Thursday, March 6, 2008
Interesting Idea
I'm about a week into Circle 2 and man, it's been hell! The problems seem harder this time around, but my percentage of accuracy is much higher than from Circle 1. Maybe the problems seem harder because I'm actually thinking this time around. In one of my previous posts I had mentioned how GM Rashid preaches a similar tactics training program to the Seven Circles. In his article he states that if you can remember 1000 tactical positions "by hand" (not by mind) that you will have the tactical ability of a GM. At first I was a little skeptical to his view on this but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. My goal is to get 100% accuracy with CT-ART. That's 1200+ tactical positions that I expect to be able to solve completely "by hand". I'm not quite sure if any of the Knights have tried this type of approach but the way I see it is, I really have nothing to lose but my time.
So I've been thinking about how I would approach this and came to the conclusion that I would finish the Seven Circles program. By that time, I expect to have an overall success rate of about 60%-65%. After I've finished with the Seven Circles, I plan to do about 6 12-week mini-circle programs. Each "mini-circle" program will contain 200 problems from CT-ART. I will do the program in fashion of 8-4-2-1 doing about 25 problems for 8 days, 50 problems for 4 days, 100 problems for 2 days, and obviously all 200 on the final day. After each mini-circle, I will go on to the next 200 problems in CT-ART. Ultimately, my goal is to have around 90%-100% accuracy by the time I finish the sixth mini-circle program. If I'm still lower than my expected percentage rate, I may start the mini-circles program again or I may just do the Seven Circles program all over again.
I suspect that this will take around a year to accomplish and I understand if some of you think I'm crazy for attempting it. I agree, it sounds a little ridiculous but I want to see if this really works! Sure, I'll basically be giving up a year of my life for complete chess tactics study but if you think about it, it's only a year! If it works, then I'll be damn glad I did it. If it doesn't work, then that's a lesson well learned. I'm sure I'll at least gain 500 rating points by doing this type of rigorous study so I'm not really complaining about the time lost.
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9 comments:
It was my goal to make 100% too! lol
Good Luck for us!
I'm very busy these days, but I'll blog about the tournament soon, sorry.
I don't know about 100% accuracy in CT-Art some of those problems are not a joke. The only thing I ever do on CT-Art is Tests and I allow all categories as long as the problem is rated over 2000. I usually get around 70% accuracy and it's good enough for a 2600+ CT-Art rating. I don't know how that translates to real rating, though.
Sir Augusto: Making 100% will be difficult man, Good luck!
DrunkNKnight: I don't quite follow what you mean by "some of those problems are not a joke" but I know that some problems in CT-ART have better solutions. I really want to shoot for 100% though. All it can do is improve my tactical ability and I'm completely ok with that.
welcome aboard.
i did a lot of CT-Art (and of course CTS). your plan sounds good, and has the tone or ring of someone who will do as they say. i wish you the best.
just to mention, i am doing and did CT-Art quite differently. slowly. i have spent two hours on a level five position. since my memory is very good, i DONT WANT TO MEMORIZE them so much as to experience them. not to say that you are wrong, but just suggest alternatives.
i once spent two years reading Chernev's Practical Chess Endings without a board, in my head, a year on Alburt's Pocket Chess Training without a board, all in my head. to me, if CTA takes me another year or half year, it is ok. what is the rush?
i would rather go twice as slow or five times a slow and two or five times as deep. latter, under repetition, i figure that i can go faster, but the first time round CANNOT BE replicated, if you follow.
take care, dk
Thank you DK. Your way of doing problems in CT-ART is kind of how I'm doing them at the moment. I'm taking my time, more trying to understand why certain things are possible in the current position in front of me. Sometimes, however, the problem has an easy enough solution that it will only take me a matter of seconds to figure out the 3-4 move combination(mostly from memory).
What you said about the first round not being able to be replicated actually makes a lot of sense. Especially if you're in a live game and there are a plethora of new tactics... mostly which you can't "practice" because they are right there in front of you.
Your comment was definitely both informative and educational and I thank you for that. I'll keep your suggestions in mind.
thank you for the acknowledgement and reply. i figured it would be ok with you, but one never knows some times the reaction that we will get.
yes, early on as you say. but at level five, if you think you can 'think' the combination, it is probably NOT the answer. that is to say, you almost have to IMAGINE OR CALCULATE a possibility for YOURSELF which makes NO SENSE, then forsee the others sides best respond THEN be able to IMAGINE another crazy move but which is nevertheless forcing.
level five is another ball game from level three. i am not at kevins 2600 but am at 2200 there and can certainly calculate when i have the time. i am a good bullet player, too.
a week from Friday i meet GM Seirawan, who is back in town to see family, and we are meeting at our favorite spot for a long walk then lunch. i have known him since 2002 and we are very close friends now. my chess is nothing, but, i closely watch his diplomacy! much to learn!
take care, dk
DK - You are absolutely correct. Level 5 is a MUCH different ballpark from Level 3. I am currently on Level 4 at the moment (finised Level 3 yesterday with nearly 10% higher accuracy than Circle 1) and I find the problems significantly harder than Level 3. Have you done the circles program, or are you following a different(but similar) program?
You know Seirawan?! That's really intense man. That makes me highly jealous. Granted, I know one GM who just became a GM last year (Jesse Kraai), but he's really nothing compared to Seirawan. What is your rating btw? You seem to me like a real strong player. I'm sure DrunkNKnight's rating is really respectable as well but I've yet to ask him.
most of the 'old regulars' here know this, but figured you didnt know that, and every now and then remind somebody... the newer folks in our circle dont know it.
of course, i am in a program, but feel no such obligation to do it the way de mazla said. you can find comments by those who say that his way is the best way. just because some jump on the bandwagon doesnt mean that it is THE bandwagon. a good process? yes. the only process? no.
i have done 48,000 chess tactical server, number 35 out of 3,000 for tries in the main case, and number ten or fifteen depending on day of the week for accuracy there.
rating. gosh. who knows. i have ratings from 1400 to 1700 depending on time frame. i have no chess class, and my friendship with Seirawan is based on hours and hours and a thousand emails discussing the world.
when we meet, he used to tell me all about his chess experiences, but these days a lot of our chat is about globalism, unsustainable markets, imbalanced societies.
he copies me among four, with me as the fourth, with Silman and two other dudes.
his voracity goes far beyond chess, and he is a true explorer of the world.
i do plan, btw, to continue at CTA3, and am at problem 840, but am working on another program now... i have my own collection of 3400 GM games and look at all of them, AND played 3000 bullet games in the last year. i have enough to do, and then some. see old posts for more, and there is a lot more.
since i work at nutrition, financial markets, sometimes climbing, and do a lot of writing outside blogger, my plate is full. if you have interesting friends, in the end, you must pay attention to them, and it can be hard work, honest.
take care, dk
Dear Nemo,
You've got a interesting site. I'm doing the circles too. I’m also using CT-art. I’m doing the problems by grades of difficulty, so I never know the theme of the problems before I do them. This makes it a little bit more difficult.
Doing tactics is a good way of improving your playing strength. I also recommend Total Chess Training as a good overall program to help you improve.
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