Day 27

Don's been wondering how I'm able to complete so many of these exercises so quickly.
Well it's not from any giftedness on my part, but more in part to how I'm approaching this first circle. The first two levels were easy. The level 30 problems of course are way more difficult as expected. I'm allowing myself about a minute max before I make a move. I'm not going to beat myself up trying to solve these puppies. Either I see the win automatically or I don't. If I could see the solutions then I wouldn't need to do these exercises. Bottom line I'm here to learn and hopefully get better. As I work through the problems I'm able to apply some of these new found techniques to solving these exercises that I would never have been able to do before this suffering began.
Let's face it, some of these exercises are so screwed up that I doubt many players below Master could solve them.
Especially the problems that aren't forced mates and require you to see all of the subtle in between variations that are about 6 moves deep and lead to the capture of a pawn at the end of a sequence that is played out automatically by the computer side.
Drift back to the days when you were in school and the teacher presented you with a problem that seemed impossible to solve. That was until the teacher worked through the solution by showing you how to break the problem down into smaller easier to digest blocks of mini problems. Then you realized how easy it was to solve all along. Well the same applies here with the CT-Art problems. You have to get that moment of "Ah-Ha!" so that's how it's done. Then start worrying about being able to solve the problems correctly each and every time you do the following circles. I'm not going to allow my ego to dictate my dedication to completing all 7 circles. I check it at the door by kicking frustration to curb each and every night before hammering away at this stuff.

On a lighter note, I did manage to win a rated Game 90 at the club tonight against an 1847 player. I didn't blow him of the board with any tactical brilliance; he got into time trouble and walked into a mate in one, while in an equal position. Those level 10 exercises paid off.
But seriously I'm just happy that I didn't self-destruct. So I guess if not dropping a piece is a start on the road to chess improvement I will take it.

605 exercises completed 604 remaining in circle 1.
27 days down 128 to go.