Answers.Body: <p>I think this question is a bit too broad to answer, but I'll give it a shot anyway. I think the best thing you can do in 3 months is to play as much as you can. You can play online and pick a semi-serious time control such as G/15. For <strong>all</strong> the games you lose (or really all of your games), you should analyze it thoroughly until you understand what it is that you could have done better. You can use a chess engine to help you as well as any other resource (Analyze the games with a high rated friend afterwards). If you played a poor move in an opening, you need to make sure you revise your repertoire. If you made a tactical blunder you need to ask yourself why you made that mistake and how you can avoid it next time, if you lost in an endgame maybe research that endgame to see how you can play better next time. I would suggest, at least, 5 games a day if you can manage.</p>
  
  <p>There's not much you can do in 3 months, but the best thing you can do is play as much as you can and learn as much as you can from your losses. It is easy to lose and simply play another game and forget it happened. It is better to figure out why you lost and try to figure out how to avoid it next time.</p>
  
  <p>If you could average 5 games a day, that's 450 games in 3 months. If you've learned anything from each of these games, that's got to be worth something.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-21T19:05:59.600Z
Answers.Text: +1 Analyzing won games is often useful as well (quick computer analysis, at least), as winning because of a serious blunder might lead you to think your moves until then were sound. I've fallen into this trap before, playing a bad opening over and over until I lost a game and realized that it was flawed.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Eve Freeman
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-21T14:20:56.197Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-05-21T14:29:52.813Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-05-21T14:29:52.813Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alan
Body: <p>I am an intermediate chess player (1500-1600 skill level USCF) and will enter the Open section of a State tournament. I would like to prepare for this tournament in three months, what would be the best way to become a stronger chess player to at least survive against 2000 USCF rated players or higher? </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-21T12:43:27.583Z
Comments.Text: It is difficult to answer without some additional information. How many hours a day are you willing to commit? What are your strengths/weaknesses?
Comments.UserDisplayName: firtydank
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-23T11:32:18.823Z
Comments.Text: Sorry to sound negative, but I think you need a dose of reality. If you're really a 1600 player, you have no real chance of winning or drawing against a 2000. If this is your goal, you going to hurt yourself.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-23T14:16:34.650Z
Comments.Text: I would recommend this checklist to assess whether you're in good shape - http://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/4950/is-there-a-standardized-chess-test-that-can-measure-ones-chess-playing-conditio/4953#4953
Comments.UserDisplayName: NM Wesley Falcao
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-24T18:55:54.770Z
Comments.Text: @TonyEnnis I know I have no chance of winning, but I just want to be in the best possible condition for I can at least have a good game and not get defeated quickly or very badly.
Comments.UserDisplayName: user122965
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-24T19:01:47.667Z
Comments.Text: @firtydank Because I'm a full time student, I'll dedicate an hour per weekdays, and 3 hour per day on the weekend. During my one week break the whole day. How can I use this time to optimize my strength?
Comments.UserDisplayName: user122965
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-25T15:38:10.397Z
Comments.Text: I would say, focus on tactics and some opening preparation. If you already have a repertoire developed, perhaps review a few of your more problematic variations. But mostly tactics.
Comments.UserDisplayName: firtydank
Tags: <tournament><training>
Title: What is the best way to prepare and optimize my skills for an Open section of a State tournament?
ThreadText: # What is the best way to prepare and optimize my skills for an Open section of a State tournament?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-21)
  
  I am an intermediate chess player (1500-1600 skill level USCF) and will enter the Open section of a State tournament. I would like to prepare for this tournament in three months, what would be the best way to become a stronger chess player to at least survive against 2000 USCF rated players or higher?
  
  **Tags:** tournament, training
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: It is difficult to answer without some additional information. How many hours a day are you willing to commit? What are your strengths/weaknesses?  
  > **username_2**: Sorry to sound negative, but I think you need a dose of reality. If you're really a 1600 player, you have no real chance of winning or drawing against a 2000. If this is your goal, you going to hurt yourself.  
  > **username_3**: I would recommend this checklist to assess whether you're in good shape - http://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/4950/is-there-a-standardized-chess-test-that-can-measure-ones-chess-playing-conditio/4953#4953  
  > **username_0**: @TonyEnnis I know I have no chance of winning, but I just want to be in the best possible condition for I can at least have a good game and not get defeated quickly or very badly.  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 Because I'm a full time student, I'll dedicate an hour per weekdays, and 3 hour per day on the weekend. During my one week break the whole day. How can I use this time to optimize my strength?  
  > **username_1**: I would say, focus on tactics and some opening preparation. If you already have a repertoire developed, perhaps review a few of your more problematic variations. But mostly tactics.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2014-05-21. Score: 7
  
  I think this question is a bit too broad to answer, but I'll give it a shot anyway. I think the best thing you can do in 3 months is to play as much as you can. You can play online and pick a semi-serious time control such as G/15. For **all** the games you lose (or really all of your games), you should analyze it thoroughly until you understand what it is that you could have done better. You can use a chess engine to help you as well as any other resource (Analyze the games with a high rated friend afterwards). If you played a poor move in an opening, you need to make sure you revise your repertoire. If you made a tactical blunder you need to ask yourself why you made that mistake and how you can avoid it next time, if you lost in an endgame maybe research that endgame to see how you can play better next time. I would suggest, at least, 5 games a day if you can manage.
  
  There's not much you can do in 3 months, but the best thing you can do is play as much as you can and learn as much as you can from your losses. It is easy to lose and simply play another game and forget it happened. It is better to figure out why you lost and try to figure out how to avoid it next time.
  
  If you could average 5 games a day, that's 450 games in 3 months. If you've learned anything from each of these games, that's got to be worth something.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: +1 Analyzing won games is often useful as well (quick computer analysis, at least), as winning because of a serious blunder might lead you to think your moves until then were sound. I've fallen into this trap before, playing a bad opening over and over until I lost a game and realized that it was flawed.  
  
  ---
  
  