Monday, January 17, 2005

The Knights Converge!

I think J'adoube is worried that we will start throwing tomatoes or something, and that is simply not the case.

Don't worry Jim you haven't started a mass exodus. I have been close to the edge of switching material for some time now. Just read through some of my archived post for the month of December. Heck I should release some of my "almost post" drafts that I refrained from unleashing, at the time I felt they were too negative and I didn't want to rock the boat by being too critical of the software. But had we held a vote back then I would have voted "Aye" on switching instantly. Even though it would have meant starting the circles over from scratch.

After hearing feedback from the some of the other Knights my leanings are toward remaining with the current software program with a serious trimming back on the number of Levels/problems attempted. I am just going to work through Levels 10-40 for the remaining cycles, and yes an asterisk will have to be placed beside my name. Meaning that I seriously modified MDLMs suggested course of study to be able to complete it. I have a good handle on the sketchy problems and will just have to stomach those while holding my nose.

We have all spent a great deal of time getting this far, to give up this close to the end would be in hindsight silly. I am only 15 days away from the end if I am able to squeeze all of the suggested material into said daily efforts. Plus finishing it will give me a better direction on my next course of action.

I really think a training program requires balance, so far over the last 80-90 days I have placed all of my proverbial eggs in one basket. Yes I realized that this was going to be short term, and that I could resume studying the other phases of the game on completion. I think it is ok to try concentrated forms of training in short burst. Sometimes it is required. It gives the student a chance to see things from another perspective while at the same time the student is hopefully breaking something down into its most simplistic mechanical elements. Then by eliminating wasted motions, he/she becomes efficient and precise. Going from guessing the answer to knowing the answer.

Also I certainly don't consider my time spent to date as a waste, if anything I'm quite pleased with my results, and the results of the other Knights. I have caught glimpses into new levels of play that I never would have encountered if not for MDLMs book. Plus I wouldn't have come this far if not for the encouragement and perseverance of our fellow Knights.

So this brings us to setting up a rendezvous, we have had a couple of suggestions.
There are probably a dozen options that we could use, but I think the biggest obstacle will be setting a meeting time that allow us all to participate. I don’t mind acting as the club secretary/ clearing house, so feel free to email me with your schedules and suggestions. I will forward them to all parties involved. Howard G. this applies to you and DG as well. (I think he’s still on vacation.) Thursday nights are out of the question for me since I run the local chess club, and I think Don plays at his club on that night also.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Being the new guy, I didn't want to cause a train wreck. I just see some problems with CT-Art. I started using the Chessbase tactics software by George Renko. So far it seems ok. I may use it for Circle Two. I also have a really good tactics book that I may use for the next circle. I'm not sure using the same problems over and over again is a good idea. And finally, I have some middlegame puzzles I may use for a second round of 7 circles. I'm a real glutton for punishment. . .

Anyway, hang in there. You're almost done!

Calvin said...

hey sancho
just thought that I would let you know about Man De la Maza's idea about meeting at pogo on Sunday at 7 o'clock western time. I suggested to the Man DLM that we could meet at the intermediate room greenspan, where there are few chess players and therefore no chance at it filling up before all of the knoghts arrive.

Hop that you can make it
generalkaia