How to become... better | Step 1

The Beginning

What is this blog about?

When I started out in chess in 2020 I really did not know what was going on, and there was nothing I would have more hoped for, than a simple one-by-one "How to get 2000 blitz", and since I did not have that back then, I decided, now that I finally reached my personal goal, that I want to give something back.

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So at first let me make something clear. As I do not know, who - if anyone - and how much and what kind of person this will read, I think thats it is important to point out that I am not a grandmaster or anything near that. I'm a simple guy from a suburb in Germany who has learned some things in the past two years.

Furthermore my learning curve is not yours, it can be flatter or steeper and everybody is different: What helps or has helped me, must not turn out to be good for you. In fact everybody must go through his*her own learning process. And last but not least, I try to get my best english here, and if there are any typos or mistakes, please have mercy with me (same for opionions you might not share).

So to start out, what exactly is the goal of this?
It's mainly, to share some wisdom because I think that I might be in charge to.
And as I think of what exactly I want to tell, the first thing that comes into my mind is, that there indeed are many ways to get somewhere, but it all starts and ends with you. I could not make this more clear, when I say you, and only you. Why do I say so? Well thats the topic of the first of many articles.

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Step 1: Get to know yourself

Firstly ask yourself the simple questions, who am I? what shall this be? A quickie? Do I want to learn or just play? How much am I willed or able to pay? Can I? Is there something restricting me or holding me back, and if so, who, why and can I work on this?

Then ask yourself what your goal is, and I really mean to set up something it is both worth fighting for and also reachable by somehow. For the very most of us it really does not make sense at all to set up a goal like "I want to be a grandmaster (some day)". Start with somethin possible, maybe "I want to beat my friend at chess". (provided the fact, such friend is not a grandmaster himself, which would again lead to previously adressed point of taking small steps)

Why do I think, that asking yourself questions, helps anybody getting better at chess?

Because I taught people all along my own journey. I still do. Its fun to give something back. And whenever I do so, I recognize that most people never did ask themself those questions, and that it is necessary to do so, in order to come forward, since without, most people never come across certain points in their learning process. The dont know their goal, so they don't fight. It's very reasonable to do so; if you dont know the way, why should you run? So they get stuck. So they get frustrated. So they quit. First in their inner, then in their play, then with chess.

Sadly enough I had to watch too many quit. And I say too many because either of them had what it takes, and none of them was able to integrate the beauty of chess into their live, although they could have. Don't get me wrong here, if you tried and decided it's not what you've searched for, you're free to go. I talk of the specicive phenomena of being able to do something but then get frustrated right there facing your problems and can't stand it facing them, so quitting is your way back into your comfort zone. At least I suppose that it's that what it's all about.

And especially there, in the darkest hours of being hardstuck at _____ elo, it is, where it will have been useful, to have put up a goal, a reason to keep going, and even more, a definition of what you are willed and able to give.

Conclusion

It really does make sense, to intentionally not just start right out at chess, but thinking of where your journey should go, and where to start. Get yourself a guide, somebody who can lead you, or who you can adress, or even turn to, when beeing stuck, needing advice or maybe even get just a roadmap.

Diving into the blue, can be dangerous and even off-turning, when it comes to discover a whole new world, one that easily can frighten the f****** shit out of you, when some bad ass dudes decapitate your king in the middle of the board in ten moves. So take a moment and ask yourself...

who am I ?...