HOW TO IMPROVE 
CASUAL PLAY 
The drawback ii that if you only play novices you will not advance beyond the lvele of a novice. 
TOURNAMENT PLAY Tournament play is an important way of improving.There are some things you will learn from competetion play that you will not learn otherwise. 
PLAYING COMPUTERS computers have different strengths and weaknesses than humanplayers.Computers tend to be very adepttactically and will usually win any material that is left hanging. 
LIGHTNING 
Lightning is when each player has 5 minutes for the game. 
SKITTLES 
Skittles is when each player has 15 minutes for the game. 
ALLEGRO 
Allegro is when each player has 30 minutes for the game. 
CORRESPONDENCE PLAY 
Playing by correspondence allows to you to spend a lot of time over 
your moves and use books as you play. It cannot help but deepen your understanding of the game. 
Its biggest drawback is that by allowing you to move he pieces around it does not develop the 
powers of visualisation as much as over the board does. 
GOING OVER GAMES 
Going over your own games is one of the best and most important ways to improve. 
You tend to see things more clearly because: 
(1)Advantage of hindsight 
(2)No time or other pressure 
(3)You can move the pieces around 
SOLITAIRE CHESS 
One way to play over master games is to cover up the moves and reveal 
them a move at a time. This allows you to anticipate the next move. 
Some books use this approach and give you a rating based on your score. 
RELAX 
Relaxing during a tournament game is important. 
Some players choose to walk around during their opponents move or at 
least not to concentrate hard on the opponents turn to move. 
*MEMORY 
Memory plays a large part in chess. A player both uses his long term 
memory of chess patterns and ideas and short term memory for the 
ideas he has just been thinking of. 
CONCENTRATION 
Concentration is vital during a game of chess.One thoughtless move can costyou the game. 
PERSISTENCE 
The strong chess player is verypersistent.He is highly motivated, and is not 
discouraged by temporary setbacks. 
CONFIDENCE 
It is important to be confident and even more important to have this confidence based on real strength. 
DISCIPLINE 
Discipline is needed to handle the clock correctly and to maintain objectivity. 
This means not to play a move because you have become impatient or fearful, but to play what you 
feel is the best.