Back to basics

I am the kind of person who likes to structure my chess training through the use of improvement guides and am currently following Dan Heisman's Novice Nook An improvement plan (all his great articles can be found at danheisman.com).

The first recommended book in this improvement guide is the one by Patrick Wolff, Total idiot's guide to chess, I've now finally ordered. Since I had already read Seirawan's Play Winning chess as my first "basic" book (the two books I've bought in Seirawan's series so far - the other one is Winning chess Tactics - have both been great!) I decided to skip the first step as well as the first book.

More and more I have come to realize, however, that the very first steps of a long journey is not to be taken in a hurry, without proper focus and awareness. I believe that moving back to step one will provide me with a more solid theoretical ground on which to build my future chess knowledge. The thing is, that since I recently joined a chess club (Sodertalje schacksallskap) , much of my focus has been on opening studies. I now feel an urge to once again return to the basic, general aspects of the game.

Being a drummer for the last 15 years I've come to realize that what my teacher first of all told me, the most simple and at the time boring, striking patterns for one drum - rudiments such as right, left, right, left and right, right, left, left - are now the very foundation of every fill and coordinationwise complicated groove I play. Those simple "one drum striking patterns" are now being used over the entire drum kit, and I always start out every rehearsal or sound check before a gig by playing these to get warmed up and get my hands going.

I believe this applies to chess as well. I actually believe that this applies to chess, martial arts, well, actually any art form - and life in general. Only by returning to - and thoroughly assimilating - the simplicity of basic techniques will you ever be prepared for more complex and advanced levels.

This mastering of the basics obviously takes time. You won't become a master in a year, no matter how hard you practice (unless you're a child prodigy or natural born talent - but that's someone else's blog to write...). As Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, taught his students:

In your training, do not be in a hurry,
for it takes a minimum of ten years
to master the basics

So I'll just take my time and, without being in any particular hurry, just let myself enjoy and be amazed by the beauty and the complexity, the black and white universe of chess.

At least as long as I don't lose those rated games...

Recommended chess book for novices trying to improve

At the moment I'm eagerly awaiting the book I ordered yesterday, "The total idot's guide to chess" by GM Patrick Wolff. In spite of the title this book has been recommended to players struggling to improve by, among others, renowned chess trainer Dan Heisman and "expert player" Mehmet Gok (at amazon.com)

Chess - The very first step

1.e4 - the very beginning of a chess game. A symbol for all the possibilities. And this is exactly that: A chance taken. My very first blog, one that will be about my chess interest. We'll see what happens along the way...