Earlier I wrote of the importance of getting a chess teacher, but finding a peer with whom you can play regularly is also crucial. I say “training partner,” because that is the language I have seen online, but whether you are training for a tournament or not, it will really help your game–and probably your morale–if you are able to have a regular chess date with someone as close to your own skill level as possible.
How to find such a person? It could be easy if you have a local chess club that is meeting regularly in person, but because we are still living in the shadow of the pandemic, I will assume that that is not an option. Sadly, my former local club, numbering more than 350 members, was recently deleted from Meetup after its organizer resigned and no one stepped forward to assume the reins.
Online, there are several chess communities that have subgroups dedicated to finding training partners. You will find them on Discord, a free platform consisting of servers where communities of like-minded people gather to message one another and even hold Zoom-like meetings. Its interface can be a little forbidding at first, but it is worth the learning curve. The servers with subgroups for seeking training partners include Chess Punks, Chess Dojo, and Chess Goals (search for the name plus Discord; it’s hard to find permalinks for Discord servers). While you’re there, check out their other subgroups, which are great places to congregate and discuss all things chess.
There is a downside to these rich resources, though. In my experience, the people seeking training partners have ratings far out of my range (currently the mid-hundreds). But even if you are like me, sub-1000, I have some suggestions. If you are in a chess class with players near your level, consider whether one of them might make a suitable training partner. If you take private lessons, ask your teacher. She may know someone and/or be willing to ask around for you.
I had the great good fortune of finding the perfect training partner through an online class I take. She and I play weekly, despite a five-hour time difference. After every game we open the lichess analyzer and cheerfully examine our many blunders. Recently I realized that I feel much more relaxed playing with her than with anyone else, and I wondered why. The feeling is understandable–she has become a friend, and we are close in level and take group classes and private lessons from the same teacher. But it is more than that, I thought. I finally realized that these are the only chess games that I play without a time control, except for some at home. Class and lesson games must have a tight time control, of course, but that adds a huge extra pressure, which for the beginner can be the final straw. I recently heard on a podcast that you can learn chess best in games with classical time controls (defined variously, but usually meaning at least 60 minutes per player). I agree. If you are going to learn to exercise the analytic skills chess requires–assessing your position for dangers and possibilities both after your opponent moves and before you make the move you are contemplating–you need as much time as possible, especially as a chess newbie.
If you can’t find a regular partner, or even if you have one but want to play more games, you will have to brave the Wild West of chess and play with strangers on chess.com, lichess, and elsewhere. I have had plenty of adventures out there, which I will relate next time.
Recommendation of the Week: When you’ve had your fill of chess books but still want to read something that will help your game, take a look at the five non-chess books recommended by Chess Goals, a great site that helps you attain them.
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