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.
1 further extension of the positional framework
ReplyDelete2 tactics. This is the glue between positional ideas
More and more I get convinced that it is point 2 that matters most. That profound absorption of tactics is the source of the difference between a master and a grandmaster.
At the same time, it must be clear that a thorough mastery of point 1 is the base. Without positional ideas, the glue cannot be applied.
The study of positional ideas is complicated by the fact that positions seldom show clean positional ideas without tactics. So this study needs a somewhat different approach. I suspect that playing and deeply analyzing my own games might indeed be the way to go.
The heart of the positional ideas is formed by the pawn moves and how they alter the positional landscape.