For beginners and improving players, it's very important to start tactics study with a set of fairly simple tactical positions, and to go through them repeatedly, over and over, until you can instantly recognize them, spending only up to a minute or so on each position, then looking at the answer and decreasing this time each pass through the set, and moving on to the next problem. Recognition is the goal in the beginning, not building tactical analysis skills.
One of the best ways to do this is to use randomized flash cards with the only instruction being White (Black) to move. One excellent source of suitable positions is John Bain's book: "Chess Tactics for Students" as recommended by Dan Heisman, the top guru of beginning and improving chess instruction.
Tactical ability is certainly right at the top of importance, but along with it is developing a proper thought process. Without a consistent thought process, all tactics, strategy, endgames, opening knowledge is basically useless. It takes just one bad move to lose a game.
No comments:
Post a Comment