Weekly Chess Training Report #1

• Tactics : I completed stage 2 of Sergey Ivashchenko's Manual of Chess Combinations, Vol. 1a. It corresponds to the 1300 elo level. I did stage 1 (level 1200 elo) last week. I will repeat stage 2 because I failed to solve some of the problems. I intend to repeat it until I have 100% of correct and complete answers. My rating is 1594 but my tactical strength isn't even 1300, this confirms that tactics is one of my weaknesses.


• Thinking system : I studied all the video lessons and completed the first task of Igor Smirnov's The Grandmaster's Secrets . The principles taught are simple and easy to implement, I found most of the moves in the games of task 1. They were games by Igor Smirnov and José Raoul Capablanca!


• Fun part : I read some articles from TheChessWorld.


• Opening repertoire : A friend of mine told me that the repertoire I plan to use is almost the same repertoire as in Igor Smirnov's The Grandmaster's Openings Laboratory (not a surprise as it is him who introduced me to these openings and he is a fan of Smirnov's courses), so I purchased the course and watched all the video lessons.


• Stamina : due to my ankle injury, I only went swiming once. Swimming is the only thing I can do and it is painful so I think I will cut down to once a week until I'm fully healed.

Plan for next week :

• Tactics : stage 2 of  Ivashchenko's Manual of Chess Combinations, Vol. 1a
• Thinking system : task 2 of  Smirnov's The Grandmaster's Secrets
• Fun part : whatever I feel like doing!
• Opening repertoire : Start with the Scandinavian in the practical part of  Smirnov's The Grandmaster's Openings Laboratory
• Stamina : swimming 30 minutes.

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