MiniCircle 9 L20 The Circle that never ends

This is the circle that never ends
it goes on and on my friend
I started solving them not knowing what to do
but I continue solving them just because it's
the circle that never ends
it goes on and on my friend .....

Session 1: Problems 111-130 session 91% overall 91%
session 1 review
116......... 118 ........ 119 ....... 127.......

Session 2: Problems 131-149 session 93% overall 92%
review
132........ 145........146...........
note on 145 take with bishop not rook!!!

Session 3:Problems 150-160 session 96% overall 93%
only 151 .....
note on 156 it forces a capture which blocks the prior checkmate protection study it

Session 4: Problems 161-180 session 86% overall 91%
162.... 166..... 168.... 172.... 176......
note to self: 172: investigate why only rook to e7 works and not other rook moves
study 176, 180 got correct but unsure why it works,study it

Session 5: Problems 181-200 session 88% overall 90%
189....191......194......198....200
nts;189 carefully review move order
194 look for loose pieces LPDO
198 study:complex

Session 6:problems 201-210 80% ses. 89%total

202....203...206......

Session 7: 211-230 session 87% overall 89%

217....225....227....228....230.....

nts 217-must do bishop rotg,225 explore all backrank options, 227 not follow bishop move all the way through,230 didn't explore queen check.

Session 8:231-250 session 85% overall 88%
these I got right but need to study for speed (sfs)
234....235...244....245.....sfs

237...239....242....247...249...250 (wrong)

Session 9: 251-270 session 83% 88%overall

252...257....260....261....270.....

252 makes move that removes future mate blocking pawn, When queen is in a pile look to limit it's movement,270 careful with moves and evaluate move order

Session 10: 271-290 session 87% 88 overall

278....279....286....290...

286 is a night row chckm +290 needs extensive study. Need to memorize 278 I don't understand it. also 281&285 are cool smothered mates

Session 11: 290-310 session 74% overall 86%

291.....292....300....301....303....304....306....307....308

297correct +cool checkmate, 298 is a reverse epalette mate. on 300 study the order of queen rook check

Session 12: subset review 309-346 will do second review before finishing up the last
group of problems review 313....317......320....327....332....335...340...345....346...

nts: 317 is the coatrack mate, study 327+332 closely, 345 is a classic bishop queen mate memorize

Session 13:311-330 session 82% overall 86%

314...316...320....322....323....326...327.....
319 correct but an interesting mate

Session 14:331-350 bad patch session 60% overall 84%

332....333.....334.....335.....336.....337....340.....341.....344.....

345....346....349....350

notes 332 keep walking the pawn, 336 removal of a guard allows for 2 tempos to mate,
correct 338 is a beautiful combination and 345 is an important combo

Session 15: 351-370 session 87% overall 84

352....356......359....366....369....370........

notes to self: on 56 be carefull about rook queen order study
359 -tricky order
351-correct but tricky

session 16;LAST ONE 371-396 67% session 82% overall

371...377...379....380....381....383....386....387....
389////390....392....393....394....396....
mini circle 10 after a week off

first pass at L20 ubersubset

these I got less than 100% on first pass at incorrect problems

119 125 131 137 143 150 174 176

181 182 198 199 202 203 206 207

208 216 217 221 242 248 251 252

267 270 272 274 275 277 278 279

282 288 297 300 303 303 306 307

308 309 316 317 320 321 323 326

332 334 335 340 343 344 345 347

356 365 366 369 378 379 381 383

386 389 390 391 392 393 394 395

l20 entire study subset

119- 5
123- 5
125- 13
128
131-6
133-5
137-13
138-8
143-8
144-13
145-8
147-5
150-8
156-13
168-13
174-13
175-13
176-8
177-13
178-13
181-8
182-13
184-8
196-13
198-8
199-13
200-13
202-8
203-5
206-13
207-13
208-3
209-13
216-13
217-13
221-3
222-13
227-8
229-8
230-13
231-13
236-13
242-8
248-5
249-2
251-2
252-13
253-3
254-13
255-8
257-13
258-13
263-13
267-5
270-13
271-8
272-8
273-8
274-3
275-3
277-3
278-8
279-5
282-3
286-8
288-13
289-8
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
316
317
320
321
322
323
326
332
334
335
338
340
343
344
345
347
349
350
351
356
358
359
365
366
369::review this one carefully.370
371
373
374
377
378
379
380
381
383
384
386
387
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396

notes on chess tactics

I have created this post as a spot to jot notes on chess tactics as I move through the MDLM circles. Most likely it won't be anything earthshaking but might help me from time to time.

Random note to self:
look at 131 and understand why
139 is an interesting problem

finished minicircle 8 l20 overall 75%

370 -386 56% with an overall score of 75

Need to review most problems
370
371
373
374
377
378
379
380
381
383
384
386
387
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396

Correct Methodology?

I've been thinking lately about what is the optimal approach to these tactical problems for long term retention. There certainly are a number of options. There are Extremes ie: 1) De Maza Method doing each problem in a large complete set before returning to do them again. 2) breaking them into smaller sets and repeating them in a much smaller time period. Why wouldn't doing a single problem 7 times at one sitting before moving to the next problem work? What extent does review of problems one finds more difficult play? What extent does a deeper understanding a position play as opposed to rote memorization? What does the role of effort attempting to solve a tactic play in improvement?

Anyway, I continue to follow the advice from my Sharpen your tactics book. Keep Moving!

mc8l20 330-349 68%

332
334
335
338
340
343
344
345
347
349

mc8l20 300-319 80%

316
317
320
321
322
323
326

290-309 mc8l20 63%

296
297
298
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
overall 78% to this point

Did subset of 230-289

Did the subset of problems I got wrong earlier.

29 problems @79%
needed to redo
236,249,252,253,254,255,257,258,267,270,271,274,278,279,282,282,288

did subset of incorrect subset 16 problems at 85%
needed to redo
252,258,262,271,274

did subset of subset's subset. 5 problems 94%
262

did s of s of s of s 1 problem 100%

mc8l20 270-289 57% tough patch

270-13
271-8
272-8
273-8
274-3
275-3
277-3
278-8
279-5
282-3
286-8
288-13
289-8

mc8l20 250-269 72% needs improvement

251-2
252-13
253-3
254-13
255-8
257-13
258-13
263-13
267-5

Even 2000 rated have the same issues.......

http://www.chessville.com/Editorials/RosesRants/ProgressReport.htm

MC8 230-249 L20 83%

230-13
231-13
236-13
242-8
248-5
249-2 (yes one can actually score 2 of 20 points!)

Mc8l20 210-229 84%

Finding that blocks of twenty seem to be manageable for a problem set and review the ones I did not get correct. My methods are based on the idea that doing the problem correctly at least once are more beneficial than just seeing the answer.


review

216-13
217-13
221-3
222-13
227-8
229-8

redid the subset 221&222 were not correct. redid these two and solve correctly.

MC8 l20 190-209 75%

study again
196-13
198-8
199-13
200-13
202-8
203-5
206-13
207-13
208-3
209-13

Redid the 10 study set again,only got 198 wrong. note to self:207 is an interesting pattern which needs further review.

currently I am 85% overall on the whole set

MC8L20 170-189 82%

opposition problems,
need to study

174-13
175-13
176-8
177-13
178-13
181-8
182-13
184-8
redid study problems all correct except 178 & 181

MC8 L20 150-169 96%

flew through these last 20,
study list
156-13
168-13

redid these 2 correctly.

MC8 L20 131-150 76%

131-6
133-5
137-13
138-8
143-8
144-13
145-8
147-5
150-8
Mainly weakness of a file problems in this session.

Did the grouping of the problems above:131 143 144 147 150 were wrong.

mc8 l20 first 20 problems 111-130 89%

first of the groups

problems to look at again:

119- 5 points
123- 5 points
125- 13 points
128- 13 Points

The first section Knight forks tend to be my best section.

Redid 4 problem set again ; only got 128 completely right
redid 3 problem set again : only got 125 completely right
redid 2 problem set again : got 119 and 123 completely right
redid all 4 problem again : 125 wrong


old thought patterns die hard.

finished subset total of 81 problems total 52% l20

Now I will do the entire L20 and check out my method to see if it brings improvement.


other notes : i hope to read this on the weekend. A guide to when to play Pawn to Rook 3. I almost never play this except to put the question to the bishop in the Ruy.
I think I will find it interesting.

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman48.pdf

Also bought the Secret of Pawn Endings should arrive in a week or so. I found Tempo blogs on this interesting. I hope to improve the endgame which I feel is the weakest part of my game.

14 more l20 subset 56%

hope to finish up the subset by tomorrow and start a full minicircle

31 more of level 20 subset 53%

first 27 l20 problem set 63%

Level 20 problems subset for review

I have decided to do a short circle of Level 20 problems which I didn't solve completely. I am hoping this will bring my next circle score much higher.


174,176,177,181,184,185,190,191,194,197,198,199,200,203,204,206
,206,207,213,215,216,220,221,222,225,226,227,228,230,231, 232,235,
240,241,246 is cool position, 247,248,249,250,253,254,255,257,263,275,
278,279,282,288,289,290,291,264,265 brilliant,267,269,272,273,274,293,
298,299,300,3o1,302,303,304,306,307,308,309,311,313,317,318,
320,321,324,325,327,332,334 ,335,336,340,341,345,346,347,348,349,350,352,355
esp 335, 356,361,365,367,370,371,375,376, 379,383,386,390,391,392,393,394.

MC7 completed l20 376 to 396 67% overall 71%

further study :
379,383,386,390,391,392,393,394.

MC7l20 256-276 69%

note to self :practice these 356,361,365,367,370,371,375,376

mc7 l20 328-355 72%

note to self :review 332,334,335,336,340,341,345,346,347,348,349,350,352,355
esp 335

mc7 l20 310-327 71%

note to self review 311,313,317,318,320,321,324,325,327

MC7-l20 291-310 63%

review the 293,298,299,300,3o1,302,303,304,306,307,308,309
On 309,review carefully.

MC7 l20 273 -291 67%

review tactics, 275,278,279,282,288,289,290,291

MC7 l20 248-274 65%

note to self: review problems, 249,250,253,254,255,257,263,264,265 brilliant tactic,266,267,269,272,273,274

mc7 231-248 71%

also did first 20 in bloks combinational motif while on treadmill.

note to self look at 232,235,240,241,246 is cool position, 247,248, Did a review of these at ened of session.

Congratulations to Sancho Pawnsa

Sancho Pawnza has just completed the MDLM Program. Congratulations! Nice to hear the pattern recognition has kicked in for you. I found it interesting to read your earlier post when it was just you and Don finding your way.


Takchess Update;

Hmmm. Chess Club on Friday. I beat a player who I hadn't beaten in our roughly 8 previous encounters. Very happy about this. An older solid player who waits for me to make a mistake, makes few mistakes, only attacks when he has a clear advantage, simplifies to the end game. I played a Giuco Piano as white. At one point his bishop pinned my knight to my queen. My bishop to f7 check, King X bishop, Knight to E5 check, King to g8, queen X Bishop. This time I simplified to the endgame and won.

Over the weekend, my family and I went camping on Cape Cod. Spent good quality time with my sharpen my tactics book as well as Blokh's art of the combination book (of which ct-art is based). I especially like at the beginning of each chapter there is a group of approx 20 simplified problems (5X5 squares )for each theme.

I also picked up a copy of Chessmaster at any age by Rolf wentzel on ebay. I like it very much. My takeaway from the book is that most chessplayers (me included) waste opportunities to improve long term by not methodically studying over their games. He creates flashcards of positions that highlight mistakes he made during game situations and things he learned in study. Like De La Maza he created a way to help himself improve. After hitting a plateau at a rating of 1800, his program brought him to be a master at age 50.

Monday, I played a bunch of rated games when tired and quickly lost 80 rating points ..ouch. I have since gained most of that back.

As for Ct-art I have started highlighting specific tactical problems for review and I think this will help me in my next minicircle.

mc7 l20 221-231 61%

did some remedial tactic work on past problems as well.
Note to self review 222,225,226,227,228,230,231

MC7 L20 191-221 73%

notes to self.
review the following :
194,197,198,199,200,203,204,206,206,207,213,215,216,220,221

MC7 L20 171-191 70ish %

note to self practice 174,176,177,181,184,185,190,191

MC7 L20 140-171 overall 85%

slower with deliberate thought.

note to self

review the following problems : 115,116,131,134(just because it's cool),139,140,146,158,164,170,171.