My top 5 free chess resources

• Tactics: The ChessTacticsServer .
                                                                                                           
  
  What I like about CTS is that you don't even have to register to enjoy it!
  You can select the difficulty of the problems you want to solve and you can decide to pause after an incorrect answer, a correct answer or both. The advantages of signing up are that you can keep track of your improvement and of the problems you failed to solve.

If you read only one article about chess training, read this one!

Hard truths and helpful tips to help you build your training program : 15 laws of chess training

My training program

     I finished my last tournament with 4/9 and a performance of 1681. Not too bad (my rating is 1580) but there is a LOT of room for improvement.

     First, I still make a lot of blunders (in 5 games out of 9),so I need to work on my thinking system and on my tactics. I also need to improve my stamina, my blunders happened after the 3rd hour of play and my last 2 games were horrible. Lastly, the positions I got out of the opening were equal at best, so I think I need to create an opening repertoire to stick to.

     This season, I mainly trained with the free material by GM Igor Smirnov (https://www.youtube.com/user/GMIgorSmirnov) and I gained 98 points - from 1497 to 1595 (this includes the last tournament, the rating will be official in September). Smirnov's training method works for me, so I intend to continue with his paid courses.

     My plan for this season is :

Mini half-tournament report

 I am currently participating in a tournament with a time control of 90minutes+30seconds/move for the first 40 moves and 30minutes+30seconds/move for the rest of the game.
For now I have +2 =0 -3:

How I prepare for tournaments

I am currently playing in a 9-round tournament, and this is how I prepared:

• D-10 to D-4 : chess "fast" - I do nothing chess related to avoid a burn-out and to get me "hungry" to play.
• D-3 and D-2 : I play a game against the computer with the same time control and at the same time as in the tournament.
• D-1 : nothing again, I travel to the tournament and go to the playing hall.
• D-day : I "warm-up" before the game with easy tactics and I go to war !!! 

 
The start of the tournament wasn't that great (I have two losses), so if you have any suggestions to improve my preparation, please leave a comment.

See you Wednesday!