Getting better in chess fast - Page 2 - Chess and Board Game Strategy

Has this happened yet? If not, my recommendation is to play chess nonstop from now until the game (if $500 is important enough to you to justify it). Play online, find another friend of about the same strength, whatever. At least you will feel comfortable at the board. But, as others pointed out, this isn't really something you can cram for. It takes a long time to improve.

Do this and you risk playing yourself stupid. At least that's been my experience when I try to play too much chess, I start getting worse and worse.

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07-27-2009 , 04:37 PM

#27

roblin

adept

Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,057

1. watch all the videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/kingscrusher
2. play some bullet-games on chesscube.com
3. goto 1

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07-31-2009 , 01:16 AM

#28

Jonaspublius

veteran

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,182

Research an opening with high draw likelihoods, bone up your endgame, and look to trade down and get a draw out of it unless he really Fs up?

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07-31-2009 , 03:34 AM

#29

Ajezz

grinder

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 622

I think that is the wrong way to play against a better player (even if you just want a draw) because it allows him to grind you down with no risk of losing.

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07-31-2009 , 04:30 AM

#30

Dire

banned

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 8,581

Have to agree. I'd probably say the worst possible way to play against a stronger player is to play to simplify or draw. Experience and intuition will end up crushing the weaker player every single time. In complex positions the stronger player is at least given chances to make a mistake from which he cannot recover.

Humans are bad at calculation, but extremely good at pattern recognition/intuition. Don't emphasize the stronger player's strengths!

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08-03-2009 , 06:09 PM

#31

timotheeeee

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 3,861

This advice is probably too late, but if you've beaten him a fair amount of times, try to remember how (does he have a tendency to hang pieces? try for a complicated/gambity opening. did you just outplay him? if so, were the positions open/closed? go that route). If there's not one particular reason, still try for a complicated game hope he ****s up.