Recap for August

The plan in August consisted of four items.  They were:  Opening Prep, Analyzing Games, Working on Calculation, and Working on Endgames.

So how did I do?  Let's look at them one by one...

Opening Prep

I think I did well here.  I spent some time sitting down working through lines in books, i.e. Bologan's book on the Chebanenko Slav.  But most of the effort was spent in entering each game I played into ChessBase, and then seeing where the deviation occurred and what else could have been played.

Analyzing Games

For anyone who reads my blog here you will know how I did on this one.  I put up analysis of many of the games that I played.  Granted, the analysis is limited by my skill level since I (mostly) avoided using computers, but I find that I am learning a lot more about chess and the hidden possibilities that lie within each position by working through each of my games.

In the near future I plan on spending a lot more time on each game, but for now what you are seeing typically takes a couple of hours or so.

Calculation

I have been doing tactics puzzles each day.  Not always for a full 15 minutes or so, but at least close to that on the days that I fall short.  I just do a couple here and there with an app on my phone as I feel like it.

Working on Endgames

This is the area in which I feel somewhat short.  I did spend a little bit of time working on them, but it wasn't the effort that I intended to give.  I spent maybe two to three hours total rather than two to three hours per week.

So overall I think that this month went well.  I am still on a roll and the climb upwards continues.