Normal Topic Need study plan to make master - list of books/cds (Read 4991 times)
trw
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Re: Need study plan to make master - list of books/cds
Reply #4 - 07/03/09 at 03:30:33
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TN wrote on 06/30/09 at 22:48:11:
Calculation and endgames. You should do some work on openings, but not a large amount as your games will usually not be decided in the opening. Study either a top player whose style is similar to yours or a super-GM whose style is antonymous to yours. 

Forcing Chess Moves and Silman's Complete Endgame Course would be the first two books that I would study. Remember to solve the exercise as well for maximum improvement.

And one other point, which several players forget: Do not play too much blitz, and avoid bullet and chess variants.



I couldn't disagree more with that statement. Certain variants maybe but many variants are very very helpful like chess960, wild5, wild4, wild1 etc. Just saying 'all variants' is crazy talk.
  
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Re: Need study plan to make master - list of books/cds
Reply #3 - 07/01/09 at 08:52:17
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I´ve the same "illness". I buy books over books, but when I wanna work through them, I´m getting tired within a few minutes Smiley

My best advice is to go to a chessclub and play against stronger players.
Analyse and share with them your experiences and don´t hide your thoughts, then you get something back and you´ll get stronger.

Actually there is just one book, which really helped me to improve:
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy by Watson

  

The older, the better - over 2200 and still rising.
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Re: Need study plan to make master - list of books/cds
Reply #2 - 07/01/09 at 03:12:30
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Thank you for the advice.  It is weird but I actually had Silman's Endgame course next on the docket and Forcing Moves was number four after Inner Game of Chess and Master Vs Amateur (I am only reading this book because I enjoyed it so much the first time I think I may find it motivating to read it again).
  
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Re: Need study plan to make master - list of books/cds
Reply #1 - 06/30/09 at 22:48:11
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Calculation and endgames. You should do some work on openings, but not a large amount as your games will usually not be decided in the opening. Study either a top player whose style is similar to yours or a super-GM whose style is antonymous to yours. 

Forcing Chess Moves and Silman's Complete Endgame Course would be the first two books that I would study. Remember to solve the exercise as well for maximum improvement.

And one other point, which several players forget: Do not play too much blitz, and avoid bullet and chess variants.
  

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Need study plan to make master - list of books/cds
06/30/09 at 19:49:04
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I am currently rated ~2000 on playchess.com  (username Gregsw).  I have been at this level for around the last two years.  I am looking to take my game to the next level, and to this end, am trying to create a study plan.  I have wasted tons of money on CD's and books that I have never bothered to use, but now I am finally going to go through them.  I have posted below a list of all the books and cd's I own.  If anyone who is above 2200 can give me advice on how to approach this ambitious plan and also on how many games against chessmaster I should play weekly and at what time control I would appreciate it.  I am also willing to pay a strong chess player to organize this list into a study plan.  I have not used any of these except where noted. 

Game Collections
Alekhines Best Games
Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Bronstein
Tal – Botvinnik 1960
Tarrasch’s Best Games by Reinfeld
Mikhail Tal’s Life and Games
Botvinnik 100 Selected Games.
Road to Chess Mastery by Euwe
Attack With Mikhail Tal 
Zurich 1953 by Bronstein
The Road to Chess Mastery by Euwe
Chess Praxis by Nimzowitsch
Solitaire Chess by Pandolfini
Chess Amateur vs Chess Master by Euwe (I have read this once before and thought it was fun so I wouldn’t mind reading it again)
Bobby Fischer His Approach to Chess

Middlegame Tactics
Forcing Chess Moves  by Hertan
The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book
Excelling at Combinational Play
The Complete Chess Workout
Test, Evaluate, and Improve your chess by Kopec
Test Your Tactical Ability by Neistdadt
Modern Chess Tactics by Pachman
CT Art 3.0 and Chess Tactics for Intermediate Players by Convekta
Sharpen your tactics by Lein
Winning Chess Traps (opening tactics) by chernev
Combinations: The Heart of Chess by Chernev
Great Short Games of the Masters by Reinfeld
Attacking the King Neistdadt
Art of Attack in Chess Vukovic (This is the only one here that I have read besides CT Art)
Blunders and how to avoid them by Dunnington
The Inner Game of Chess Calculation by Soltis
Storming the Barricades By Christiannsen.
Mating Attack against 0-0 King CD for Chessbase
1.  How to be lucky in Chess by David Lemoir
2.  Essential Chess Sacrifices by David Lemoir
3.  How to become a deadly chess Tactician by David Lemoir


Middlegame Books/CD
Road to Chess Mastery by Euwe
Judgment and Planning by Euwe
Strategy and Tactics by Euwe
The Middlegame Books I and II By Euwe
Reassess Your Chess Workbook by Silman
Positional Chess Handbook by Gelfer
Strategy 2.0 Software by Convekta
The Art of the Middlegame by Keres and Kotov
Can You be a Positional Chess Genius? By Dunnington
Excelling at Positional Chess by Aagaard
The Ultimate Chess Strategy Book by Romero
Decision Making at the Chess Board by Eingorn
Right Decisions CD by Aagaard
Practical Chess Analysis by Buckley
Modern Chess Strategy by Pachman
Daniel King Secrets of the English Chess School CD


Endgames
Silman’s Complete Endgame Course
Chess Endgame Training CD by Convekta
Theory and Practice of Chess Endings by Convekta CD
Turning Advantage into Victory by Soltis
Starting Out Pawn Endgames
Starting Out Rook Endgames
Practical Chess Endings by Chernev


Openings

I own Chessbase 7 and have a megadatabase. (I also Fritz 11 and obviously Chess Master grandmaster edition)
Currently playing d4 and colle systems as provided in Killer Chess Opening Repertoire.

As Black, I have been playing d6 against everything as given in Explosive Chess Repertoire (I play the philidor version of 1. d4 d6 2. e4 nf6 3. nc3 e5)

I am switching though to e5 against e4 and the Nimzo and Bogo Indian against d4 as given in Chess Openings for Black explained by Alburt.

I own Beating the Open Games by Marin, Spanish Repertoire for Black by Marin.
  
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