4 ms·

I'm no good at thinking fast in the context of chess. Probably this is because I learned to play chess by playing against the computer as a kid without clocks,

I'm no good at thinking fast in the context of chess. Probably this is because I learned to play chess by playing against the computer as a kid without clocks, so I could spend minutes on every move. Today I'm just over 2000 on Lichess rapid. My inability to think quickly leads me to play like either an old or a drunk man (in fact I'm usually neither). I eschew tactical battles in favor of taking the position to a drawn endgame, where I can slowly gain an incremental advantage. Closed, maneuvering positions are great for me. My strategic ability is the only thing that saves me. Fortunately, tactics tend to favor the player with better coordinated pieces.

hutrdvnj 4y ago
I think you are limited by your lack of tactical strength. 2200 rapid rating in lichess should be possible for you within a few months with daily tactics training. You don't have to be a fast thinker (I would consider myself as slow thinker) to be good in tactics. It's about pattern recognition. So instead of doing a few puzzles where you think for a long time (calculation training), I would recommend you to do very easy tactics puzzles like the chesstempo easy blitz set, where you spend 30 seconds on average per puzzle. This way you can do thousands of puzzles within very short time (few weeks). After some time you will notice that you don't have to calculate anymore for many simple tactics, you just spot them immediately after a few second, because you recognize the pattern. Now, you might still be a slow calculator, but pattern recognition is fast and you don't have to fear tactical battles as much anymore, because you can trust your brain, that'll find the simple tactics with a very high success rate. Of course, there are also deeper tactics, e.g. a not so obvious mate in 7, but chances are high that neither you nor your opponent are able to spot them and you will only know afterwards with engine analysis. That's okay and also happens quite frequently even on GM level.
- usgroup 4y ago
  This seems like well reasoned advise, I might try it myself! In the intermediate ratings between 1500-2000 what would you say are the biggest factors affecting performance?
  - hutrdvnj 4y ago
    I think tactics are the most important aspect of the game for players in the 1500-2000 range. It doesn't matter if you have read all the best strategy books in chess and you know 15+ move deep opening lines, where you have an slight edge, when you miss a knight fork on move 20, which blunders a piece.
stavros 4y ago
> My inability to think quickly leads me to play like either an old or a drunk man (in fact I'm usually neither). It tickles me to think that you're sometimes randomly old.
inospeak1 4y ago
Also, note that the bullet pool is A LOT stronger than the rapid pool and so you will be ranked at a higher percentile (better rank) for the same rating in bullet. And if you are 2000 in rapid your inability to do well in bullet likely has little correlation with your raw thinking speed and very likely just pattern recognition and/or lowering your standards and/or mouse speed

hutrdvnj 4y ago

I think you are limited by your lack of tactical strength. 2200 rapid rating in lichess should be possible for you within a few months with daily tactics training. You don't have to be a fast thinker (I would consider myself as slow thinker) to be good in tactics. It's about pattern recognition. So instead of doing a few puzzles where you think for a long time (calculation training), I would recommend you to do very easy tactics puzzles like the chesstempo easy blitz set, where you spend 30 seconds on average per puzzle. This way you can do thousands of puzzles within very short time (few weeks). After some time you will notice that you don't have to calculate anymore for many simple tactics, you just spot them immediately after a few second, because you recognize the pattern. Now, you might still be a slow calculator, but pattern recognition is fast and you don't have to fear tactical battles as much anymore, because you can trust your brain, that'll find the simple tactics with a very high success rate. Of course, there are also deeper tactics, e.g. a not so obvious mate in 7, but chances are high that neither you nor your opponent are able to spot them and you will only know afterwards with engine analysis. That's okay and also happens quite frequently even on GM level.

usgroup 4y ago
This seems like well reasoned advise, I might try it myself! In the intermediate ratings between 1500-2000 what would you say are the biggest factors affecting performance?
- hutrdvnj 4y ago
  I think tactics are the most important aspect of the game for players in the 1500-2000 range. It doesn't matter if you have read all the best strategy books in chess and you know 15+ move deep opening lines, where you have an slight edge, when you miss a knight fork on move 20, which blunders a piece.

stavros 4y ago

> My inability to think quickly leads me to play like either an old or a drunk man (in fact I'm usually neither). It tickles me to think that you're sometimes randomly old.

inospeak1 4y ago

Also, note that the bullet pool is A LOT stronger than the rapid pool and so you will be ranked at a higher percentile (better rank) for the same rating in bullet. And if you are 2000 in rapid your inability to do well in bullet likely has little correlation with your raw thinking speed and very likely just pattern recognition and/or lowering your standards and/or mouse speed