Playing in chess tournaments is a completely different thing from studying chess or playing friendly casual games at the club with your pals. While we can do pretty well during our lessons, training sessions with friends or coach, an official competition forces you to make your best effort and put to work your best competitive skills and character. Of course, usually, there are hundreds of other colleagues doing exactly the same. And, as if this didn’t sound hard enough there is the time pressure.

Many chess players complain that they don’t have enough time to work on chess and play chess because of their other responsibilities such as school, work, family, relationship and so on. In fact, the time constraint is the number one factor that prevents most adult players from improving their game. Is it possible to work on chess more efficiently and to get the results you want by spending less time? If you want to know how this article is for you.

Probably one of the most important steps in improving your chess is the self-criticism. It is essential that you are fair with yourself and admit that every game you play might contain errors that have to be eliminated from your play, regardless of the result of the game. One way (and very efficient, too) to find those mistakes you still make is to analyze your own games and draw the necessary conclusions. When our students ask us what they should do in order to get better at chess, this is one of the first things we suggest them to do. Every strong player keeps track of their games, so why shouldn’t you start doing it as well?