GM Axel Smith discusses The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional Play & Gives Chess Improvement Advice
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2024
- This week’s returning guest is the renowned author, Chessable author and trainer, GM Axel Smith. Axel, of course is best known for the groundbreaking tactics manual, The Woodpecker Method, and is finally releasing its much-anticipated sequel, The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional Play. While the first Woodpecker volume focused on tactics, this one helps readers learn critical positional patterns. We discuss the challenges of and logistics behind selecting over 1000 positional puzzles. We also have a wide-ranging discussion about Axel’s latest thoughts about chess improvement, a topic he has covered in excellent books like Pump Up Your Rating and Street Smart Chess. We touch on how Axel’s chess goals have evolved, now that he has a family, his advice regarding offering draws, and even the parallels between trying to improve at distance running and at chess. As always links of topics referenced are below.
Book available from Quality Chess and Forward Chess, coming soon to Chessable
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PDF Sample of the book:
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Forward Chess:
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02:00- GM Axel Smith joins the show. Was it challenging to make a compilation of “positional puzzles?”
Mentioned: GMs Christopher Yoo, Renier Castellanos, Sam Shankland, Nordirbek Abdusattorov
Simple Chess, Winning Chess Strategies, The Power of Pawns
14:00- Patreon mailbag question: “When will Woodpecker 2 be available on Chessable?”
Mentioned: FM Nate Solon’s post, Woodpecker Revisited
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Check out the app of our new sponsor Chess Universe in your app store.
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22:00- We revisit some of the most memorable chess improvement advice from Axel’s classic book Pump Up Your Rating. What advice would he change?
Mentioned: My Chessable course, Identifying Critical Moments in Chess
www.chessable....
31:00- Axel quit his job to focus on distance running training, and runs 20 Kilometers a day. We discuss his training regimen
38:00- Returning to chess, we discuss Axel’s philosophy regarding draw offers.
40:00- Has the success of The Woodpecker Method changed Axel’s life?
43:00- Why does Axel think adults often struggle to improve?
47:00- Has Axel’s overall improvement philosophy changed since Pump Up Your Rating?
48:00- Thanks to Axel for joining us again. You can keep up with his work via Chessable and Quality Chess.
www.chessable....
qualitychess.c...
I think we underestimate how taxing playing chess is since we're sitting at a board thinking. I started powerlifting to help with my chess, and find that having built up some physical stamina improves my mental clarity and focus. Would recommend other players consider it too
Pawn Power in Chess is rarely recommended these days, or even talked about. Considering the other two books you recommended, I wonder if you meant The Power of Pawns by Hickl.
Yes, I misspoke- sorry about that. I am not a fan of Pawn Power in chess, although it was important in its time.
awesome book, but please add in the diagrams which side it is to move! It really gets stupid when you solve exercise as white only to find in the answer that it was actually black to move, anyway great book!
Ha, you've got to take that up with GM Jacob Aagaard, I think he has a firm opinion on keeping QC diagrams as they are.
Thank you again for another excellent and enjoyable interview. Given that Axel emphasised the Mistake List, perhaps a future guest could be Jesus de la Villa given that he has just published a wonderful book on the subject.
It's great there is a "2" out there, but what I would really like to do is go in order. TH-cam loves to promote the 2's, but then you go on a wild goose chase to track down 1 first. Is there a way to cover 1 first, then 2 second? Or is that too demanding?
Referring to a marathon as a short course is such a GM thing to do
lol. Agreed.
Which rating is this book for?
IMO best suited to 1400-2000 or so
Nothing like a 2 minute intro