Answers.Body: <p>Forget about becoming a professional.  Do you know how many grandmasters there are that are working at minimum wage?</p>
  
  <p>Play for fun instead. 
  You need to learn one opening really well and learn tactics along with playing endgames.  Later, you can focus on pawn structures and positional play.</p>
  
  <p>There are some other esoteric subjects but until you are GM level they won't help you.</p>
  
  <p>I wouldn't recommend playing blitz or speed chess slower than G15 until you are ready to plateau.  But do not play super slow tournaments either, as G30 should be the slowest you play.  </p>
  
  <p>The best practice is the old way, which is exactly ten seconds per move.  No more no less!  Start at 15 or 20 seconds at first if ten is too fast.  That forces you to take enough time to see the board and make  a sensible move.  You will do so much better in time trouble with that practice.  </p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-02T02:04:40.567Z
Answers.Text: "speed chess slower than G15" - Huh?
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Answers.UserDisplayName: fred
Body: <p>I am a programmer and a chess player who knows the moves and the basic rules but never played professionally. I am a complete novice. I tried in <a href="http://www.freechess.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">FICS</a> and failed to win a single match. I was playing regularly around 15 years back and want to start again.</p>
  
  <p>I was searching here and there to make a plan to become a pro. I am interested more in self study. So the books these sites are referring are a little confusing for me. As some claiming book X to read first and have their reason while some claiming to read book X after other 5 books and showing there own reason.</p>
  
  <p>I want to know how I can make a solid one-year self-study plan that can polish my skills to start playing well in any rated tournaments. How can I make a reading list for chess? Yes I want to improve my chess to a particular level before entitling myself for clubs or rated tournaments and want to do it myself.
  Below are some of the questions that are coming in my mind, please let me know the points that I missed.</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>How to make a daily plan for opening, middle game and end games?</li>
  <li>How to make a reading list that can be suitable for me.</li>
  <li>How to select a chess engine?</li>
  <li>What other things I need like a notebook to write my chess moves?</li>
  <li>How to make a plan to practice tactics.</li>
  <li>What else I need to do to train myself without a coach? (I can use internet and books instead of coach)</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance.</p>
  
Tags: <learning><beginner><study><coach>
Title: How to make a self study plan to become a good chess player to play rated tournaments?
ThreadText: # How to make a self study plan to become a good chess player to play rated tournaments?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-16)
  
  I am a programmer and a chess player who knows the moves and the basic rules but never played professionally. I am a complete novice. I tried in [FICS](http://www.freechess.org/) and failed to win a single match. I was playing regularly around 15 years back and want to start again.
  
  I was searching here and there to make a plan to become a pro. I am interested more in self study. So the books these sites are referring are a little confusing for me. As some claiming book X to read first and have their reason while some claiming to read book X after other 5 books and showing there own reason.
  
  I want to know how I can make a solid one-year self-study plan that can polish my skills to start playing well in any rated tournaments. How can I make a reading list for chess? Yes I want to improve my chess to a particular level before entitling myself for clubs or rated tournaments and want to do it myself.
  Below are some of the questions that are coming in my mind, please let me know the points that I missed.
  
  1. How to make a daily plan for opening, middle game and end games?
  2. How to make a reading list that can be suitable for me.
  3. How to select a chess engine?
  4. What other things I need like a notebook to write my chess moves?
  5. How to make a plan to practice tactics.
  6. What else I need to do to train myself without a coach? (I can use internet and books instead of coach)
  
  Thanks in advance.
  
  **Tags:** learning, beginner, study, coach
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-02. Score: 2
  
  Forget about becoming a professional. Do you know how many grandmasters there are that are working at minimum wage?
  
  Play for fun instead.
  You need to learn one opening really well and learn tactics along with playing endgames. Later, you can focus on pawn structures and positional play.
  
  There are some other esoteric subjects but until you are GM level they won't help you.
  
  I wouldn't recommend playing blitz or speed chess slower than G15 until you are ready to plateau. But do not play super slow tournaments either, as G30 should be the slowest you play.
  
  The best practice is the old way, which is exactly ten seconds per move. No more no less! Start at 15 or 20 seconds at first if ten is too fast. That forces you to take enough time to see the board and make a sensible move. You will do so much better in time trouble with that practice.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: "speed chess slower than G15" - Huh?  
  
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