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Questions tagged [study]

Questions relating to learning about chess or analyzing positions on the chessboard. Not to be confused with the concept of an "endgame study", a kind of chess puzzle.

Questions relating to learning about chess or analyzing positions on the chessboard. Not to be confused with the concept of an "endgame study", a kind of chess puzzle which doesn't have it's own tag yet.

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What do modern chess players understand about the game that previous generations did not?

In an interview, Garry Kasparow stated that each generation of chess players knows more about the game than the previous one. He applies this thought concretely to the question of who is better - him or Magnus Carlsen. He seems to imply that Carlsen…
boot4life
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What's a good way to learn opening theory?

I'm a hobbyist chess player and usually play online. While I've seen thousands of great chess games and win a fair number of games online, the one thing that I have struggle with is studying openings. Simply put, there are just so many of them and…
Sean Bernardino
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Is learning opening theory necessary?

I have never studied opening theory. The closest I've gotten was briefly reading about several openings in books, but never memorizing or using any. While I haven't ever played in tournaments I have played strangers at conferences (where they had…
Seth
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How much time should be spent playing versus studying?

I have been learning fairly rapidly lately (will probably go about 400 points in about a year), although I am sure that pace will slow with time. However, my learning is actually slowed down because I like to play too much. That sounds silly because…
Jeff Davis
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Balancing chess and work

I started chess 2 years ago at 500 ELO and have climbed up to 1900 ELO (chess.co) recently. I have fallen deeply in love with the game and have made it a life goal to achieve eventually a mastery title. Unfortunately, I started chess very late (20…
hexaquark
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Why do Chess GMs need coaches?

Today chess.com did an interview with Carlsen's coach. Someone like Carlen or Anand, why do they still need coaches? Their Elo is higher than their coaches, they can use engines to analyze the games, and they can beat their coaches in practically…
Lynob
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How to study a chess tactics book?

I've been playing chess for quite a while now, but I still consider myself a beginner. I play with friends most of the time. Now I want to get better so I bougth a tactics book (Yusupov: Build up your chess - The fundamentals). But I'm wondering how…
DocFeelgood
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What are the advantages of keeping the identity of a second secret?

At the top levels of chess the identity of the coach/assistant is sometimes kept secret. What are the advantage(s) of this? I found: That mystery [second] turned out to be the intensely creative Russian master Daniil Dubov, whose influence on…
stevec
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How is mate guaranteed - Bobby Fischer 134

I am working through Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess and #134 asks If White plays Rook-takes-Rook-check, can he mate? The answer is Yes, the mate is delivered by the white Queen. However, can't it be prevented? Here's the board: [title "Bobby Fischer…
BruceWayne
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Are there rules for categorising all pawn-only endgames into won/drawn/lost?

If a situation containing only pawns and kings is displayed is there a simple set of rules for determining if the position is won/drawn/lost? I know for single pawn and double pawn endgames this is true with rules like the opposition, rule of…
silent-tiger
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Playing chess with a mentally demanding job?

For those with mentally demanding jobs, how do you manage to play/study chess after work? I am a software engineer and I'm deep thinking pretty much all day long at work. I feel mentally exhausted after work, but I would like to play chess. What are…
hexaquark
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How to study chess?

I am a beginner, I have been playing from time to time with friends since I was a child, but I never studied seriously. A couple of months ago I decided I want to become better, to play more seriously, understanding in a deeper way the game of…
Romeo
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My bishop is attacked by a rook-pawn, now what?

I usually get into this position, where I just recently moved the bishop to g5 (or b5), and his response is moving h6 (or a6): Usually here, I only consider two possibilities: Take the knight Retreat my bishop* Do anything else (rarely…
ajax333221
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Because of the distortion of the computer era, is it preferable to study mainly old opening lines?

I realize that you get rather a lot of questions from lower-rated players who ask, should I try this? should I play that? how can I improve? Many of you have been extraordinarily patient with these questions over the years; but, still, I have never…
thb
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Has there ever been a game where multiple humans play against a single chess computer?

I'm wondering if the following scenario has ever been played out: Once side of a chess game is played by multiple humans at once, collaboratively determining what the next move will be. This could, perhaps, be enforced by some sort of game…
Ten Bitcomb
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