Chess Training Without A Board

Chess Aspirant

Here are some practical principles I'll recommend to someone who wants to develop his play.

1. Find a training partner. 

Plan your chess training together and encourage each other to do your best.

2. Warm-up before a game or a training session.

Good focus is needed here and bring your mental skill in top shape.

3. Keep your pieces protected (a good technique to keep in mind).

Make sure your pieces are connected to not overlook something.

4. Spot the opponent's threat (after opponent's last move).

Ask yourself the intention of the opponent's last move and what he will do next.

5. Perform anti-blunder check (before making your move).

Check the opponent's attacking response especially on your half of the board.

Chess Quotes

          Words of wisdom from a "scheming mind".

Chess Reflections

Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine. – Spielmann  

General Tips

Chess is a matter of delicate judgment, knowing when to punch and how to duck. – Fischer 

Opening

Your only task in the opening is to reach a playable middlegame. – Portisch 

Middlegame

The middlegame I repeat is chess itself; chess with all its possibilities, its attacks, defences, sacrifices, etc. – Znosko-Borovsky  

Endgame

The theory of the endgame proper is concerned to a large extent with the conversion of an advantage of one pawn into a win. – Fine 

Tactics and Strategy

The tactician knows what to do when there is something to do; whereas the strategian knows what to do when there is nothing to do. – Gerald Abrahams 

Analysis

Chess mastery essentially consists of analyzing chess positions accurately. 

– Botvinnik 

Peak Chess Performance

Stress and Recovery

" I have observed that if a player spends more than 20 minutes over a move, the result is almost always a mistake." - John Nunn

Physiologists discovered that in virtually every discipline, a dominant performer features the routine use of recovery periods. Athletes who are able to relax in brief moments of inactivity are almost always the ones who deliver when the game is on the line.

With regards to chess, the quality of a chess player's thought process will be higher if it is preceded by a period of relaxation. Improvement in play can be noticed if the mind releases some of the tension and not to think long and hard (all the time) during a game.

"Time-frame" of Training

Scientists refer to "proper timing of training" in relation to the scale of our mental activities, and how we are able to attain maximum performance in it. 

GM Grivas, mentioned in his writing that science unanimously accepts the following categorization of people:

1. Larks (early bird): their mental processes are most efficient during the first half of the day, falling off during the second half. Approximately 25% of the world's population belongs in this category.

2. Owls (night bird): their mental processes are most efficient during the second half of the day and especially during the evening hours. They usually go to sleep late and wake up accordingly late. Approximately 30% of the world's population belongs in this category.

3. Hummingbirds (arrhythmics): for these people mental processes do not display any special ups and down during the day or night. Approximately 45% of the world's population, the largest part, belongs to this category.

The Greek GM also explained that in practice, all top chessplayers belong to the 'Owls' category. Simply because it is directly related to the standard time-frame of chess competitions, which mostly take place during the second half of the day. Therefore, chessplayers 'must' place himself in this category (as far as possible) and adapt his training schedule accordingly.

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How to study chess effectively? 

        Know the general principles of effective study and get the maximum benefit from your training. It will help you to improve any skill (not just chess skills) effectively!

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A Short Course in Chess

Secrets of Strong Players
Three Main Principles
* " To take is a mistake." 

* " Offense is the best defense."

* " Keep focus on attack and keep an eye on opponent’s attack." 

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7 Important Ideas to Remember

(1) Avoid unnecessary exchanges of pieces.

(2) Keep the tension.

(3) Let the opponent make an exchange and you’ll become more active.

(4) When being attacked don’t simply go for defense, try to start a counter attack.

(5) Don't just focus on your opponent’s threat, know your PLAN as well.

(6) Focus on the opponent’s half of the board, to find attacking moves you can play there.

(7) Focus on your half of the board, to anticipate opponent's attacking responses.

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