How do I get better?

Just adding my two pence, l got a decent board and started putting my games on that, and oddly enough it seemed to help. I would leave the board setup for my harder games and keep going back giving it a good dose of looking at it. Wouldn't always win but would always go to the wire. The more l looked the better l did. Don't get too downhearted. Not being funny but Chess For Dummies has been a great learning tool for me.

Good luck

fc

I have "Move First, Think Later," and I think though lacking in some places, the book is overall quite good.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
have you got your scripts ready yet?

Most of them. Check side ideas or my site for updates.

Like Datafly I went for the play over as many games as I can method.
Except I did it on a full board (you have to smell the wood)

I recall wanting some fresh ideas as White v the Pirc in the mid 90's.

I picked up one of those Bill Wall books (no chessgames.com then) and got started.

So you go over dozens of games without notes (if stuck you work it yourself).

I found some attractive ideas for Black that appealed and took up the Pirc.
Perhaps should have done it a decade before as I was KID player but I
always enjoyed playing 1..e5 v 1.e4.

But that is way to go if you want to catch the spirit of an opening.

100's of short games to weed all the 'can't do this' and 'maybe this is OK'
and 'I can see someone falling for that' stuff.

A lot KID tricks apply to the PIrc one of the main reasons that all don't is
because in most lines in the Pirc White does not push the c-pawn to c4.
The White f1 Bishop is more active and the White centre is more stable.
(usually it's active home in a QP opening is d3. V the KID it's hitting g6)
So today we have just learned that after 1.d4 2.c4 is a duffers move. 🙂