HOW BUSY ARE YOU? ... and a few other things

I've been approached by those who want to become better players, and to get some "lessons."

As many know, I am working up a scenario for that but I have a couple questions first:

1) frequency

2) time

These are not necessarily the same, let me explain.

Every day I get information from certain businesses, outfits, whatever you want to call them. But for me, every day is out of control. It assumes I have nothing else to do. Or worse, it assumes I find them way too interesting. For example, I am a Type 2 diabetic. I signed up for information on how to do well without taking medicine. But he also has stuff on 15 other things which are not directly nor indirectly related. I just can't read everything (nor want to).

In the graphic arts field I hear from Tip of the Day, etc. Some good, some uninteresting, none bad. But it would be great (for me) if they would choose the best stuff and release it once a week. That's just me.

I feel like if I were communicating (let's say, through a newsletter), once a week I could handle. How about you? I could even phone now and then (I think phoning is over-rated but like I said, that's me--unless you have a recording device how are you going to remember everything that was said?).

Time: Everyone says they are busy, even retired people. What works, I'm guessing, is to set a specific time to go over some things if the phone is used... or a specific time to look at something.

For example, when I get up in the a.m. I go to the computer to see if there are any important messages or orders. Grab something for breakfast and go to the living room where I look something over (chesswise, games). This morning I am going to play through a game or two from the new book on Wojtkiewicz's chess play by Hilton and Ippolito (Wojo's Weapons, Winning with White Volume 1). I need to improve my play with the white pieces! Then shower and get something respectable on from the clothes closet. This is why I usually don't meet people early in the morning (before 10 a.m.)

You might have something going for you which is very different. Sometimes a quick discussion can quickly clarify things more so than any spreadsheet ever invented.

Other things: Planning is important in chess and so it can be in life. I don't mean down to the gnat's ass, but a general idea without wavering all over the place. If you are planning to play chess locally or at some tournaments, do so. Don't do it for one month and then next month give out the old "I'm not playing next month, I have too much to do" line. Prioritize. When you do, some of those other fleeting "ideas" can be pushed by the wayside. For example, locally, I've noted some players are actually starting to play in some out of town tournaments. Good for them. It's not just stretching your mind, it is stretching your attitude. By stretching your attitude you might become more flexible in your opening choices, your middlegame plans... that kind of thing.

Oh yes, I did play through Game 3 in the Flexible French yesterday. For some reason it was not memorable, not even the notes... maybe because it was a draw. There's an example of where I NEED to stretch MY attitude. On the other hand, I do recall Moskalenko saying something like "For a draw there was certainly plenty of action." Thus, it will have to be revisited.

bob@thinkerspressinc.com