Improving

"In the course of writing this book, I had hoped had hoped that working through my own barriers would provide material here. In retrospect, having finally achieved the grandmaster title during this time, I can only say that I am now even more convinced that each player must find his own unique solution to the problem of improving - there are so many things that can be done!"      

-- Jonathan Tisdall, Improve Your Chess Now; Intro, pg. 8


"Educators tend to inundate students with advice and countless rules of thumb. These are propounded to start students up the right avenues. In the end, the best advice is aimed at inspiring them to solve their own problems, to think for themselves. This is the role of the dedicated teacher."

-- Bruce Pandolfini, The Chess Doctor; Intro, pg. 18

Tactics?

What is the proper place of tactics in chess? What is the proper relationship between tactics and strategy? Eternal questions perhaps, but we need to find means and ways of improving our chess. Below is a quote from the forward of Larry Evans' book What's The Best Move (ISBN 0-671-21460-8).

I have discovered that most players suffer from a strategical deficiency; questions submitted to my columns generally pertain to humdrum, seemingly unglamorous settings arising out of the opening. It has been noted that tactics is what we use when there is something to do' strategy is what we use when there is nothing to do. One drawback of the present literature is an excessive emphasis on tactics - brilliant finales filled with sturm and drang. We can revel in their beauty and even congratulate ourselves on finding the winning coups. But how often is there a neon caption WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN in our own games? Books and articles devoted to combinations undoubtedly can sharpen your tactical awareness; at the same time, perforce, we are warned beforehand that something dramatic is in the offing. The bulk of the time, to tell the truth, there is no quick kill, no sockdolager, no startling way to demolish our adversary. He must be set up or led astray by sophisticated ploys. Position play is the best possible preparation for releasing accumulated energy in the explosion of a combination.

In my view tactical training should be used to hone two skills/aspects of chessic knowledge. First, that of working on and increasing our ability at visualization. Take for example the combination below from the first Chess Informant. Even if you have the answer right in front of you can you visualize your way through the entire position? If not would you really play it? Most likely not. You cannot play what you cannot see. The second reason is to honestly ask yourself, why you would have or would not have seen this combination. This is key. Some combinations are just beyond one's current ability to visualize. Perhaps you would not have seen it because you are too materialistic and hesitant to part with the queen in such a manner. Perhaps the geometry or the coordination of the pieces alludes your current ability. Whatever the case might be the key is to honestly answer yourself and then to recognize and work on that aspect that limited you in finding the combination.