The Brutal Truth of Adult Chess Improvement

[@benedictineonchessable]

40 Reasons Your Stuck at Your Rating: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYfZlnR8pMecjMk

[@joyoboyo-m1w]

I'm an 1800 OTB fide, i'm 26 i just started to take chess seriously.. i started just studying chess two weeks ago.. never opened a chess book before and i already started to see that i was always relying on tactical skills and instincts never studied opening theory or endgames nothing.. now that i'm putting on the work.. just 2 weeks and i'm starting to see things differently.. its a science that needs to be treated as serious as it should to get to master levels or even grand masters.. i honestly feel like if you have the dedication and you feel like you're picking up things fast you can level up your game to a point you won't ever dream about

[@benedictineonchessable]

Good stuff and good luck! 👍

[@Johnhoward4794]

Very inspirational comment, I fully agree!

[@OTBwoodpusher]

As an adult playing OTB, leave your ego at the door. Playing U1200 section you’ll be matched with preteens and teens, and you’ll lose. It’s all part of the learning process.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Absolutely. Many of those kids will be really under-rated and very sharp tactically. Best plan, try to play slow and boring.

[@lukeanthony2992]

Nice video

[@gregwhittier5206]

I'm starting at 52 from zero (a friend taught me how the pieces moved when I was 6, but he left out en passant and castling I'm pretty sure). I'm plugging away because I'm fascinated by just how bad I am at this. It has taken me a bit to learn tactics are the key and am a bit worried about my ability to absorb them. It reminds me of skill sports. I was on a swim team as a kid and I'm pretty sure I could swim passably now by putting in some work, but I can't imagine starting out without being able to swim a legal breast stroke or do a flip turn from muscle memory. We'll see!

[@benedictineonchessable]

Best of luck! Yes, I'm still amazed at just how bad I am as well. It's incredible. Chess has a way of continually kicking you in the teeth. Yes, I would recommend you sticking to the very basics in simple tactics and general chess development principles i.e rapid development, castling early etc. Thanks.

[@thedilletante4401]

I bought Visualization #1 without knowing it was your work. And the after watching several adult improver interviews bought Common Chess Patterns. I'm not sure the exact impact these have had on my game, but even the awareness of needing to build up a library of patterns probably is making a slow improvement.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Thank you! Much appreciated. Yes, improvement always lags behind learnt material as it takes time to fully assimilate in the mind. You can even go backwards first before going forwards, ironically. For example, if you're reading a book on chess strategy, focusing on outposts, the danger is you tend to try to focus on that too much during a game to the detriment of other areas. Improvement comes when new ideas have had time to settle and, of course, you must keep playing and practicing. Good luck with your chess.

[@1987Aequitas]

Here is the thing. For me I learned chess at a very young age. Basic theory for 2 moves perhaps explained by my father. Never looked at chess anymore. In the age of half way in the 20s I started playing. I played very active 2 seasons, then I played for many years like 7 games maximum on a year. Now I play more again since this 2023. I reached a 1950 FIDE rating. Anyone who plays chess and does effort CAN reach1900+. This is easily to reach. What is important to do? 1. Solve tactical puzzles. Take puzzles that need maximum 3 moves to be done. Learn to spot it quickly. 2. Study openings. Do not make the mistake to learn whole lines but study more the ideas of the opening. 3. Read books about strategy. Learn how to exploit certain weaknesses or how to play certain types of pawnstructures. 4. Study BASIC endgames. Not to deep. But you need to know the piece checkmates, and certain endgame themes. 5. The most important! Play games and do analyse them and avoid making the mistakes you make! Learn from them. If anyone has questions or want a book recommandation of any subjected just ask. I will answer them.

[@benedictineonchessable]

I completely agree with the 5 bullet points. Great advice on all of them. It does make a difference in terms of chess improvement if you've played chess as a kid though. It seems, even a little exposure to chess at a young age can make all the difference over an adult who actually starts from scratch aged 25+. I definitely agree with those steps though, great advice.

[@npigwnl]

Hi! I’d like a recommendation for a beginner strategy book. I recently started playing at 40 years old and I reached 700 in a few weeks. Thanks!

[@companyjoe]

Thanks. Now I feel silly for wondering what is wrong with me. I'm old, there's no way I can learn as fast as I could as a kid. This takes a burden off my shoulders.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Cool. Keep going pal.

[@southernrun9048]

Enjoy the break and will take time to go back through videos you’ve done I haven’t seen. Look forward to your course release.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Thanks a lot.

[@jackmckok87]

The man speaks the truth . If you are of average intelligence, you can reach category A level. It takes time and a lot of perseverance. The sticking point of most payers is between 1900 and 2100. Beyond that level it usually takes a special talent for the game.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Yes, you can improve with hard work and time. The older you are the harder it is, but quitters win nothing.

[@Orwaha]

You have to be willing to be a fool to become a master.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Nice line.

[@edsanjenis9416]

Everything he said is true, tactics is the key to improvement. Edit: Plus it is better to be 1800 otb than online, there's more respect.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Cheers

[@edsanjenis9416]

@@benedictineonchessable I hope you go to expert 2000 elo.

[@benedictineonchessable]

@@edsanjenis9416 Thank you.

[@luckbeforeleap]

For sure the ability to take many, many, many losses and keep coming back for more is the most important thing. Intelligent people struggle with this because all their life they are seen (and see themselves) as super smart. An impulsive (or thin-skinned) person with a genius IQ will fail at chess and just give up because the hammering of losses will destroy their ego before they can get any good at the game.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Absolutely.

[@alexwhite8449]

Props to Benedictine for making this video despite the strange head injury. I hope he's back soon : )

[@benedictineonchessable]

Ha, ha what strange head injury? When the background goes funny. 🤣

[@alexwhite8449]

@@benedictineonchessable Haha, thanks for the reply. Yeah, I was just musing over the distortion.

[@benedictineonchessable]

@@alexwhite8449 Yes, it's annoying. It does that sometimes.

[@expect_DanError]

That's great! Thanks a lot!

[@benedictineonchessable]

Cheers.

[@Ralphistoun]

I am 17 and I feel like I started late I got to 1200 in 2 months and it was feeling great however for the last 2 months I have put in hours and hours and haven't improved in fact I am still 1200 :( , also I do 30 minutes of tactics a day is that enough?

[@benedictineonchessable]

If you're 17 then congratulations you've just got there in time to make rapid progress! The rapid cut off seems to be between 18-25. 2 months in terms of chess improvement is nothing though. If you were older it could takes years to go from 1200-1400 for example. You just have to keep training the right way, i.e. using spaced repetition but as you're 17 then you will soak up the material faster. It's difficult to say what time is 'enough' it's like the how long is a piece of string.thing. If you're doing that everyday then that's a healthy balance between studying and I'm assuming you are also playing and analysing as well. You could also try over-studying sometimes for example put in an odd day where you do lots of tactics now and again. I used to do some 4-5 hour sessions sometimes. (But I needed it as I was older.) Don't measure goals in months but in years. You could ask yourself how strong will I be when I'm 20 for example. Keep at it!

[@nicolasderico5519]

Did you get to 1800 though?

[@TomahawkCreekMiddleSchool]

That is what I want to know

[@benedictineonchessable]

Yes, I did.

[@TomahawkCreekMiddleSchool]

@@benedictineonchessable Congratulations

[@benedictineonchessable]

@@TomahawkCreekMiddleSchool Cheers.

[@travistucker4067]

No lies detected. Thank you for this video.🔥💯

[@benedictineonchessable]

Ha, ha cheers. It's called 'going on a rant!'

[@bluefin.64]

Enjoy your break. Take as long as you need, but hurry up and come back. :-)

[@benedictineonchessable]

Thanks. I think I need about 3 or 4 solid weeks to finish off CCP 2 that's all

[@bluefin.64]

@@benedictineonchessable Not time off then, just other work. What bothers me though is that you're going to force me to spend more money on Chessable.

[@benedictineonchessable]

@@bluefin.64 ha, ha. I rarely get much time off.

[@chessforfunonly1586]

You sound like Jerry Jackson.

[@benedictineonchessable]

Oh right, nice one. I don't know who he is but I will Google him. He's probably some Hollywood heartthrob obviously!

[@benedictineonchessable]

Ha, ha funny. I just looked him up on KZbin. Brilliant!!