Despite some methods being more popular, there are no hard-set ways to study chess. As every player is different, so every training path differs, and although they all aim for the same goal, the route frequently diverges.
We asked our top coaches all about their favourite study secrets and they revealed that among the range of methods that were effective with students, there were a number that resulted in rapid improvements across the board. It’s these tried and trusted methods that appear here.
Active studying 🤓
When studying a potentially challenging subject such as chess, it can be tempting to drift off and gloss over some parts, but by engaging with the material, and thinking as you learn your brain is soaking up the new information like a sponge. Activities, including the solving of tactical questions, or analysing your game, allows you to participate fully in the experience.
Use your mistakes 😎
Even the best players make mistakes, the trick, however, is to turn them around, transforming a negative into a positive. If you can understand why you made the mistake, you can avoid that issue in future games. Were you tired? Not concentrating? Hurrying to make your move? These are all easily rectified. But it’s also important to learn from the results of those errors. Did you miss a trade up? Not kept enough in reserve for the endgame? Finally, learn from how you recovered from them.
⭐️ At RetiOpening our expert coaches possess the experience to analyse every mistake, encouraging you to grow and expand your gameplay as a result ⭐️
Push, but don’t overwhelm 🧐
When learning anything, especially chess, it’s good to push your boundaries, stretching your comfort zone, but not allowing yourself to feel overwhelmed with information. You stand to gain the most from training material that you find moderately hard, and working on several of these challenges is much more effective than solving 50 simple checkmates. However, don’t consider looking at material that is too far out of your knowledge comfort zone or you may overwhelm yourself, making life unnecessarily difficult.
Practice your middle-games 🥸
Most chess players have a fairly good idea of how to play the opening and end moves but can stumble through the middle-game. Often lacking a clear cut strategy, it doesn’t have a simple opening idea of keeping the king safe, developing pieces and so on.
In an average middle-game, there are around 50 legal moves, but which are worth considering? The aim is to understand those moves, almost without conscious thought, and choose the one that fits your purpose. This skill is only gained and nurtured through practice, and that’s why our top coaches place spending time perfecting your middle-game on their list of best study methods.
Constant reassessment 🤔
Repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different result is often cited as the definition of insanity, and one of the best, most effective ways of avoiding this pitfall is to always reassess and analyse your game. A good coach is the recommended way to gain a fresh perspective, providing honest and objective feedback, and allowing you to gain from their experience and superior knowledge.
