So, let's think that you know by now which ones are your strong and weak points, after the analysis of a number of your games. The next step is to work on the weak points to improve as quickly as possible. It seems so easy, and however is probably the most difficult thing to do. The problem is the inverse correlation between our weak points and the pleasure we obtain from working. That is, the weaker we are in some aspect of the game, the harder it is to work on them in order to improve. This leads me to the most common mistake in chessplayers of all ages and strenghts: to think that the weakest point is opening knowledge. WRONG. In some way, we always have a lot to learn in the opening phase of the game. Most of us don't have the time (and the money) required for an up-to-date opening repertoire. You will always find somebody who knows a lot more than you do about openings in general or at least in particular lines. I will talk in another article about how to develop an acceptable opening repertoire Here I am more interested in fighting against a typical mistake of believing that time for opening preparation is all what you need to become a master. This is basically false. I have met along my time in chess a lot of people that have used most of their times exclusively studying openings without any success. Probably you know the type. Why everybody is so obsessed with opening theory?. Well, if you are already a master, you really need to study a lot of opening theory if only to avoid to get caught in a sophisticated "trick" recently invented by Kasparov or other grandmasters. Although most people don't have enough chess strenght as to create their own weapons, they are good enough as to understand and copy the ideas of stronger players. Thus, a big part of my opening preparation is dedicated to find satisfactory ways of avoiding main, heavily analyzed, lines. My experience is that generally you can avoid the main paths without too much harm, especially with the white pieces. But now we are talking about somebody that wants to be a master, but is still maybe a 1800 or even a 1400 player!. I would think that opening is not so important at this level, when you get caught in very easy tactical or strategical tricks a few moves after you leave the book, right?. But these players (myself included when I was one of them) always think that opening is their weakest point. The reason for that is very simple: TO STUDY OPENINGS IS VERY EASY. In order to improve your opening play you just take a book, read a few comments about the opening and memorize a few lines and that's it: you are an expert in this or that opening, you can beat anybody now. So you feel confident and you really think you know more about chess than 10 minutes ago. Well, believe me, it's not so easy. First, opening theory is today very complex so a good preparation in ANY opening at a master level requires months of work, studying games, learning and memorizing the lines (most of the time you do this work along a period of years, learning here and there the tricks of the trade, but if you want to start from scratch, it will take you a long time). Second and most important is that opening theory is meaningless without a real understanding of the basic tactical and strategical ideas of the middlegames and endgames that derive from the openings you use, and learn all these basics is even more complicated. Finally, the opening is only one part of the game and if you are a weak player it will be insufficient because you will make big errors that will destroy all the advantages of your opening preparation. So what do you do?. Let's see:
The question is then, If the opening is not my main problem, what is it??. The answer is, in general, TACTICS. See the next part of how to become a master.
I was planning to talk about the long term requirements for developing as a good chess player, but I have thought that it would be better to change the order and to say a few things about the latest chess truth: CHESS IS TACTICS. The matches between Kasparov and Deep Blue are good examples. Now for the first time we are playing not only against a computer but also against something that has its own intelligence. The depth of the computer's calculation gives it certain positional understanding. Even as we saw today, machines don't understand many things. But only if it goes beyond the depth of its calculation." Chess is ONLY moves on a chessboard. Chess is only tactics. If you calculate thoroughly enough you will beat Kasparov and everybody else because "positional mistakes" simply don't exist: they are simply tactical errors with long term consequences. So, yes, chess is only tactics and if your mind is good enough as to calculate deeply you will be as good as Deep Blue, and maybe even better. That's higher than our goal of 2200 FIDE ELO, right? What are then the consequences of this newly found truth? For playing chess, you have to know first and most important how to calculate. Now, the good news is that this is one of the easiest ways to improve, because it is very straightforward. The bad news is that it requires a lot of time, so forget about time for opening study. Well, I am joking. Please find a good equilibrium. To play better chess:
Play, analyze, study tactics and you will be a master. Study openings and you will be an erudite. It is easy to think that you know a lot about chess by reciting books. But remember that when a chessboard is between you and your opponents, THEN only sweat and blood will rule.
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