Thursday, June 29, 2006
Circle 7, Step 4 Complete
I still have more review to do on TCT Step 4, but for now I am feeling good :-). Looking for Trouble awaits a bit reviewing before tackling this last circle (might be a good one to check out Blue Devil!). As strange as it might sound to other people, I am pleased that I have less than 600 problems to go!
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Here is another installment of "Then What?". I think shows how all my focusing on TCT has left me weaker at spotting novel stuff. I saw that Re4 pretty much forced Kf8 but didn't see further and I didn't play it. That's blitz for you :-\. See if any of you spot White's best reasoning for Re4.
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It turns out Re4 Kf8 Be5! threatens Bd6+ and (if ...Ke8) Bxg7. On my own I could see trade down possibilities with Be5 (something) Rf4, but this is not as strong.
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TCT Results | Circle 1 | Circle 2 | Circle 3 | Circle 4 | Circle 5 | Circle 6 | Circle 7 |
| Step 1 | 97% | 99% | 99% | 100%r | |||
| Step 2 | 93% | 96% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% | 100% |
| Step 3 | 93% | 97% | 97% | 96% | 96% | 98% | 99% |
| Step 4 | 80% | 86% | 90% | 92% | 89% | 94% | 95% |
| Step 5 | 74% | 77% | 83% | 87% | 88% | 91% |
Friday, June 23, 2006
Sir Lazy Brain
I am working through 60-80 problems per 30-40 minutes a day with TCT Step 4 and 5. On the good side I continually think that this stuff is worth reviewing and I don't mind an 8th Circle. The bad news is I seem to be sliding back into more beginner calculation errors. I have noticed this happening to me in both problems and games. I am seeing tactical possibilities but not accurately calculating my opponent's defensive resources, and am making bad moves as a result. I must have a lazy brain, or perhaps part of it went on vacation. Maybe this is one of the dangers doing too many problems, problems that are typically setup as an "spot the unanswerable tactically winning move".
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TCT Results | Circle 1 | Circle 2 | Circle 3 | Circle 4 | Circle 5 | Circle 6 | Circle 7 |
| Step 1 | 97% | 99% | 99% | 100%r | |||
| Step 2 | 93% | 96% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% | 100% |
| Step 3 | 93% | 97% | 97% | 96% | 96% | 98% | 99% |
| Step 4 | 80% | 86% | 90% | 92% | 89% | 94% | 96%* |
| Step 5 | 74% | 77% | 83% | 87% | 88% | 91% |
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Finished Circle 6
What a relief. I am proud of getting 91%. I certainly am not getting overconfident as I just took a look at my latest mistake :-\.
After some blunders on both sides I got to this winning position. I quickly played Ba2 and my opponent resigned. This would have made me happy in the past. Now I am just focusing on the mistakes, mulling over the fact that I didn't even consider the best move, Bf4. It's a pretty move, threatening mate or a discovered attack along the seventh rank as in ..Bh8 Bd6+ Kg7 Bd5+ attacking Black's Rook.
I suppose it is on to Circle 7 for me...
After some blunders on both sides I got to this winning position. I quickly played Ba2 and my opponent resigned. This would have made me happy in the past. Now I am just focusing on the mistakes, mulling over the fact that I didn't even consider the best move, Bf4. It's a pretty move, threatening mate or a discovered attack along the seventh rank as in ..Bh8 Bd6+ Kg7 Bd5+ attacking Black's Rook.
I suppose it is on to Circle 7 for me...
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TCT Results | Circle 1 | Circle 2 | Circle 3 | Circle 4 | Circle 5 | Circle 6 | Circle 7 |
| Step 1 | 97% | 99% | 99% | 100%r | |||
| Step 2 | 93% | 96% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% | 100% |
| Step 3 | 93% | 97% | 97% | 96% | 96% | 98% | 99% |
| Step 4 | 80% | 86% | 90% | 92% | 89% | 94% | |
| Step 5 | 74% | 77% | 83% | 87% | 88% | 91% |
Friday, June 16, 2006
"Are we there yet?"
"No, and don't make me turn this car around!"
230 more to go this circle... -=-=-=-=-
TCT Results | Circle 1 | Circle 2 | Circle 3 | Circle 4 | Circle 5 | Circle 6 | Circle 7 |
| Step 1 | 97% | 99% | 99% | 100%r | |||
| Step 2 | 93% | 96% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% | 100% |
| Step 3 | 93% | 97% | 97% | 96% | 96% | 98% | 99% |
| Step 4 | 80% | 86% | 90% | 92% | 89% | 94% | |
| Step 5 | 74% | 77% | 83% | 87% | 88% | 91%* |
Sunday, June 11, 2006
7 is not enough...
I can tell already that I will have to do more work on Step 4 and 5. I am picking up the pace to 30 problems per day, and I can see that this is just going to take more time to master. This seems very parallel to what some of the Knight Errant graduates have written about, reporting that continued work with CT-Art bolsters their skills significantly.
Back to solving...
Back to solving...
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TCT Results | Circle 1 | Circle 2 | Circle 3 | Circle 4 | Circle 5 | Circle 6 | Circle 7 |
| Step 1 | 97% | 99% | 99% | 100%r | |||
| Step 2 | 93% | 96% | 95% | 97% | 96% | 99% | 100% |
| Step 3 | 93% | 97% | 97% | 96% | 96% | 98% | 99% |
| Step 4 | 80% | 86% | 90% | 92% | 89% | 94% | |
| Step 5 | 74% | 77% | 83% | 87% | 88% | 93%* |
