Preliminary conclusion
After a few months of fiddling around with the center, exchanges, piece activity, restriction, pivot points and invasion, I come to the preliminary conclusion that it will be possible to incorporate these positional ideas into my framework. Meaning, that it make sense to continue with the subjects I was already studying (like endgames) without the risk that I will grind to a hold once I finish them. So I will work the next two years on:
- further extension of the positional framework (system 2)
- tactics (system 1). This is the glue between positional ideas
- endgames (system 2 and system 1)
I think that it is a realistic expectation that this will bring me from 1700 to 2000 in about two to four years. If I manage to do so, I consider my case of adult improvement proven beyond doubt.
I can't predict what will happen after that for two reasons: I don't know which unexpected discoveries I will make the next years. Be it good or bad. Furthermore, I will get older, and I don't know what the effect will be on my mind. Which makes matters all the more interesting.
The good news is that I will retire halfway the next month, so I will finally have some time on my hands to study chess and to play a tournament every now and then. I look forward to it!
I will be very surprised if it takes two-four years for you to reach 2000. Playing several games and deeply analyzing those games while building and using your framework should yield significant rating dividends in a fairly short time period.
ReplyDeleteTime and again, I had unexpected setbacks. Which showed me new holes in my bucket that I wasn't aware of or underestimated. So I'm a bit careful to prevent exaggerated expectations during tournaments.
DeleteOn the other hand, I consider it proven that I now know how to handle these holes, no matter how big and how many there are.
Once enough holes are plugged, logically something should happen. But I don't dare to predict it anymore. We'll see. When I prove my case, I'm already a happy man.