3 underrated training methods
There are many training methods out there, but the 3 next way of training are way less considered by beginers altough they are very efficient
Training method 1 : Improve your chess visualisation by studying coordinates, solving blindfold puzzles and playing blindfold games.
The visualisation of the chess board is one of the most important elements of the game, it is the key for good calculation. For beginers playing blindfolded is a dream and most of them think it requires years and years of training... But they are wrong.
In fact in just several mounths it is possible to play a game in your head no matter your level, it requires more cognitives skills than chess skills. You have to do every day, 15 minutes mininum one of these 3 exercices :
- Train the board coordinates if you are not familiar with them : https://lichess.org/training/coordinate
- Play blindfold games (go on the settings to play blindfolded on lichess) against opponents that are 300/400 points weaker than you
- Solve easy blindfold puzzles on listudy : https://listudy.org/en/features/blind-tactics
Training method 2 : play classical and correspondance games and analyse them
Most of the beginers and even masters make the mistake of playing hundreds and hundreds of blitz and rapid games without even analysing them.
It is far better to play 5 classical games a week with analysis then to play 70 blitz games a week. Classical games will just give you the time to REALLY think about the chess position.
After analysing the game your chess understanding will really evolve. Do a study of all your analysed classical chess games. (see exemple bellow)
- Correspondance games also are a really great tool to learn chess opening as you can use the master database and play long games which you will have studied and will remember.
Training method 3 : do a lot of lichess tactics
Lichess tactics is one of the most usefull ressources for beginers and intermediates. You can chose the level of the tactics and the patterns.
For improving your chess as a beginer you should do at least 10 tactics a day. In fact under the 2000 level the VAST majority of the games are decided by tactical blunders, so by spotting them you will gain a lot. So do not waste time and use this as a daily training : https://lichess.org/training/themes
Conclusion :
All roads lead to Rome, but not at the same speed ! So I hope that with these three methods you will accelerate your improvement. Of course they are not sufficient but they are worth to be included in your actuall training sessions.
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