What went well?

  • I started keeping track of how many tactics puzzles I solve each day as part of my study plan. I average about 120 tactics puzzles a day. At that pace, I’ve probably studied between 7,500 and 10,000 tactics since I started this Aimchess/Chessable plan a couple months ago. Not 10,000 unique ones, but studying them with spaced repetition so I can recognize patterns.
  • During the week I felt pretty good about the games I played (winning 3 of 5). On the weekend I did not do as well (losing 3 of 5). Being able to play with fewer distractions really helps.

What could have gone better?

  • I played 2 back-to-back rapid games and lost both of them due to tactics, specifically pins. I should have played one, taken a break to analyze, then played the next one. That’s what I usually do, and this is why. I don’t like repeating mistakes.
  • I spent about 2 hours on The Soviet Chess Primer book, but it feels like I’m not making much progress on the book.

What will I try next?

  • Spend more time on The Soviet Chess Primer this week.
  • Start thinking about what I need to do to prepare for my tournament in 2 weeks.