Chess Vibes | Martin | Activity

Martin posted an update: I did the course the first time round and have […]

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 22:13:55 -0600

I did the course the first time round and have oh-so-slowly, improved my rating from 893 to, now, 1016. More importantly, I have won 70% (plus two draws) of my last 23 games (rapid), 67% of them as white using either the London or Stonewall Attack, and 73% of them as black using either the Owen’s Defence against e4 or Pirc/King’s Indian…

Martin posted a new activity comment

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 22:52:23 -0600

Well , you’d think so since no one is going to pay for a complete course again, just for a few changes.

In reply to - Martin posted an update

Now that Nelson is going to open up the course to new students, what happens to us oldies? Do we get access to any changes made to the new course?

Martin posted an update: Now that Nelson is going to open up the course to […]

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 15:48:55 -0600

Now that Nelson is going to open up the course to new students, what happens to us oldies? Do we get access to any changes made to the new course?

Martin posted an update: Been at this course for about two months now. I […]

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:51:26 -0600

Been at this course for about two months now. I haven’t forged ahead with it but am just taking my time. My rating at the start of the course was 893 and now it is 908. This doesn’t sound very good but in that time my rating dropped to 854, so I’m pulling back now.

I feel I’m winning more games but it’s through blunders by my opponent as…

Martin posted a new activity comment

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:26:11 -0600

I watch tournaments and other games on chess.com and I sit there shouting at the screen “queen takes F4, queen takes f4! What, are you blind?!”
Then I play a game and make a stupid similar mistake. Why is it I can see incredible moves on other people’s games but completely mess up when I play my own? How do I start to see my games through… Read more

In reply to - Nelson posted an update

Hey guys! Post questions for the first group coaching call (Tuesday, August 6th at 8pm EST) here! Please check first if someone has already asked a similar question and just like/heart […]

Martin posted a new activity comment

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 21:07:22 -0600

On your Youtube videos ‘Chess expert thinking in real time’ you talk out loud as to what you are thinking so as to explain to the rest of us mere mortals what you are doing. However, would you consider that talking to oneself in a similar manner during games would be helpful or just take up time for no good reason.

In reply to - Nelson posted an update

Hey guys! Post questions for the first group coaching call (Tuesday, August 6th at 8pm EST) here! Please check first if someone has already asked a similar question and just like/heart […]

Martin posted an update: In the Stonewall, one of the aims seems to be to get […]

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 23:21:00 -0600

In the Stonewall, one of the aims seems to be to get the knight to E5 but when to do it. Should I leave it if black has a knight defending and let them go to the square first (or leave it empty) or is it best to take the initiative and move there, re-taking black’s taking knight with a pawn? I know there are many answers to this but I’m…

Martin posted an update: Lesson 4.1 tactics. I must be a grandmaster as I saw […]

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 19:30:13 -0600

Lesson 4.1 tactics. I must be a grandmaster as I saw the checkmate in three instantly. But then, since I joined chess.com I have done over 11,000 puzzles and this is one that comes up fairly often, so not really a GM (a 900 rated GM, I think not). While I don’t think puzzles are the answer to everything (anything, perhaps) I do find them…

Martin posted an update: Never even heard of the Owen's Defence and even while I […]

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 22:27:08 -0600

Never even heard of the Owen’s Defence and even while I was watching the video I was playing it against a 1500 bot on Chess.com and won! I’ve always struggled to find a black opening and have previously used the King’s Indian or Caro Kann mostly, but with limited success because I didn’t really know what I was doing with them. Think I’ve found…

Martin posted a new activity comment

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 08:28:24 -0600

I played a 15 10 game last night and lost but this time it was because I blundered my rook in the endgame and still had nearly five minutes left, so that does remove one barrier to winning.

In reply to - Martin posted an update

Because it is the easiest section to get a lot of games, I try to play in the 10 minute arena, but the number of games I lose on time, even from a completely winning position, is […]

Martin posted an update: Because it is the easiest section to get a lot of games, […]

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 21:01:12 -0600

Because it is the easiest section to get a lot of games, I try to play in the 10 minute arena, but the number of games I lose on time, even from a completely winning position, is totally unacceptable. All I need is an extra five minutes and I’d be ok but the only option outside of just random games choice, is to play tournaments of 15 + 10 or…