Daily practice key to chess success
(Newcastle Chronicle, 26 January 2024)
Fail to prepare? Prepare to fail. This applies as much to chess as it does to maths tests and sports.
At a recent Tyneside schools match, one of the players was asked afterwards when was the last time they had played a serious chess game or done some study. The answer was shocking: during last year’s summer holidays.
The player had lost to a much lower-ranked player – in fact they were wiped out in a kingside onslaught. A year ago the out-of-practice player would have aced the game, but now – after intensive school work left little time for chess – they were rusty, and it showed.
My advice was to go back to basics: 15-20 minutes of daily practice will keep you in trim, chess-wise. Just like a gym session, chess is a mental workout that can be part of your daily routine.
Without regular practice, we tend to miss tactics and fail to calculate moves properly.
So, what are the ways you can practice and get better at chess?
The first is tactics puzzles. Find checkmates in two or three moves, and work up to more complex puzzles where you gain an advantage in another way. These can be found at chess.com and lichess.org.
The second is video tutorials. These can be found at chess.com, lichess.org and YouTube. It’s best to go with Grandmasters or accredited FIDE Trainers for good quality advice.
The third is training with online games. Don’t worry about other players cheating with computers. They’re not learning anything, but if you think for yourself, you are.
Just like Playstation, it’s best to ration yourself to an hour a day of online play, as more becomes addictive. Review your games afterwards (this is where computer analysis can be useful).
The best training method is to play at a chess club. Most clubs meet once a week, and the face-to-face interaction and exchange of ideas helps to hone your skills.
For more info about chess improvement, contact FIDE Trainer Tim Wall: timpeterwall@gmail.com or 0750 372 2366.
Check out these North East chess clubs:
Alnwick: Alnwick Rugby Club (Thurs) https://www.facebook.com/alnwickchess
Morpeth: Morpeth Rugby Club (Wed) https://morpethchessclub.wixsite.com/home
Tynedale: Ovington Social Club (Mon) https://tynedalechess.wordpress.com/
Tynemouth: The Hunting Lodge, Whitley Bay (Tues) https://tynemouthchessclub.netlify.app/
Forest Hall: Forest Hall Ex-Servicemen’s (Fri) https://www.foresthallchess.org.uk/
Gosforth: Gosforth Empire (Mon) https://www.gosforthchessclub.co.uk/
Jesmond: The Punch Bowl (Thurs) andytrev@gmail.com
Newcastle: Tyneside Irish Centre (Mon) https://newcastlechessclub.com
Newcastle University: (Thurs) Contact the Students Union
Gateshead: Carlton Club, Low Fell (Thurs) peter.wells@heraeus.com
Leam Lane: Leam Lane WMC (Tues) Rob Appleby: (0785) 0115170
South Shields: The New Ship Inn (Thurs) https://southshieldschessclub.co.uk/
Today’s puzzles are from last weekend’s Harrogate Open.
Puzzle A: Sarah Longson (White) to play & win
Puzzle B: Lorenzo Fava (White) to play & win
Puzzle C: Piotr Denderski (Black) to play and win
Puzzle D: Andy Burnett (Black) to play & win
Answers:
A: 1 Rxd5! 1-0. If 1…Nxd5 2 Qxg6+ Kh8 3 Qh7 checkmate.
B: 1 Nf4+ Kf5 2 Rc5 checkmate.
C: 1…Bd4+ 2 Kh1 Rf6! wins.
D: 1…Rg3! wins. If 2 hxg3 hxg3+ 3 Nh3 Qxh3+! 4 gxh3 Rh2 checkmate, or 2 Rc8+ Kf7 3 Rc7+ Kf6 4
Rd7 Rxf3 5 gxf3 Qh5.