Day 22

Today I did 15 problems from "365 Ways to Checkmate."

After reading my fellow de la Mazan bloggers' posts, I feel that I need to continue yesterday's thread regarding tactics and de la Maza. I feel that it is a necessity to also spend time on endings, openings, and middlegame strategy. Another message on Yahoo's Chess Improvement Group stated that studying should proceed:

1. Tactics
2. Endgames
3. Middlegame Strategy
4. Openings

Training roughly proceeds: 100/0/0/0 (100% tactics, no endgame, middlegame, or opening study), 95/5/0/0, 90/10/0/0, 85/15/0/0, 80/20/0/0, 75/20/5/0, and so on until approximately 10/30/10/50 @ GM-quality play. I'm thinking that 100/0/0/0 is the first 3 weeks of my 6-Circles Plan. After that I plan on integrating endgaems, middlegame strategy, and openings into my study routine.

Additionally, I don't plan on tweaking the de la Maza plan any further than I already have, I will only add components of my own. I fear that if I stray too far from the plan, I will lose my focus and direction.

I highly recommend that all of the de la Maza bloggers check out the Yahoo Chess Improvement Group site and the blog of King Patzer, both under my Misc. Chess Links List.

74 days left
1.5 hrs. completed, 20.5 total
838 out of 1533, 695 left

Wk/ T/ E/ MS/ O
1-3/100/0/0/0
4/95/5/0/0
5/90/10/0/0
6/85/15/0/0
7/80/20/0/0
8/75/20/5/0
9/70/20/10/0
10/65/20/15/0
11/60/20/20/0
12/55/20/20/5
13/50/20/20/10
14/45/15/25/15
15/40/15/30/15
16-19/35/15/35/15
20-21/30/20/30/20
22-23/25/25/25/25
24/20/30/20/30
25-27/100/0/0/0

Let me know if you see any mistakes or have any suggestions or comments.