Well, the last thread that I started here Link ended pretty abruptly as my new job started and as I got serious about my physical health. I found the Health & Fitness forum here incredibly useful and one of the best parts was starting a log to track all my workouts and diet and to help hold me responsible. So that's what I'm going to start here (if that's okay, mods). I'll try to update at least every other day with what I've done and hopefully any interesting positions I come across in my studies.

So, since my last update in that thread I've played a grand total of 3 tournament games and my current USCF rating is 1979. Since the new year I have started back on ICC and some longer correspondence stuff on chess.com (sn=contrecoup). Initial plan is daily tactics and visualization (cause I enjoy it and think it'd probably benefit me) and initially I'm going through books that have piqued my interest in the past but that I've never read cover-to-cover. I'm not going to put any time constraints as long as I do some studying every day. First up, Art of Attack. I would, of course, love to hear any suggestions for future books that might be useful and I'll post any tournament games I play here.

I am switching to 1.d4 since I'd need a pretty serious 1.e4 overhaul anyway and I always found 1.d4 more annoying when I was a lower class player. Since I live in KC, most of my opponents will end up being class players.

Slowly through the first two chapters of Art of Attack. So far the info isn't quite as earth shattering as I had hoped, but I think it's already slightly reflected in my play.

[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2011.02.20"]
[White "phantom"]
[Black "Ook"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1826"]
[BlackElo "1874"]
[ECO "D02"]
[Opening "Queen's pawn game"]
[TimeControl "300+0"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nbd2 Bf5 4. e3 c5 5. a3 e6
6. c3 Nc6 7. Bb5 cxd4 8. cxd4 a6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. O-O Bd6
11. Qa4 Qc7 12. Ne5 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Nd7 14. f4 O-O 15. b4 c5
16. Bb2 Bd3 17. Rfc1 c4 18. Bd4 f6 19. Nb3 fxe5 20. fxe5 Nxe5
21. Nc5 Ng4 22. g3 Nxh2 23. Kxh2 Rf2+ 24. Kh3 Bf5+ 25. Kh4 Qe7+
26. Kh5 Rh2#
0-1

Using ChessTempo blitz tactics to work on tactics. Today went 22-28 with a current rating of 1829.5

I'm in KC too. I'll be living here till July. I'd love to get in a game with you, but I think I'd be no match for you.

Hope I can see you at some of the Missouri statewide events.

Sure, shoot me a PM and I'd love to play.

Definitely. I get to STL somewhat frequently and hope to play in most of the Columbia events.

Wednesday, Feb 23

50 problems on ChessTempo 1804 rating 29/50
About half way through AoA chapter 3

As long as work doesn't interfere, I'm hoping to be at the Columbia Open on April 2.

Last 5 days, 275 ChessTempo problems 69.5% correct, rating is up to 1902.9. Have made zero progress on AoA.

Up through the focal points chapter of AoA. (3? 4?) It's going well, but slowly. I'm just not sold on cranking out problem after problem on ChessTempo. Don't get me wrong, I'm doing the work. I just feel like the learning curve is especially shallow using this method. I'm going to use either CT-ART or a tactics book and do the problems multiple times. On ChessTemp, the highest blitz tactics rating I've gotten is 1924 over 1500+ problems and 19 hours of use since starting this log. I do have a very simple but nice use of my AoA knowledge here:

[Event "2plus2 Match #7 - Board 8"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2011.02.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "contrecoup"]
[Black "ttuncay"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1671"]
[BlackElo "1464"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
[TimeControl "1"]

1. d4 d6 2. e4 e6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Be3 h6 5. f4 Nf6 6. Nf3 a6 7. Bd3 Be7 8. O-O
Bd7 9. e5 dxe5 10. fxe5 Nd5 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. c3 O-O 13. Qd2 Be6 14. Bxh6 gxh6
15. Qxh6 f5 16. exf6 *

Please don't anyone comment (without spoilers) because the game is still going, but I think I have mate calculated for all possible replies. I'm running into a problem with the benoni. I've been trying to use the Bg5/f3 lines that are esentially the same as KID samisch-Bg5 lines, but I seem to suck a lot. I'll post some of my next blitz games and hopefully someone (*cough* YKW) would be kind enough to comment.

Position in Ook's game