Gathering plans

 I subscribed for two tournaments this summer. Finally. I did so two years ago, but both corona and health issues spoiled it.

I made the choices which openings to play, and I'm gathering the plans which accompany these openings. To concoct plans behind the board is very time consuming, and should be avoided whenever possible. In stead the plans must be standard plans, formulated in the study room. Only to be fine tuned behind the board. Often these plans lead to good positions. But I spill points when I try to convert these good positions into wins.

I noticed I need two kind of plans in a good position: an attacking plan and an endgame plan. Often I see that I probably can convert a good position into a good endgame, if I only had an idea how to play these endgames. I lack the standard plans.

I feel now is the right time to fill in that omission. So I started with the 100 endgames you must know from the Chessable website (New In Chess and GM de la Villa). It's very refreshing and enlightening. Later on I will add Smirnov's endgame strategy which I have studied loosely before. I have two and a half month to prepare for the tournaments.