IM David Fitzsimons has marvelously structured this training into two parts, viz. patterns and calculation—if you know the position, you will recognize the pattern, and if you don’t, you will calculate your way out of it.
Silman wrote, “The acquisition of chess patterns is the main ingredient for chess mastery.” Why did he say that?
Chess is learned and played in two ways, viz. by learning to think and by learning to memorize.
Memorize as many positions as you can, and the fundamental ideas in them.
The rest, you calculate and analyze over the board.
Just like in college exams.
You study and memorize what’s in the syllabus, and you solve on the spot what’s out of it.
The problem is, for the college exams, you can prepare for it in a matter of months. But for chess, it is not so.
You have to keep studying and practicing for years to internalize even the most common patterns… to whip them out almost unconsciously over the board.
For instance, if you are a Nakamura or Eric Rosen fan, you probably have watched their puzzle rushes.
That inhuman-like, insane speed with which they solve the puzzles… that’s pattern recognition at work.
Want to boost your pattern recognition skill to such a high level?
Start with IM David Fitzsimons’ brand-new course Patterns and Calculation.
David has marvelously structured this training into two parts, viz. patterns and calculation—if you know the position, you will recognize the pattern, and if you don’t, you will calculate your way out of it.
Here’s what you would learn:
- Forcing perpetual checks. When you are in a dire position, the only way out might be a perpetual check. Easy, right? Just keep checking over and over again. What if the king finds a shelter though? Learn how to stop that.
- Mates abound. Talking about patterns, every beginner studies it. Every IM studies it. Perhaps, even GMs revise them from time to time. You should too. Learn your mating patterns like the back of your hand. No excuses!
- Spotting resources. A very important trick to win games consistently is to see what your opponent can’t. Not once or twice, but regularly and whenever you want. Let Fitzsimons show you how.
- Rare candidate moves. You can play good moves only when you can find them first. Solution: Go through Chapter 9 and 10 carefully. Master the art of discovering rare candidate moves every single time.
- Calculation cut short. Yes, yes, we know the tree of analysis and all. But you only have a few minutes left on the clock. How to calculate your lines and still manage your time? Chapter 16 will be of great help to you.
20 chapters with video lessons spanning over 10 hours.
Fitzsimons is one of those chess coaches who do not hold back while creating a course. And this one is no different.
TONS of value. Costs almost nothing.
What’s stopping you from becoming a chess pattern and calculation monster though?
Outline:
Chapter 1. Mating Patterns 1
Chapter 2. Mating Patterns 2
Chapter 3. Tactical Patterns In The Opening 1
Chapter 4. Tactical Patterns In The Opening 2
Chapter 5. Tactical Patterns In The Middlegame 1
Chapter 6. Tactical Patterns In The Middlegame 2
Chapter 7. Tactical Patterns In The Endgame 1
Chapter 8. Tactical Patterns In The Endgame 2
Chapter 9. Candidate Moves 1
Chapter 10. Candidate Moves 2
Chapter 11. Comparison
Chapter 12. Elimination
Chapter 13. Deep Calculation 1
Chapter 14. Deep Calculation 2
Chapter 15. Spotting Resources For The Opponent
Chapter 16. Calculation Cut Short
Chapter 17. Training Calculation Combinations
Chapter 18. Training Calculation Studies
Chapter 19. Training Calculation Pawn Endings
Chapter 20. Training Calculation Complex Positions
About the Author:
IM David Fitzsimons (2416 FIDE)
Is an International Master from Ireland. He achieved this title in 2018 having reached a peak rating of 2416 in 2015, and scoring his three IM norms in consecutive seasons of the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) from 2016 – 2018. He became the first and only Irish player to win an international open event, the inaugural Summer Prague Open in 2014, and has won numerous tournaments and national and regional titles in classical chess, rapid, and blitz. He has played for Ireland in two Olympiads (2010 and 2018) and has been selected to represent Ireland again at the upcoming Moscow Olympiad.
