IMAGINATION IS KEY TO BETTER CHESS

Yeah, I know some will say "I have no imagination." Probably they don't really know what imagination means even if they think they do.

I remember being told this once by someone close to me. Funny thing happened on the way to the Forum, he began studying the Khalifman openings series which exploited the play of Anand and Kramnik. He really took it seriously and figured out WHAT he wanted to take from them. He liked what he saw.

A year later he started playing at the chess club and raised his rating almost 250 points and was beating the club "hot shots." He knew patience was part of it and "appearing" cool under pressure (time, for example). His candle burned brightly, and then school, family, and a job took over. Maybe he'll come back; he's only in his 30s.

Where did the imagination come in? It's a PROCESS I call "immersion." It happens in all fields. Set the goal or burn the passion, and then go for it. Don't make excuses, timeouts, "I'm too old," my job, etc. I saw it in action as he began mowing people down right and left. Only one person was stopping his clock, and he was gunning for him. Self-confidence grew AND so did his imagination. If you do ANYTHING out of the ordinary, date, watch TV, drive around, go to Wal-Mart, stores, sports... there is extra time right there. If yo don't do anything, you won't be reading this.

This Blog is not a psychology course but in a way it should be. I am preparing a super document on who chess is for and who is success for through the Chess Book Camp. Come, see, hear, and learn (that ugly L word). Find out if you have what it takes or can develop what it takes. The answers, I suspect, will greatly surprise you. The reason I say that is that I am somewhat paralleling the work of another in a growth industry and there is EXACTLY no difference! This CAMP would be especially valuable to: tutors, mentors, coaches, and teachers. Some are TEACHING to the wrong people!

Hopefully some announcements real soon so we can start prepping for registrations and such. Will there be something for down in the dirt players? Of course. "No stone unturned," was that Fred who originally said that?

bob@thinkerspressinc.com