dinsdag 31 januari 2017

Setup, choose books, start!

Caïssa - patron goddess of chess players

At the beginning of january Andrew A Couchman got in contact with me thru email. He had heard me talk about starting a chess study in one of the facebook groups we are both member of. Since he is doing a chess study himself, his aim is to be(come) Fide Master in 2031, he was eager to give general suggestions how to set up a chess study. Offcourse, as a good chess player, I scrutinized everything he mentioned. Kept in mind the things I like and think is useful and tossed out the things that might be usefull for him but not for me, two persons are never alike.

The whole month of january I thought about how to organize my chess study. At first I read an article that stated that one must spend atleast ten thousand hours of hard work on something before you can even say you mastered it. Doesn't matter if you are talented or not in the chosen subject, you have to do the hours.

I also pondered if I would walk the path so many walked before me. Meaning to start with the books of author Jeremy Silman. I decided against it. Dont get me wrong, Jeremy Silman is a good writer and chess teacher (his books are on my reading list for 2018) but I chose for authors closer at home to start my chess study with.


  1. Tune your chess tactics antenna - Emmanuel Nieman
  2. Chess Strategy for club players - Herman Grooten
  3. Attacking chess for club players - Herman Grooten
  4. Endgame tactics - Ger Van Perlo
  5. The most instructive games of chess ever played - Irving Chernev
  6. Chess structures A grandmaster guide - Mauricio Flores Rios
  7. Chess training Pocket book I & II - Lev Alburt

1st of february I will start my study with the book Tune your chess tactics antenna.

Hopefully it will be a fun and enjoyable road towards 2000 elo. I hope Caïssa will be with me all the way.