2000 Challenge – Discover ways to improve at chess and attain the rank of expert.

This week I continued to read Silman after spending a few weeks focusing on deadlines at university. I’m happy to have developed a deeper passion for chess, and I know that I’ll continue learning and improving long after this inquiry and semester end. I enjoy immersing myself in chess – playing games, completing puzzles, referencing databases, reading literature – I just wish I had more time to commit to improving right now. Reading chess literature and doing chess exercises requires a significant focus from me, and I don’t retain my learning well when I’m tired or distracted. There were a few instances this week where I had a chance to play chess or spend time reading, and I was happy to do so.

A classmate challenged me to a game of chess on the mobile app he uses, and we battled together this week. It’s always fun to play against someone new, I think you interact with someone a little differently when it’s over a chessboard. We haven’t finished our game yet, but if he beats me I promised to give him a shout-out here.

I’m using a companion to supplement my reading, a web-based database that contains millions of played games that I use in many ways. There are many historical games referenced in Silman, and in many chess books to be fair. Rather than mentally playing along with the historical diagrams that are referenced, I would set up a physical chess board and play the historical game out on a board. With this database, not only can I use the web based player to move pieces and follow along with diagrams in my book, but I can also access the specific historical game being referenced in the book, allowing me to follow along and save heaps of time. I also use the database to help with my opening theory. It’s been really fantastic to use and I would recommend it as a companion for anyone reading a chess book.

Thanks for reading. – Mike