My chess quest is proving to be quite a struggle.
There is just so much to learn and so little time! This post will provide a quick update on my progress, a description of the challenges I’m facing, and my new action plan.
An Update on My Progress
1. I have been doing my Tactics Puzzles almost every day.
This chart shows how many tactics I have completed and how many I passed/failed on a given day. As you can see, I’ve been pretty consistent with doing 5 per day (you get 5 for free with a basic membership). I have been contemplating upgrading my account to a Gold Membership so I can have access to 25 tactics per day (and other perks), but I haven’t fully decided yet.
This chart tracks my Tactics Rating. It fell at the beginning of January because Chess.com started me with a super inaccurate rating of 850; therefore, my rating had to fall until it settled into a more accurate reflection of my ability. It has been steadily climbing since January 18th and I’m hoping to bring it up to 700 soon!
2. I have not been playing games online as much as I should be.
I know I need to play more in order to improve and to find my legitimate rating, but I’ve been struggling to find the time and motivation to sit down and play with so much other stuff going on! As well, playing games can be draining and difficult.
Game Analysis Video
Check out this video, created with Screencastify, to get an idea of what my online chess games are like. In it, I analyze one of my games on Chess.com and outline my major blunders.
Things I’m Working On
- Recognizing my opponent’s forcing moves (especially checks, captures, and threats)
- Finding/setting up tactics
- NOT DROPPING MY PIECES
Continually dropping pieces in games and just being a disappointment to myself in general has led me to make some new chess resolutions!
Action Plan
- Play (and analyze) at least 4 games online per week.
- Continue doing Tactics Puzzles each day.
- Watch instructional videos as well as LiveStreams from Daniel Rensch and videos by John Bartholomew.
Is anyone else struggling to find the time or motivation to stay committed to their #LearningProject? What barriers have you faced in your quest? Any suggestions for overcoming these challenges are welcome and appreciated!
