially where I have run into time trouble. Learning how to be flexible with odd openings and players who play “out of the book” on move 2 or 3 is also good practice for me to better understand my repertoire and when mainlines are not played… how to capitalize on them…eventually. Tactics is still my middle name and I practice these as a baseline foundation almost daily. Learning  how to efficiently and consistently defeat players of developing strengths at my “rusty-yet-barely-above-novice-playing-level” is good to keeping my ego at check. I am blunderprone after all.

Who knows, maybe I’ll play in an OTB tournament later in 2018.  See you on the other side of the board.  

Making room for Chess

Two years slipped by and it feels like yesterday. Let’s see, since my last post more “life stuff” happened. My other parent was in her last chapter, I changed jobs, kids got married, and lots of travel. Since my last real active blogging days 4 or 5 years ago, my priorities have changed dramatically in terms of chess. The time it takes to dedicate to this game is all a matter of perspective and what you really want out of it. Let’s face it, the goal of the 2000 rating is a siren call I see from a lot of us “serious players”.  But it requires constant upkeep of skills, self evaluation, and professional help ( coaches, instructions …well maybe even therapists). Where to fit all that in when life creates tsunamis round you making that chess board the lowest of all priorities.

What bothers me, is that the investment of time I committed to in the past, doesn’t just come back over the board like riding a bicycle.  It’s difficult not to fall into a small bit of self-loathing or pity over the  wasted hours spent learning the game only goes atrophy after months of inactivity. How did I used to play this opening? What are the themes going into the middle game? Does the horsey go next to he tower?  ( well not that bad… but you get my drift.)  It makes it harder to say …”THIS TIME I’M GOING TO JUMP BACK IN”.

How to feed my passion for this game when so many other things are demanding my attention?  I am trying out a path through work. I infected some folks at my new company with the passion for a little competition at work in this century old game.   I have started a weekly club  at work and that’s about all the room I have for it.

Do I want to play in tournaments again?… some day… maybe… just not now.  Moderate weekly sparring at work is OK for now. Don’t  I want to go after that 2000 USCF rating?  Right now, I’d rather spend a few cycles having fun in this game again.

So I wax nostalgically with the new players at work. Since my father passed, I inherited all his old sets and those from the days of the Brunswick Chess Club. I spent some time cleaning up 40 year old vintage club sets from the Drueke Player’s choice series ( weighted) and started bring these in for the company chess club.  I feel like I am playing on home turf as these were the pieces I cut my teeth on and learned this game.  Going back to my roots is always a good thing.

No promises, but I may keep you up to date once in a while.

Thanks  

Blunderprone

Wait. I play chess?

That’s how it feels this summer. I’ve been caught up with typical life things called work and family. I haven’t been doing anything chess related since my last post and oddly I’m Ok with that.  I’m working on an interesting medical device at work and spending extra time learning new things.  Putting time into learning new skills seems to provide more bang for the buck  than boning up on the latest variation and nuances of the Caro-Kann defense.

Speaking of other satisfying pursuits, I’m also in a part time band. Again, learning new songs and techniques also seems to satisfy the neural plasticity excitation I was seeking for a long time with pure chess endeavors.  A part of my past is that I wanted to be a rock star back in high school ( who didn’t).  I had a parallel life.  Dad tried to convince me that the right girls were attracted to the guys in the chess club for their intelligence.  I doubled down and played in a rock and roll band because, well, Dad wasn’t always right.

This brings me to another topic, I’m writing about those wanna be rock start days and how it didn’t quite work out the way I had dreamed coming from a small college town in Brunswick.  I was inspired after reading several biographies of Rock and Roll stars, that I thought “ What about those of us not growing up in London, New York or San Fran who had a lot of misguided attempts and misconceptions and tried anyway.”  So I am investigating my misspent youth and how the partying and rock and roll attempts usually ended up in the wrong place.

Would any of you readers be the least bit interested in reviewing early material here as snippets from my chapters?  I am toying with this idea or do you want chess only posts from me?

Building a better time machine

When I say time machine, what I mean is a chess clock. A few years ago I was involved in a project that was to add USB to a chess clock to aid TD and users in general who have trouble setting the chronos or other digital chess clocks especially in the large scholastic arena where the TD’s are expected to help set chess clocks.

I had worked on a proto type with a similar look and feel to the chronos.  I had a partner who was helping with supply chain and “ideas” but as things happen, my partner bailed and I was going through some “life stuff” that back burnered the project and the previous ~$2K out of my pocket start up costs for first prototypes etc.

I am at a point where I might resurrect this project again. But in 2010, USB was the siren call to help minimize set up time for users and lessen the headaches of my TD friends.  I am thinking today, USB would be nice but maybe a Bluetooth enabled chess clock so you can configure it with a smart phone?

What are your ideas fellow readers?  Do you see  adding USB and Bluetooth  for user interface of a chess clock a nice evolution? If so how much more would you be willing to pay for it?  What about the display?  How about other features ( move recording is not on the table for this iteration but I do have ideas on alternatives to DGT’s overpriced system). 

I may not be a great chess player, but I am a pretty decent engineer with experience in building things like this. So tell me what you would like to see in a “Time machine” from Blunderprone.

Mastery: Dabblers, Obsessives, and Hackers

From my last post, one reader commented that I should read some books about sports psychology. It reminded me of a book I did read on the subject a few years ago called Mastery: The keys to success and long term fulfillment by George Leonard.  You can read the cliff notes version of it from here: http://gettingstronger.org/2010/03/george-leonards-mastery/

The goal driven nature  entrenched in our society fuels a competitive atmosphere where we are constantly measured up against each other’s successes in various pursuits. This  puts the emphasis on the make or break end result rather than enjoyment of the pursuit.  What I liked about his approach is the caricatures  he presents as a result of the lopsided focus on results.

The Dabbler:

The Dabbler attempts each new sport, hobby, or interest with initial enthusiasm but quickly loses interest and moves on to the next shiny pursuit once the initial one slows down, or encounters difficulties.  Dabblers start many new things with gusto but once they hit a wall or plateau move on.

The Obsessive:

The Obsessive lives for the growth spurt in a skill. If he's not constantly and actively growing he presses himself harder and faster. Eventually the Obsessive burns out and moves on to something else. A  lot of the old “ Knights errant” had fallen  into this category.  I think Michael De La Maza was one as well.

The Hacker:

As for the HACKER, once he has passed over the first major growth spurt and is on the first plateau he just stays there. He doesn't actively spend time trying to learn and grow. He just tinkers with the bit of skill he's developed and remains satisfied at that level. But who wants to be just a hack in the competitive chess world?

So What are the keys to mastery then?

The book goes on to describe the keys to mastery: Instruction, Practice, Surrender and Intentionality. Those last two we tend to forget about. Surrendering means being willing to lose a few as we change styles. For instance,   I knew I was going to lose rating points when I surrendered my old opening system a few years back ... and I did...but having done so  I have since gained valuable knowledge in D-pawn games.   Recently, I have become uncomfortable in open positions. I need to surrender and embrace the learning process once more.

As for Intentionality, this refers to focus. I lose focus with all the distraction life throws and then I fall into either of the three categories.  Getting to the point where I am OK with plateaus and set backs is hard when every cell in my body feels like it needs to be measured against some gage for success. Changing the mindset to be at ease with the way things are is a meditation in and of itself. It brings me back to basics as to why I love this game in the first place. I love the learning process. If I can remind myself of this more often before the games in a tournament, the more I can enjoy the journey.