     | ||
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2014-12-01 Competition
For the moment, I reorganize my weekday to get time for a new long-lasting book project. With that said, this blog will not be updated during the upcoming months. But Pump Up Your Rating is still there – now on it's third edition (with no changes).
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A Theoretical Endgame
Grisjtjuk-Radjabov (Swedish transcription)
The diagram position has been reached in many top level games: Tal-Gipslis 1983, Grischuk-Radjabov 2008 and Bacrot-Robson 2011. The verdict has changed, most notably when a new winning idea was find for White starting with 1.Kd4 Rxf2 2.Rc7 Ra2 3.a7 Kf5 4.Kc4!! Kg4 5.Kb3 Ra6 6.Rc4+!. And as far as I know, the conclution has been a draw after Radjabov's 1.Kd4 g5!.
A lot of analysis has been published by Pogoshyan in an article.
I wrote about this for the endgame chapter of the book, but another book was faster and the editor removed that part. Instead, I have used the annotations in an endgame database for some pupils.
Some weeks ago I received an e-mail from Kjell-Tore Sandum, who had improved upon the analysis. After 1.Kd4 g5! 2.Kd5!? g4 3.Kd6 Rd2+ 4.Kc5 Rc2+ 5.Kb5 Rb2+ 6.Kc4 Ra2 7.Ra8 Ke6 8.Kb5 Rb2+ 9.Kc6 Rc2+ 10.Kb7 Rb2+ 11.Ka7 Rxf2 Komodo 8 pointed out that 12.Rh8! Wins.
A better try for Black is 7...Ke7, but White still has ”winning chances”. And Komodo prefers 2...Kg6, Kjell-Tore told.
For the moment, I reorganize my weekday to get time for a new long-lasting book project. With that said, this blog will not be updated during the upcoming months. But Pump Up Your Rating is still there – now on it's third edition (with no changes).
Finally some great news: the World Chess Championship will be sent on SVT Play, the digital part of the national Swedish television!
2014-09-21The Secret Life
What is the book really about?
I have had many enjoyable hours working with Silas Lund's second book about minor pieces: The Secret Life of Bad Bishops. This is not a unbiased review, since he is a good friend, but anyhow I want to write a few words.
Silas likes bishop. He really does, and he shows many examples where seemingly bad bishops make a great job defending good pawns, and finally comes alive to decide matters.
As usual, Silas has taken a lot of time to write the book. Many years. But I also like that he has kept the book rather short (less than 200 pages), and focused only at the theme of the book. I know how difficult it is to resist the temptation to write about other things.
One thing my own book and Silas' has in common is a rather vulgar title. A friend saw the front cover and the title and thought that the book was about religious bishops doing bad things with children. But the more I read, the more I liked the title.
The most secret knowledge may be the section about isolating one of the opponent's bishops. This can be done in severel ways, exchange sacrifices being one of the most common. Silas explains it in a very clear way, and I think that what he writes can be a real eye-opener for many.
In a more pleasant way than learning what the religious priests really do.
2014-08-14Olympiad!
From left: Fred, Peter, Toby and Andy.
After two weeks, the big chess celebration in Tromsø is over. I has been fantastic to be here as a coach; I have experienced the atmosphere much more than when I played two years ago. Meeting people, following the presidental campaigns, or walking to the playing hall with the sea and the mountains just nearby. The Olympiad really comes to its right when played in a small city where all players meet each other whether they want it or not.
But when I really wanted to follow the games, the best way was on Norwegian television, which sent 80 hours live.
One players seems to have taken this competition seriously: +110 i rating over two months, being as close to a WGM-norm as possible in Tromsø.
But I was there to coach Guernsey, a team I had never met before but that had experienced Olympiad players. The examples below were originally for Guernsey's Chess Fedration's website, but why not publish them here as well?
When registrering the team in Tromsø, the organizers first looked for the African teams and then for the American. Honestly, a few months I didn't know much about the channel island either.
Continuation...
2014-06-13Update
Andrew Greet from Quality Chess suggested a ”Positional Woodpecker”, and while visiting France in April and May I tried it out by solving the excersises in Positional and Strategic Play (Jacob Aagaard) three times each. Afterwards I made my life's best tournament in Sigeman & Co.
Without beeing a statistician, I understand that it doesn't prove anything, and indeed there are several other explanations. One thing I like a lot with Sigeman & Co is that they use a long time control that is very seldom seen nowadays.
But I enjoyed what I did and will continue experimenting. Compared to the normal Woodpecker you understand the solutions conceptually and thus remember most/all of them when it's time for the second loop.
Actually I noticed that a Swedish trainer offers his students to visit him and work with the Woodpecker method. And he has himself improved while working with a loop of 2700 exercises. Maybe he is in for the competition!?
In France I met one person who had read my book, and has made his conclusion.
”You have convinced me that I am a mumie. And I prefer that!”
I understand him very well! One day I also want to me a mumie, but now I focus on the preparations for Visma Chess (June), XtraCon (September) and Køge (October). I hope I avoid being mated at the same way as in the Whitsun Grandmasters last week [see the diagram]. The game won a beauty prize, and as the loser I got a book - Calculation. I would rather have read it before the game!
Something I am really looking forward to is two interesting assignments as a coach. The first is coaching Guernsey in the Olympiad (August). Opponents: be aware!
2014-04-17Forward Chess
The book has now been published on Forward Chess. I haven't bought it yet.
For the moment I am off to France for a month, combining vacance and chess. March, April and May have been/will be months were I am off, so the blog won't be updated until later. But by then there will be something to tell, I am sure!
I don't know the origins of the picture, but anyhow - it really manages to capture the essence of visiting France!
2014-03-01Competition
I try not to care too much about ratings, but it is difficult nowadays. So her is a challenge suggested by a reader for all readers:
to pump up your rating as much as possible between today and 1st of January 2015.
It is not required to use anything from the book, even though it's recommended :)
I will be very interested to read about your efforts, even if the rating diagram looks like this one.
The winner will get a free book from Quality Chess and a secret prize, and there will also be another prize to the most amazing story about your efforts.
Good luck!
2014-02-1GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
The Secret Life
What is the book really about?
I have had many enjoyable hours working with Silas Lund's second book about minor pieces: The Secret Life of Bad Bishops. This is not a unbiased review, since he is a good friend, but anyhow I want to write a few words.
Silas likes bishop. He really does, and he shows many examples where seemingly bad bishops make a great job defending good pawns, and finally comes alive to decide matters.
As usual, Silas has taken a lot of time to write the book. Many years. But I also like that he has kept the book rather short (less than 200 pages), and focused only at the theme of the book. I know how difficult it is to resist the temptation to write about other things.
One thing my own book and Silas' has in common is a rather vulgar title. A friend saw the front cover and the title and thought that the book was about religious bishops doing bad things with children. But the more I read, the more I liked the title.
The most secret knowledge may be the section about isolating one of the opponent's bishops. This can be done in severel ways, exchange sacrifices being one of the most common. Silas explains it in a very clear way, and I think that what he writes can be a real eye-opener for many.
In a more pleasant way than learning what the religious priests really do.
2014-08-14Olympiad!
From left: Fred, Peter, Toby and Andy.
After two weeks, the big chess celebration in Tromsø is over. I has been fantastic to be here as a coach; I have experienced the atmosphere much more than when I played two years ago. Meeting people, following the presidental campaigns, or walking to the playing hall with the sea and the mountains just nearby. The Olympiad really comes to its right when played in a small city where all players meet each other whether they want it or not.
But when I really wanted to follow the games, the best way was on Norwegian television, which sent 80 hours live.
One players seems to have taken this competition seriously: +110 i rating over two months, being as close to a WGM-norm as possible in Tromsø.
But I was there to coach Guernsey, a team I had never met before but that had experienced Olympiad players. The examples below were originally for Guernsey's Chess Fedration's website, but why not publish them here as well?
When registrering the team in Tromsø, the organizers first looked for the African teams and then for the American. Honestly, a few months I didn't know much about the channel island either.
Continuation...
2014-06-13Update
Andrew Greet from Quality Chess suggested a ”Positional Woodpecker”, and while visiting France in April and May I tried it out by solving the excersises in Positional and Strategic Play (Jacob Aagaard) three times each. Afterwards I made my life's best tournament in Sigeman & Co.
Without beeing a statistician, I understand that it doesn't prove anything, and indeed there are several other explanations. One thing I like a lot with Sigeman & Co is that they use a long time control that is very seldom seen nowadays.
But I enjoyed what I did and will continue experimenting. Compared to the normal Woodpecker you understand the solutions conceptually and thus remember most/all of them when it's time for the second loop.
Actually I noticed that a Swedish trainer offers his students to visit him and work with the Woodpecker method. And he has himself improved while working with a loop of 2700 exercises. Maybe he is in for the competition!?
In France I met one person who had read my book, and has made his conclusion.
”You have convinced me that I am a mumie. And I prefer that!”
I understand him very well! One day I also want to me a mumie, but now I focus on the preparations for Visma Chess (June), XtraCon (September) and Køge (October). I hope I avoid being mated at the same way as in the Whitsun Grandmasters last week [see the diagram]. The game won a beauty prize, and as the loser I got a book - Calculation. I would rather have read it before the game!
Something I am really looking forward to is two interesting assignments as a coach. The first is coaching Guernsey in the Olympiad (August). Opponents: be aware!
2014-04-17Forward Chess
The book has now been published on Forward Chess. I haven't bought it yet.
For the moment I am off to France for a month, combining vacance and chess. March, April and May have been/will be months were I am off, so the blog won't be updated until later. But by then there will be something to tell, I am sure!
I don't know the origins of the picture, but anyhow - it really manages to capture the essence of visiting France!
2014-03-01Competition
I try not to care too much about ratings, but it is difficult nowadays. So her is a challenge suggested by a reader for all readers:
to pump up your rating as much as possible between today and 1st of January 2015.
It is not required to use anything from the book, even though it's recommended :)
I will be very interested to read about your efforts, even if the rating diagram looks like this one.
The winner will get a free book from Quality Chess and a secret prize, and there will also be another prize to the most amazing story about your efforts.
Good luck!
2014-02-1GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
Olympiad!
From left: Fred, Peter, Toby and Andy.
After two weeks, the big chess celebration in Tromsø is over. I has been fantastic to be here as a coach; I have experienced the atmosphere much more than when I played two years ago. Meeting people, following the presidental campaigns, or walking to the playing hall with the sea and the mountains just nearby. The Olympiad really comes to its right when played in a small city where all players meet each other whether they want it or not.
But when I really wanted to follow the games, the best way was on Norwegian television, which sent 80 hours live.
One players seems to have taken this competition seriously: +110 i rating over two months, being as close to a WGM-norm as possible in Tromsø.
But I was there to coach Guernsey, a team I had never met before but that had experienced Olympiad players. The examples below were originally for Guernsey's Chess Fedration's website, but why not publish them here as well?
When registrering the team in Tromsø, the organizers first looked for the African teams and then for the American. Honestly, a few months I didn't know much about the channel island either.
Continuation...
2014-06-13Update
Andrew Greet from Quality Chess suggested a ”Positional Woodpecker”, and while visiting France in April and May I tried it out by solving the excersises in Positional and Strategic Play (Jacob Aagaard) three times each. Afterwards I made my life's best tournament in Sigeman & Co.
Without beeing a statistician, I understand that it doesn't prove anything, and indeed there are several other explanations. One thing I like a lot with Sigeman & Co is that they use a long time control that is very seldom seen nowadays.
But I enjoyed what I did and will continue experimenting. Compared to the normal Woodpecker you understand the solutions conceptually and thus remember most/all of them when it's time for the second loop.
Actually I noticed that a Swedish trainer offers his students to visit him and work with the Woodpecker method. And he has himself improved while working with a loop of 2700 exercises. Maybe he is in for the competition!?
In France I met one person who had read my book, and has made his conclusion.
”You have convinced me that I am a mumie. And I prefer that!”
I understand him very well! One day I also want to me a mumie, but now I focus on the preparations for Visma Chess (June), XtraCon (September) and Køge (October). I hope I avoid being mated at the same way as in the Whitsun Grandmasters last week [see the diagram]. The game won a beauty prize, and as the loser I got a book - Calculation. I would rather have read it before the game!
Something I am really looking forward to is two interesting assignments as a coach. The first is coaching Guernsey in the Olympiad (August). Opponents: be aware!
2014-04-17Forward Chess
The book has now been published on Forward Chess. I haven't bought it yet.
For the moment I am off to France for a month, combining vacance and chess. March, April and May have been/will be months were I am off, so the blog won't be updated until later. But by then there will be something to tell, I am sure!
I don't know the origins of the picture, but anyhow - it really manages to capture the essence of visiting France!
2014-03-01Competition
I try not to care too much about ratings, but it is difficult nowadays. So her is a challenge suggested by a reader for all readers:
to pump up your rating as much as possible between today and 1st of January 2015.
It is not required to use anything from the book, even though it's recommended :)
I will be very interested to read about your efforts, even if the rating diagram looks like this one.
The winner will get a free book from Quality Chess and a secret prize, and there will also be another prize to the most amazing story about your efforts.
Good luck!
2014-02-1GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
Update
Andrew Greet from Quality Chess suggested a ”Positional Woodpecker”, and while visiting France in April and May I tried it out by solving the excersises in Positional and Strategic Play (Jacob Aagaard) three times each. Afterwards I made my life's best tournament in Sigeman & Co.
Without beeing a statistician, I understand that it doesn't prove anything, and indeed there are several other explanations. One thing I like a lot with Sigeman & Co is that they use a long time control that is very seldom seen nowadays.
But I enjoyed what I did and will continue experimenting. Compared to the normal Woodpecker you understand the solutions conceptually and thus remember most/all of them when it's time for the second loop.
Actually I noticed that a Swedish trainer offers his students to visit him and work with the Woodpecker method. And he has himself improved while working with a loop of 2700 exercises. Maybe he is in for the competition!?
In France I met one person who had read my book, and has made his conclusion.
”You have convinced me that I am a mumie. And I prefer that!”
I understand him very well! One day I also want to me a mumie, but now I focus on the preparations for Visma Chess (June), XtraCon (September) and Køge (October). I hope I avoid being mated at the same way as in the Whitsun Grandmasters last week [see the diagram]. The game won a beauty prize, and as the loser I got a book - Calculation. I would rather have read it before the game!
Something I am really looking forward to is two interesting assignments as a coach. The first is coaching Guernsey in the Olympiad (August). Opponents: be aware!
2014-04-17Forward Chess
The book has now been published on Forward Chess. I haven't bought it yet.
For the moment I am off to France for a month, combining vacance and chess. March, April and May have been/will be months were I am off, so the blog won't be updated until later. But by then there will be something to tell, I am sure!
I don't know the origins of the picture, but anyhow - it really manages to capture the essence of visiting France!
2014-03-01Competition
I try not to care too much about ratings, but it is difficult nowadays. So her is a challenge suggested by a reader for all readers:
to pump up your rating as much as possible between today and 1st of January 2015.
It is not required to use anything from the book, even though it's recommended :)
I will be very interested to read about your efforts, even if the rating diagram looks like this one.
The winner will get a free book from Quality Chess and a secret prize, and there will also be another prize to the most amazing story about your efforts.
Good luck!
2014-02-1GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
Forward Chess
The book has now been published on Forward Chess. I haven't bought it yet.
For the moment I am off to France for a month, combining vacance and chess. March, April and May have been/will be months were I am off, so the blog won't be updated until later. But by then there will be something to tell, I am sure!
I don't know the origins of the picture, but anyhow - it really manages to capture the essence of visiting France!
2014-03-01Competition
I try not to care too much about ratings, but it is difficult nowadays. So her is a challenge suggested by a reader for all readers:
to pump up your rating as much as possible between today and 1st of January 2015.
It is not required to use anything from the book, even though it's recommended :)
I will be very interested to read about your efforts, even if the rating diagram looks like this one.
The winner will get a free book from Quality Chess and a secret prize, and there will also be another prize to the most amazing story about your efforts.
Good luck!
2014-02-1GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
Competition
I try not to care too much about ratings, but it is difficult nowadays. So her is a challenge suggested by a reader for all readers:
to pump up your rating as much as possible between today and 1st of January 2015.
It is not required to use anything from the book, even though it's recommended :)
I will be very interested to read about your efforts, even if the rating diagram looks like this one.
The winner will get a free book from Quality Chess and a secret prize, and there will also be another prize to the most amazing story about your efforts.
Good luck!
2014-02-1GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
GM Semcesen
I continue with the somewhat schizofrenic behaviour of interviewing myself:
You won the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2013!
If that was a congratulation – thanks! It was of course happy news, but the real test of the book comes some months from now when the readers evaluate their effort. So far many have told me that they follow the advice.
When is your next book coming?
The second edition of Pump Up is already printed, since the first sold out, but there are no changes expect for a nice award on the front cover. And the apple, of course.
I thought I would never write another chess book, not only since it was a lot of work, but also because I said everything I wanted to say.
Now I have another idea of a book that doesn't exist but as I would like to read. Actually I tried to write something in the same direction to Pump Up, but after some 50 pages I decided that it was completely unreadable and threw everything. I may give it a new try, but not this year.
What are your chess plans in general?
It would be nice to attend the Olympiad in Tromsø in August. I will not qualify as a player, but hopefully I can find another role.
Last weekend I played a small tournament, where I thought I had the same conditions as before the Nordic Championship. I think I played decent, but the result was bad. I have no explanation yet, but I guess where they can be found...
I have a final question...
No, we skip that one. But I want to add that Daniel Semcesen finally made it to 2500 and became Grandmaster. Congratulations! GM Semcesen – doesn't it look very pretty?
So next blog post is an interview with him about his training methods?
That sounds like a good idea. You better do that!
2014-01-27ChessCafe Book of the Year!
Pump Up Your Rating was voted as the ChessCafe Book of the Year 2014!
I am very happy that many like the book and took their time to vote. Thanks!
I have been in writing mood the last weeks, completely neglecting reality and it's duties. Last night I wrote until 08.20, slept two hours and started again.
Now I am finally here again, but it feels like I have left another reality which is at least as real.
I have written in Swedish, so it's not the sequel one reader suggested: "Pump Up Your Rating even if you have a full-time job and have to struggle with untalented German students".
At last a promise: there will appear an interview within a week or so.
ChessCafe Book of the Year!
