Tactics study

By Steve | Published: December 18, 2005

Currently I have two sources for tactics study:

  • Chess Tactics Server
    This is a fun online service with an interesting rating scheme. The emphasis is definitely on quick pattern recognition. Here’s my CTS profile.
  • Chess Tactics for Beginners (Windows software by Convekta).

Several times a week I find the time to do 10-20 problems in each of these sources.

Since I started seriously trying to improve, I’ve worked my way through a number of other tactics sources.

  1. Chess Tactics for Students, by John Bain
    Very basic tactical motifs. I worked through all the problems in this book several times until I could solve 90% accurately in less than 10 seconds.
  2. CT-ART, levels 10 and 20
  3. Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, by Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, Don Mosenfelder
    Basic mating patterns.
  4. Winning Chess Exercises for Kids, by Jeff Coakley
    One of my favorites. Each page has nine problems: three mates, three win material, one defense, one general principles/positions, and one end game.
  5. The Chess Tactics Workbook, by Al Woolum
    Lots of errors in this book. I should post my errata list.
  6. Chess Training Pocket Book, by Lev Alburt
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4 Comments

  1. DG
    Posted December 19, 2005 at 10:34 am | Permalink

    Steve,

    Since you are pursuing a tactics-based improvement program and are blogging about it, are you interested in joining the Knights Errant?

    DG – BCC Weblog

  2. Administrator
    Posted December 19, 2005 at 11:49 am | Permalink

    DG,

    Thanks for your question and interest.

    I had the impression that the Knights are following the de la Maza improvement program explicitly. Although I have read his book, I’m not following his program (seven circles and all that).

    Steve

  3. DG
    Posted December 19, 2005 at 5:24 pm | Permalink

    Over time the definition has evolved. They are generally happy to include anyone following a reasonably disciplined chess improvement regime in which tactics is an important component.

  4. Administrator
    Posted December 19, 2005 at 11:47 pm | Permalink

    I think I’ll pass for now.