Neal Bruce
@NealBruceBC
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Love my Family, Chess, life long learning, and Oxford comma. Chief Product Officer at a software co. Proud co-founder of #ChessPunks . Merch store link below.
Boston, MA
Joined September 2017
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I’ve been studying chess in a serious way for 5 years.
This thread is about:
1. Why I started this journey
2. My beliefs, skills, tools, process
3. How I made chess study a daily practice and part of my identity
I hope it will help you in your chess journey. 🙏
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If I could start my chess training over again as a beginner, I would read only these 11 books in this order (General to Game Collections).
IMO, these books + some coaching help on openings and game analysis is all a person needs to get to 1600 USCF.
#chesspunks
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Basic tactics win most games under 2000.
What did I play as Black against a 1665 player?
#chesspunks
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Goal accomplished! Mastered basic tactics: created 8,000 tactics cards (6,000 basic, 1,800 intermediate, 200 duplicates) and solved <10 seconds/card. Original estimate: 3 yrs. Actual: 2.5 yrs. Ongoing: solve 200 basic tactics/day = 6,000/month. Next goal: master basic endgames.👍
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This is my 3 year plan to master basic strategic concepts (2020-2022) and associated books.
16.5 months to go.
I posted this on a flashcard a while ago, but for
@DrLangstrand
, I made a fancy slide. 😀
2023-2024 will be endgames
2025 will be openings
#chesspunks
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36 strategy books in 3 years:
19 done, 17 to go in just under 17 months.
Doing this work to master basic strategy concepts has helped me both better understand chess and play better chess. 👍
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The best chess book introductions don’t just understand you, but see into your very soul. 🔥
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If you don't want to spend 3 years reading 36 books to master basic chess strategy, here are 8 books that will give you a good positional foundation.
I strongly recommend mastering basic tactics before basic strategy.
#chesspunks
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@chessmensch
1…Ba3+! Begs to be played
2. KxBa3 (forced) Qa5+ (natural)
3. Kb2 (forced) Qxc3!! (Wow)
4. KxQc3 (forced) b4+
5. Kb2 (forced) c3#
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I’ve unfollowed a few people recently because I want to be positive and be around other positive people.
I’m all for a good debate about the best chess resources, but if you put people down, I’m moving on.
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A nice intermediate level tactic from Murray Chandler’s “Chess Tactics for Kids”.
#chesspunks
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My Father died yesterday.
I’m grateful to be his son.
Everyone was very kind to me all day In their own way.
Life is good. 🙏
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Lost to the 6/6 winner in the final round.
Exhaustion caused me to miscalculate a sacrifice, but frankly, I’m glad we played and I did not offer him a draw.
4/6 is a good out come, especially with 4 blacks. 👍
Time for a drink at the bar. 🍷
#chesspunks
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I often get asked for chess book recommendations.
This set is a good place to start if you are below 1600 USCF/1500 FIDE.
#chesspunks
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I’m on the top board in the final round.
What more could you ask for?
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These are the types of tactical ideas that I need to learn win more OTB games.
An excellent intermediate level tactic from “Chess Tactics from Scratch”.
White’s best continuation and why? 🤔
#chesspunks
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Huge congrats to the 2022 Chess Punk Award Winners:
Best game:
@gauss1181
Most encouraging:
@ChessVonDoom
Best content creator:
@DoctorScull
Honorary Chess Punk:
@JenShahade
And special thanks to our 3 judges:
@CleominaChess
,
@Shivamnimzo
,
@wmiltti
! 🙏
#chesspunks
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Nice tactical idea that I missed in my Blitz game.
White’s best continuation? 🤔
#chesspunks
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I’ve been looking for a cool old folding chess set that I can use from time to time.
Just purchased this Latvian style set from the 1950’s.
Love the patina. 😍
Cant wait for it to arrive and use while I study master games. ☺️
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If someone told me in 2017 when I joined Twitter (as an IT class requirement at Boston College), that I would have 5,000+ followers by talking about adult chess improvement, I would have laughed in disbelief. 🤣
I really appreciate the
#chesspunks
community. 🙏
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Big news!
Spoke with
@blackatlantic
today we and agreed on the general framework for the upcoming
#chesspunks
tournament hosted by chessdotcom.
Geert will cohost the 2023 Chess Punks Award Show with me August.
We will announce tournament details during the show.
Stay tuned.
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@ginger_gm
1.Qe1# RxQe1
2.Nc3#
I Iove these double Knight mates. 😁
Merry Christmas Simon! 🎄🎅😊
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The last 5.5 years have been better for my chess than the previous 35 years combined.
2 words: Daily Practice
If you can create daily practice rituals, even if only for 5 minutes on some days, you will eventually do things that today seem impossible. 🔥
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3. Identity:
I stopped saying, “I’m trying to get better at chess.”
I started saying, “I am chess player, and I study chess every day. It’s what I do.”
Catch yourself occasionally making better chess moves and celebrate those moments. 🔥
Learn to love the journey. 🙏
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A Flashcard worthy tactic from my Blitz game this morning.
Find what I missed.
White to move and win. 🤔
#chesspunks
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Chess is hard.
We are told to castle early, but sometimes… fearless aggression is the best plan. 🔥
#chesspunks
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White clearly did not know this pattern.
I have practiced it on the board & visualized it several times with Flashcards, so I was excited to finally set this trap in a game. 😊
Why was 1. Rxa2 a blunder? 🤔
#chesspunks
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I follow
#chesspunks
that encourage each other.
I don’t follow people that attack/disrespect others.
Life is short, please be kind. 🙏
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A nice tactical pattern from How to Beat Your Dad at Chess.
White’s best continuation? 🤔
#chesspunks
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When the position calls for an attack, you must attack.
Even as Black in the opening. 😊
#chesspunks
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If you are wonder if you can improve at chess, trust me, you can. 😁
I’m 53 with lots of responsibilities, and I am getting better.
I never thought I would play a near perfect slow game, let alone a 5+5 game. 🤷🏻♂️
A small amount of daily practice is the key. 👍
#chesspunks
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An instructive endgame from “Endgame Strategy”.
What did Levon Aronian play as Black and why? 🤔
#chesspunks
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I won a Queen with a tactic earlier in this Blitz game, and was looking to play pragmatic chess (eg trading pieces, etc), but what knockout blow did I miss in this position as Black? 🤔
#chesspunks
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This sentence highlighted below from Endgame Strategy is very instructive.
I find that when I have a better position/more material, small positional improvements often cause my opponents to lash out with unsound moves as a way to release their frustration.
#chesspunks
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20 seconds for me to confirm and play the best move during this game.
How fast are you? 🔥⏱️
#chesspunks
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Name one chess book that is useful from 600 to 2600.
Here is my pick:
@GMJacobAagaard
’s Thinking inside the box
The following chapters are accessible for a 600 player:
2. Psychology of Chess Improvement
13. Analyze Your Own Games
14. Training Methods
#chesspunks
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This will be a long thread of videos showing my thought process during 5+5 Blitz games.
I hope these videos will be instructive for players below 1600.
I’ll post at least 1 game per day for the next week.
First up, “The Art of Attack.” 😁
#chesspunks
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After 16 days with 2-3 exercises/day:
1. I’m visualizing the board better
2. I’m naming the colors
3. I’m solving basic mates blindfold
4. I’m solving intermediate tactics better with eyes closed because I’m not distracted by current piece locations
🪄🎩🐇
#chesspunks
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Fabi-Nepo game clearly took at least 3 months off my life. ❤️🔥
Glad that I have a strong heart. ❤️
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On
#InternationalChessDay
I want to thank you, my fellow
#chesspunks
.
I’m a better chess player and person because of this community. 🙏
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A very useful pattern to know and an easy tactic to miss.
From “Winning Chess Tactics”.
What did Yasser play and why? 🤔
#chesspunks
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It's easy to be a bit disappointed with a chess book.
But every once in a while, a book lives up to the hype, and then some...
Which hyped chess books exceeded your expectations?
#chesspunks
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A nice tactic from Coakley’s “Winning Chess Exercises for Kids”.
White’s best continuation? 🤔
#chesspunks
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A beautiful tactic from “Winning Chess Exercises for Kids”.
Also, an important pattern that I hope to get OTB someday. 🤞
White’s best continuation? 🤔
#chesspunks
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If you want to practice your “Greek Gift” technique, play the Alapin in Blitz games. 😁
I would estimate 20% of my Alapins offer some version of Bxh7! 🔥
#chesspunks
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A nice intermediate level tactical puzzle from How to Beat Your Dad at Chess.
White’s best continuation? 🤔
#chesspunks
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I feel like most players <1600 need to read these 3 sentences.
Over and over again…
Intro to Game One of Chernev’s Logical Chess.
#chesspunks
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I had the pleasure to play against Rolf Wetzell
@MetroWestChess
.
A true gentleman.
As he tells in his book, he was a high B/low A (1700-1900) USCF player for many of his adult years, then took his chess more seriously.
He became a NM in his 50’s.
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Won Round 4 in only 3 hours!
Played a 1700 gentleman.
I played the Anti Marshal Ruy (h3), but he still played the Marshal!
I found a nice tactic to win a second pawn and played better in the Bishops of opposite colors endgame.
He resigned before losing a 3 third pawn.
3/4 😁
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1/6 Mastering Basic Strategy 🧵
I’m not a huge fan of Silman’s The Amateur’s Mind because I think there are better basic strategy books.
But it does one thing really well:
It shows how a Master slowly improves a position while the amateur makes disjointed moves.
#chesspunks
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If you wait until you feel prepared to play in an Over The Board (OTB) chess tournament, will will never play in one. 🤷🏻♂️
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Happy Sunday! 😁
I missed Black’s best continuation in this Blitz game.
Do you see it? 🤔
#chesspunks
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My Son was accepted by LMU, his first choice University. 🎉
None of us were confident that he would get in, but I’m so glad he went for it, and wrote the best essay he could.
Was similar for me with Boston College in 1987.
Dream big Dreams, life is better that way. 🔥
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An important idea in the Marshall that I need to learn. 🤦♂️
White to move and win. 🤔
#chesspunks
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I’m only 8 months into my “master basic strategy” program, but I already see games with with different eyes.
I’m writing things like “look at all those weak dark squares” and “that hole on d4 looks tasty”.
If you’ve never done focused strategy work, I highly recommend it. 👍
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It's hard to express how amazing it feels to be included in the same sentence as Anand, Naka, Ramesh, Hendriks, Aagaard, and Chabris.
These are all chess icons. 😍
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I’m always mystified when players <2200 say books like Chernev’s Logical Chess Move by Move are too basic for them.
If you can’t learn something from studying a carefully curated selection of master games, I don’t know what to tell you. 🤷🏻♂️
#chesspunks
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Chesspunks tournament on chessdotcom.
This will happen
#chesspunks
! 🔥
Stay tuned.
@NealBruceBC
@chesscoachandra
@manfrm_atlantis
@RookieRedhead
@ChessVonDoom
I'm all in. Wanna support this. DM'd you my email.
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5 years of chess study:
3 years to master basic strategy
(2020-2022)
2 years to master basic endgames
(2023-2024)
@thestrongchess
@hellokostya
👀
#chesspunks
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Just purchased my 3rd Russian chess set on eBay. 🙈
I think I need to stop before this becomes an addiction. 🤣
This Latvian style set is from the 50’s and cost me $110 with shipping, which feels like a steal.
Part of the fun will be the restoration/preservation. 😁
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Only took me 1,000 annotated games 😅, but I’m now starting to understand a majority of moves in master games. 😁
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In 10 days, I will publish the nomination form for the 2023 Chess Punk Awards.
The annual
#chesspunks
categories are:
1. Best game
2. Most encouraging
3. Best content creator
4. Honorary Chess Punk
I will ship one of these beautiful medallions to each winner.
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If you have ever wondered if it is worth it to master basic tactics and basic strategy, then if it pleases the court, may I enter this game into evidence. 😉
#chesspunks
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A great example of an intermediate tactical position that is a combination of 2 basic tactics.
Do yourself a favor and master the basic tactical “chunks” before moving forward to intermediate tactics.
#chesspunks
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I won 3/3 online games today, so that’s a good confidence boost before my OTB return tomorrow. 👍
Wish me luck because I’m going to need it. 😅
Black to move and win from my 3rd game. 🤔
#chesspunks
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Mastering basic tactics update: Created 8,000 flash cards (~6,000 basic, 1,800 intermediate, and 200 duplicates) & mastered 4,800 (<10 seconds/card) in 28 months. Estimated time to master remaining 3,200: 6 months of morning study. Next up: Mastering basic endgames at night👍
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Q: I’m an adult chess improver. How does one become part of the chesspunks community?
A: There is no initiation ceremony, no governing body. I suggest you use
#chesspunks
in tweets and encourage other chesspunks. All are welcome. 🙏
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It’s New Years Eve.
Just wrapped up a podcast with
@DoctorScull
. 👍
I hope 2022 brings you joy and peace and that you learn new things about yourself and others next year.
Happy New Year
#chesspunks
! 🎊🎉🥳😁
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A nice tactical puzzle from the
@chessable
course:
Calculation, a complete guide for tournament players.
Black's best continuation? 🤔
#chesspunks
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And so begins, a 2 year journey to master basic endgames.
(Only 2 years and only will 10 books? The safe bet is more like 3 years & 15 books, but let’s go!) 🤣
Thanks to
@NewInChess
for sending me the Revised edition after noticing that I had the older version. 🙏
#chesspunks
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@vlad_chess
What do you gain by criticizing Lula’s word choices? 🤔
We have worked hard for years to make the
#chesspunks
community a positive place for adult chess improvers.
So I would prefer for you to be a positive influence if you want to use the
#chesspunks
hashtag. 🙏
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I really like the idea of “A Chesspunks Lecture Series, by Chesspunks, for Chesspunks”
What do you think? 🤔
#chesspunks
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My current plan for Mastering Basic Endgames is to study 10 books over 24 months.
I want a mix of theory and flashcards that I can create & review for the rest of my life.
If you think I a missing a critical book to master basic endgames, please let me know.
#chesspunks
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Happy Tuesday! 😁
An instructive intermediate level puzzle from “How to Beat Your Dad at Chess”
Black’s best continuation? 🤔
(Hint: This is a pattern that once known, allows you to solve it in 3 seconds or less)
#chesspunks
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The best advice my Grandmother ever game me:
“If you don’t have something nice to say about someone, don’t say anything.”
She died at 103.
I’m certain that her positive attitude contributed greatly to her long and fruitful life. 🙏
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The wait is almost over!
I will launch the
#chesspunks
clothing merch store on 1 June 2022.
I’ve already paid for the logo, so everything will be sold at cost.
Please send me your design requests (styles, colors) soon. 😁
@gauss1181
@Lona_Chess
@Mrjimjones71
@Bennyficial1
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