New FICS High 1595

Achieve new all time high of 1595 standard on FICS.

Achieved all time high rating on FICS standard 1584.

6 Days 128 Problems

64 Level 10 87%
64 Level 30 61%

16 Problems Today

Did another 16 problems today 8 level 10 and 30.
Overall:
2 days
36 Level 10 93%
36 Level 30 62%

56 Problems Today

28 Level 10 95%
28 Level 30 60%

Decision Made

Well I decided I am too weak to undertake the first circle. So I will call my current training circle 0. I completed the first 2 levels in CT Art 3.0 in 28 days. This was a fair challenge for me. I have decided to work my way through all the problems before starting my first circle. For the next 28 days I plan to do level 10 twice and level 30 (441 problems). The levels break down like this:
Level-#of problems
10-110
20-286
30-221
40-204
50-134
60-84
70-59
80-44
90-67
This means 8 level 10 + 8 level 30 problems average per day for circle 0.2. If this works out well then I will plan levels 20 and 40 for circle 0.3. I will plan the higher problems later.

I need to come up with a thinking method for the club and for the longer games on the net. Club championships are coming up and they are G90 games. Look forward to reclaiming some of my points. I think my FICS rating would be much lower if my opponents used their clock.

I will start the 0.2 drills on Wednesday.

First 28 Days Progress

Well I am 28 days (August 8 - September 5 2005) into my first circle and I am behind in my problems. My USCF rating is still provisional.
Standard 1530 -> 1555 (Approaching all time high of 1581)
Blitz 1082 -> 1082
Quick 1182P11
Rapid 1302P11


I have completed 396 (Levels 10 and 20) problems from CT-Art 3.0
Level 10 89%
Level 20 76%
Overall 78%
ELO 1906 (whatever that means)

There are several reasons why I am behind in my circles.
1. Life reasons - have kids, need to look for a new job, moving over the next 2 months girlfriend, family, chores and all that stuff
2. Computer on the fritz and competing with son for computer time. New computer will be picked up on Wednesday. Will fix this one up for my son.
3. Did not read the instructions well enough for scheduling my circles.
4. All this blogging takes up so much time.
5. Need to actually play some chess to have a ratings improvement.

I am learning a lot from doing these problems. They are helping to strengthen my end game and help me see more mating patterns. Some of the problems are tough and I just about blow a fuse because I swear it is tactically dead. Even when I complete the problem I learn little if am frustrated. Sometimes it seems like too much of a chore. Often times I am doing a couple problems here and there while cooking or whatever.

From reading the book I should be finding another source of simple problems. Perhaps I will start using the chess tactics server. Maybe I will modify the circle program and just use CT-Art. I will make a decision sometime today.

I should probably set some goals for myself too.
First I will try the make the point a day goal 400 in 400 days.
Failing that I will try to make the realistic and personally satisfying goal of 100 points a year to 1800 FICS/USCF.
As I approach 1800 then I can start setting new goals.