One of the biggest issues many players face is finding time to train. With the festive period upon us, and a large number of bank holidays, is an opportunity suddenly presenting itself? Frankly I don't think so. Maybe there's a chance for a little bit more, but the key is to incorporate any training (chess or otherwise) into your regular lifestyle. For many this may not be possible at all.
When I was first doing qigong (chi kung) I managed to train for a couple of hours a day, but there were sacrifices. I got up well before I had to wake my son up and take him to school, and normally managed an hour. Then in the evening I usually managed another hour after putting him to bed. This went on for day after day, week after week and year after year.
I would say that qigong is easier to practice than chess, mainly because it calls for relaxed attention rather than fierce concentration. If I had been learning chess instead then an hour would have been the most I could do without being completely exhausted. Many people are lucky if they can find a fraction of that amount of time.
What should you study with very little time? It's essential to prioritize things that will give you most bang for your buck. Tactics practice should take priority unless you hit a point of diminishing returns, then endgames might take priority. This is why openings should be kept simple and logical, there just isn't time for complexity and having to stay up to date in highly theoretical lines.
Making time is an answer for some, for example by pruning back some activities and pursuits. I went through a period of trying to learn Russian, but then stopped when I realized it wasn't that important for me. I still practice qigong, but have pruned that back to around an hour a day.
Training Tournaments
The training tournaments this week are in positions from the ZOOM Scandinavian course as follows:
Sunday December 22nd at 6.15pm UK Time: The Scandinavian with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nc6
Upcoming Events
Here's my schedule over the coming months, though it is subject to change. I often don't know until fairly late in the day:
January 17-19: Huddersfield 4NCL Congress
I really enjoy the 4NCL Congresses as they're played under excellent conditions in nice hotels. This is the first one in Huddersfield, you can find details here.
January 27th: Stockport Rapidplay
I've played in this event with some regularity, so probably I'll go for it again. You can find details here.
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February 16-27, 2025: World Senior Team Championship
I've accepted a place in the 50+ second team which means I'll play a much stronger field than on bottom board of the first team. Although this diminishes my chances of winning a medal I'm looking forward to the challenge.
July/August 2025: British Championships
Will these be held in Liverpool next year? There's a rumour on Tim Spanton's blog that they would be. I think I might go for the 50+ event if this is the case.
I am still hoping to play in the European Senior Team Championships (Walbrzych, Poland, April 4-14) in which I've said I'll play in any team and on any board. The details have yet to be confirmed, but when they are the teams will be selected.
Twitch Channel
I'm setting up a new Twitch channel on which I'm planning to run shows a couple of times a week. Please follow it if you'd like to get updates etc.
Have a great time over the festive period, if you're celebrating.
Nigel
