I’ve been thinking about whether I need to play against others to achieve my goal of beating the highest-rated computer, Lc0. Frankly, I don’t. Since computers are currently the best at chess, I do believe that they are the standard to beat, and not other humans.
However, I plan to consistently learn principles from other players. For example, I started SmithyQ’s Opening Fundamentals course on Chessable, where I learned about the basics of the opening, while also seeing those principles come to fruition in Master games. These principles will allow me to build my way up to chess engine capability.
One question I have is the question of knowing when to calculate moves. I notice that IMs, in their explanations, explain variations and stop the calculation to evaluate who’s better in the position. I have to get better at evaluating longer combinations when the dust doesn’t settle so quickly.
Some players were good at doing this. Mikhail Tal, for example, was able to out-calculate his opponents. But he also had an instinctive feel for tactical sacrifices and understood that his opponents were just as nervous as him when dealing with positions that required a lot of calculation.
After finishing Smithy’s course, I realized I lacked a feel for tactical positions. He recommended playing gambits, which are positions where one side offers pieces in exchange for rapid development. This is a very solid choice because it is the foundation for how masters beat amateurs, and it is how I will beat players at my level.