Purpose

Over the course of the next year (2009 - April 2010) I hope to obtain a USCF rating of 2000+. Currently, (April 18, 2009) I am at 1622; you can look up my progress at: here and search for "lesslie, p". Within this blog I intend to detail the method in which I obtained (assuming I do...) my goal. I have designed a basic training plan, which consists of the following:

1) Theory - Memorizing the critical lines in the openings that I play

2) Application of Theory - find games where the theory is applied and see where master "x" plaecd his peices and why - what was the result ( B v. N ending, other person's pawns on weak squares without defense, etc)

3) Tactics Training - Solving >50 tactics / day

4) Ending study involving minor peices (not just king and pawn)

5) Piece play study - A study of the interplay between the minor pieces

6) Analyze Smyslov's games

7) Play a chess engine (Chessmaster, Fritz, Crafty) once every day at a time control slower than G/45.