# Best way to get good at chess? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 26, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140 "2011-11-26T13:03:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/102 "2011-12-05T22:44:24Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > I’d love to! I should have time next week if that’s convenient for you ? Fine by me. I’ll start a thread and reference it from here, just like I did for Mosier. You’ll be White (to ‘balance’ things), so start planning… ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/103 "2011-12-07T15:00:15Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Fine by me. > > I’ll start a thread and reference it from here, just like I did for Mosier. > You’ll be White (to ‘balance’ things), so start planning… I must admit I’m a little intimidated by the idea. Not the game itself (I know I’m not good at the game, and I’m not afraid to lose or anything silly like that) but the whole idea of doing it on a messageboard and the additional complexities involved therein. No idea why! ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/104 "2011-12-07T15:12:19Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > I must admit I’m a little intimidated by the idea. > > Not the game itself (I know I’m not good at the game, and I’m not afraid to lose or anything silly like that) but the whole idea of doing it on a messageboard and the additional complexities involved therein. No idea why! Well it’s not difficult to follow the game (especially if some kind soul puts the board position up) and there’s no time limit on your moves. Plus it is a seriously good way to learn (I hope you’ve had time to look at my previous game v Sixswords and also the game v Mosier.) I explain stuff and answer your questions - for free! So conquer your fears and fulfil your destiny\*, young Candyman! \*yes, you will lose. I didn’t spend thousands of hours and over 50 years on chess in vain. :p;) ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/105 "2011-12-07T21:12:38Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Well it’s not difficult to follow the game (especially if some kind soul puts the board position up) and there’s no time limit on your moves. > Plus it is a seriously good way to learn (I hope you’ve had time to look at my previous game v Sixswords and also the game v Mosier.) > I explain stuff and answer your questions - for free! > > So conquer your fears and fulfil your destiny\*, young Candyman! > > \*yes, you will lose. I didn’t spend thousands of hours and over 50 years on chess in vain. :p;) Oh, we’ll do it next week, for sure. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it! BTW, what the heck does one do after Ruy Lopez? It seems to me that it puts you in a situation of getting your knight threatened quickly and your bishop chased around the board by pawns. It’s great that it opens the lines and gets those two pieces out there, but they’re both quickly running away and wasting moves! ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/106 "2011-12-07T21:26:46Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Didn’t read the thread, huh? 😃 I’m not going to lie; I didn’t. Guess I should have based on your response, though 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/107 "2011-12-07T22:55:43Z")
> [@glee](#): > > \*the top US player Nakamura has played this - but only for shock value. Nakamura. I remember him! OK, that sounds weird to be talking about the single best US player (possibly in history), and one of the top ten players in the world. But I really don’t follow chess and just remember him from a Supernational academic tournament back in 2000 that I worked at as a reporter. I tried to get a few interviews with him but found him to be quite intense, extremely shy and very reclusive. Reading through Wikipedia on him, I see he’s outgrown that phase a bit. I can probably just chalk my impressions up to the fact that the kid was just 13 years old. Fun tournament. Got to meet Josh Waitzkin there too (when he still played chess). ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/108 "2011-12-08T03:52:20Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Didn’t read the thread, huh? 😃 Hey, I was setting that cat up as a pigeon! Yeah, I’m better than him, sure, err! Serious note: the only people I play against are better than me. I don’t have internet access at my apartment, so I only play IRL once in a while, and never online. It gets old – most people I know will talk a blue streak IRL about theory and strategy, but once they’re playing a game, they just go to get it over with the pipsqueak at the end of the bar. I learn more from reading books, theoretically, but the practice is good. I still think blitz games/rapids are the way to go – the reptilian brain recognizes patterns, and multiple ones at that – and when a game is done, try again. You need to know some people who have a lot of time on their hands to do that many times, though. That’s why I like the engines. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/109 "2011-12-09T23:48:30Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Nakamura. I remember him! OK, that sounds weird to be talking about the single best US player (possibly in history), and one of the top ten players in the world. But I really don’t follow chess and just remember him from a Supernational academic tournament back in 2000 that I worked at as a reporter. I tried to get a few interviews with him but found him to be quite intense, extremely shy and very reclusive. Reading through Wikipedia on him, I see he’s outgrown that phase a bit. I can probably just chalk my impressions up to the fact that the kid was just 13 years old. > Fun tournament. Got to meet Josh Waitzkin there too (when he still played chess). At the London Classic, the players join in the live commentary. 🆒 Nakamura comes across very well - clear explanations and quite relaxed… ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/110 "2011-12-09T23:54:04Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > I still think blitz games/rapids are the way to go – the reptilian brain recognizes patterns, and multiple ones at that – and when a game is done, try again. You need to know some people who have a lot of time on their hands to do that many times, though. That’s why I like the engines. I agree that patterns are important in chess, but the advice I’ve given must help too. If someone (for example) only brings out their Queen, then it doesn’t matter how many games they play - they’re not learning anything. Once you’ve got the basics sorted, then regular practice at blitz certainly works. When my rating was around 2200, I used to work in the same building as another 2200 player - and playing hundreds of games over a year **definitely** improved my game. ---
**Author:** ![TATG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/50afbb/32.png) [@TATG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TATG)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140/111 "2011-12-10T04:26:42Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > I still think blitz games/rapids are the way to go – the reptilian brain recognizes patterns, and multiple ones at that – and when a game is done, try again. You need to know some people who have a lot of time on their hands to do that many times, though. That’s why I like the engines. I think quickly flippig through, on a computer, master games is good for this. The other thing to keep in mind is that when you study your brain is developing pattern recognition. So you don’t need to worry if you don’t get it at first; your brain is on the job behind the scenes. In terms of practical results, simple tactical training, something in the order of 15 minutes a day, 10 puzzles (where you just attempt, look at the answer, attempt to visualise the answer) is what I think is most effective at (what I take to be) Candyman’s level. Maybe reading some simple introduction to chess, like Koshnitsky and Purdy’s is needed as well, depending on the level. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-get-good-at-chess/604140.md?page=5)