Inspiration and improvement tips from the New York Times

This is another old, unpublished post. It originally dates from 8 June 2007! Greg, the illustrative game in the first NYT link is a Reti.

From The New York Times:

With summer (nearly) here, the time is right for improving your game. While some people catch up on reading, chess players can use the longer days to study and train.

Playing is often a good way to improve, said John P. Fedorowicz, a grandmaster and coach. "When I started, I just played a lot," he said.

Studying openings is also important, Fedorowicz said, but concentrate on ones that suit your style. "Are they aggressive players, or are they solid players?" he said. Fedorowicz said he was always aggressive, so he gravitated toward openings like the Sicilian Defense.

Speaking of which, I'm currently back on the Scotch Game and about to study the anti-Sicilian systems (I exclusively play the Closed Sicilian against 1…c5). So watch out, Greg, because I'm sticking with 1. e4 and ready for your 1. … c5!

Although many coaches suggest working through books with collections of tactical problems, Fedorowicz is not keen on them.

Well, I have no authority to argue with Fedorowicz, but I'm pretty happy to work through Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors on the train to and from work. And, for Marc:

Danny Kopec, an international master who has written more than 30 books and runs summer chess camps, … said people should not play too much rapid chess because "it is not serious chess."

Source: The New York Times. Ready to Improve Your Game? The Experts Offer Some Advice by Dylan Loeb McClain