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theanalogkid 15-Mar-13, 21:24	Prep for an upcoming OTB USCF tourney ..... Well, tonight I went to the local bookstore, where pawnpushers are known to hang out on Friday nights. I haven't been in about 10 years. 2 out of 3 wins ain't bad, I guess. First I played black against a 1350ish reti and won (game in 60, the only one we used a clock on). Next came a mid 1900 playing as black with the pirc. I got slaughtered in the end, but did cause him to take pause a few times and had a few spectators. Lastly, I went up against a 1400 who played black and the Carro Kann. I took him down, eventually, in an exciting tactical game. The ratings mentioned are USCF OTB regular/slow ratings, and these were casual games. Anyway they mentioned a 2 day tournament (40/2 hours, G30/ 5 sec inc. I'm guessing 5 round swiss, as that used to be the standard, but am not sure) coming up this coming weekend, just a few miles from me. I think I will be going. As I will be attempting to raise my measly even 1300 USCF OTB rating, I plan on hitting the books hard this week. I figure I will need to refresh my memory on the main openings I used to play often, and work a bunch of tactical exercises. My questions are .... 1) Do gameknots rules allow me to study books while actively playing here? If not, I will take some vacation days. 2) How do the masters recommend I study? As I planned, picking a few openings for white, and a few for black and cramming as much as possible? If so, which ones would you recommend aplayer of my level focus on? Maybe I'm better off not studying particular openings, and refreshing myself with the generalities such as pawn structure, and such. I'm betting you all agree I should focus some energy on tactical problems like they have here on gameknot. Maybe I should just relax, and go enjoy a weekend of chess, and forget any serious prep? Thoughts ??? Comments ???
mrtoduvet 15-Mar-13, 23:05	How i train myself Hi, i am not a master but i had try to take a big biblio to build a trainning program (from famous person like Soltis, Heismann or friends who are above 2100 elo FIDE) and with my knowledges about pedagogy. Each week : One session about the ending : th emore important is to know just around 12 exact ending (1 with knight, 1 with queen vs knight pawn, bishop same colors and oposite colors, rook endings and pawns ending). Very good bilbio are the abc of endgames and pandolfini endgame course (free download at chesszone.org. One session about the opening, just one opening with white and one with black (and with easy paterns, more like the stonewall or the colle-zuk.) And keep it at least 1 year. You can use the weekly game sfrom chessok, and look the games of players under 2200 elo (above no interest, too complicated) About the middle game, tactics, the more you can (but at least 15 minutes everyday). With ct-art or the printed book combinative motifs M. Blokh) One session about strategy, first be able to define the use of the pieces (the book of silman the reasses your chess workbook) and after the books of ludek pachmman modern strategies. One session with annotated games (for exemple Euwe, masters vs amateur), but easy games, not GMI. One session analisys your live games. If you still have time, if you play open games look the game sof morphy and alekhine (when he was young for example, you can download these games at chess.com) and if you play half-open games look the games of Lasker. I try to do this each week. I am not good but in the slow games i play on internet (45-45 or 60-00) i regulary won againts 1850 elo FIDE and one against 2000 elo FIDE.
mrtoduvet 16-Mar-13, 00:09	So if you train regurarly... just be relax and enjoy \^_^/ Just minutes before the tournament you can do easy-average tactics exercices.
theanalogkid 16-Mar-13, 00:25	All that sounds great. Probably a little much for a one week prep though, after a 10+year hiatus from competitive chess. As a regular, continuing schedule, I can see that being a great workout though. I do like the endgame with varying pieces. I used to be able to do the Bishop and Knight checkmate, but couldn't now. I'll look into those. The only books I have at my disposal, at the moment, is a manual by Lasker, an opening encyclopedia, and a more general opening ideas book. Somewhere, I have a pawn strategy book, but haven't seen it in a minute or so. I don't intend to spend any money on this, other then the entry fee, so unless it's at the local library, or free online .... It's not going to happen.
theanalogkid 16-Mar-13, 00:28	... And I plan on winning my division, and getting that entry fee back, by the way. What is 1300 USCF? D class?
mrtoduvet 16-Mar-13, 00:54	free tactics chess-problems.org and you can download a printable .pdf www.echecsemail.com it is in french but the exercices are really nice (level 2 and 3) the same but against a clock and printable : www.chessprob.com about free middle game, strategy : www.chesszone.org and you have the book of pandolfini (ending) on the same page. Russian site, good site.
elyhim 16-Mar-13, 12:26	The unknown If you have not played much in OTB then you have an advantage. No one can prepare for you or learn you tendencies. As an FIDA master I prepared months in advance. I knew when I arrived at game day what I was going to play against the common defensive schemes. Myself, I focused on winning games as black because most chess players aim for a draw as black and wins as white. I got great pleasure beating opponents who would try systems like the English or reti to avoid my pet systems. In my early chess career I played the Queens Pawn games to avoid the Sicilian. As black I played a modern hybrid(1...g6 2...c5 3...nf6), caro-kann. As a master I played theMidern Benoni when ever possible. Top 3 prep tips 1. Know your strengths 2. Avoid you weaknesses 3. Against opponents of equal strength endgame knowledge trumps.
small_potato 16-Mar-13, 13:15	GK Rules Certainly as far as I'm aware there no problem studying chess books while playing here, would be little point joining a chess site to improve your play if you can't read chess books until you quit the site! I certainly do it (not that it shows  ) and would be quite happy to be banned if it was against the rules as it would make no sense.
theanalogkid 16-Mar-13, 17:01	Yes, except for the three games played last night, I have the advantage of being the unknown. Of course they are all unknown to me to.  . I imagine I will see a few old faces at the tourney though. I think I'm going to pick two white and two black openings, and review some of the main lines and general strategies involved with them. I don't plan to memorize lines, but maybe some of what I used to know will come back to me. Other than that, I think I'll spend some time with Lasker. He always seems to enlighten me to something new or forgotten, when I take the time to open his book (it's been a while). I don't think I'll have time for to much more than that, but I'll make time for tactic practice and check out that endgame study mentioned in an earlier post. Hopefully it is interactive. I too think it would not be "right*to ban us from books, but the way I read the rules, they sort of contradict themselves. I'll probably play a bit slower in my games here, and maybe even vacation. I know it's just a local tournament, with not much more than the entry fee and pride on the line, but still .... My apologies to current opponents, should or games be delayed. . I left competitive chess, during and after a divorce. Stress and anxiety had me so tore up that I couldn't maintain any focus or concentration. I lost quite a few points in my final tournament, with no wins. I remember loosing to a terribly low rated player and choking a won game against a much higher rated player. Hopefully, I can get those points back.
theanalogkid 23-Mar-13, 16:05	what??? really???? Ok, my first game was against a guy almost 300 points higher than me. It was a decent game, but I lost. It happens. He and I reviewed the game together after. I didn't like losing, but I wasn't terribly upset. On the other hand..... my second game has me wondering why I even freagin' play. The theme of the tournament is "Alekhine's Gun". The first person to create and demonstrate a win with it gets $100. So, I struggle with the opening, but get thru it Ok. Even on material, but a bit cramped. He is moving quick, but I'm averaging about 4 minutes a move (ok for the time controls). I am actually able to get the formation built, while battling out of the tight position. With the help of a Bishop, pinning his knight to his king, and a stupid move on his part, I gain a rook for no cost. I then proceed to blow thru what is left of his defenses, pin his Queen to the king with my rook. It's all over but the crying, and even those tears are beginning to form in his eyes. But no. .... In my excitement, I quickly grabbed a pawn with my Queen. Mind you now. He only had 4 pawns left, and a Bishop. Absolutely none of his pieces were protected, except this one pawn. His Bishop was pointing straight at it!!!! Not hidden or disguised or anything, just this Bishop in the middle of the board pointing at this one pawn, which I took with my Queen. Why do I even play? I'm going to go cry now, maybe open a bottle of booze.
theanalogkid 24-Mar-13, 19:18	2 more games Well, 3rd round found myself playing against someone rated somewhat over 1600. I lost a hard fought and probably won game. I got careless, and he developed a beautiful mate. The final round was against a mid 1300. Another loss. I know one of my major blunders. I'll see about getting these four annotated. I'll have to fire the desk top up though. It's just to much typing for this phones screen.

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