I.

Analyze the board every move using the following system:

1. Take a look at the board with fresh eyes, setting aside, for the moment, my plans, expectations, and concerns
about the position that I had on my last move. Ask myself the following questions:

(a) Are any of my pieces undefended or hanging?

(b) On my opponent's next move, can he create a strong pin or exploit an existing one?
(c) Can he fork any of my pieces (pay attention to pawn and N forks as they are easiest to miss).
(d) Does he have any discoveries or double attacks?
(e) Does he have any potential checks and if so, how do I meet them?

2. Having run down that list, what does his last move then threaten?

3. Turning to what I can do on my move, run through the list a-e to determine if I can win material on my move, setup
a combination, or strong initiative. Now ask myself, whose threat is stronger? If his is stronger, then find the move
that best meets or parries his threat. The ideal move, if I must defend, should also setup a threat of my own or create
some other complication.

4. Either way, write down the candidate move(s) and, going through each move once and once only, make it on the
analysis board. Pay attention to the resulting new position, and whether attacking, counter-attacking, or defending,
keep the the following in mind:

(a) What is his most likely response to my threat, sacrifice, capture, check, or defensive move?
(b) Has my move left a previously defended piece exposed to capture or exposed my K to a check I can't meet?
(c) Has it dangerously weakened my position?
(d) Does he have any surprise resources?

5. If several moves are involved in a sequence, work through each move on the analysis board repeating each of the
steps in (4). Work through variations once and once only. Use a tree to keep it organized and terminate each variation
with a short, concise and honest evaluation.

6. If no forcing sequences, threats or combinations exist, look for quiet moves aimed at improving my position and or
weakening/cramping my opponents. Candidate moves should do one or more of the following:

(a) Increase my hold on the center.

(b) Increase the pressure on whichever sector of the board I am attacking.
(c) Create or increase the pressure on a weakness in my opponents position.
(d) Open lines for my pieces.
(e) Increase the mobility/activity of my less active pieces.
(f) Restrict the mobility of my opponents pieces.
(g) Create strong squares that my pieces can exert pressure from and from where they cannot be easily chased
away.
(i) Create (protected) outposts in my opponents camp.
(j) Improve my pawn skeleton with the idea of creating the conditions of the previous goals and/or the (future)
creation of a passed pawn.
(k) Keep in my mind that middle games can suddenly become endgames. Were this to happen now, would it be
decisive? If it would, and in my favour, work toward exchanging toward the endgame. If it wouldn't, avoid those
types of exchanges and either try to improve my endgame prospects or bet the farm on the middle game.
(l) Where an exchange of pieces is offered or possible, ask myself who benefits from the exchange? Which piece is
more active? Does either piece play a key role in either attack or defence? If its a N, does it have valuable outposts
it can occupy? If a B, is it the "good" or the "bad" B.

II. Play regularly to stay sharp, but not to excess which will only lead to sloppiness. Avoid playing too much blitz.

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III. Analyze and annotate RHP games after they're over with the written notes made during the game at hand. Compare
your analyzed variations and evaluations with the actual moves made in the game. What did you overlook and why?
Were your evaluations accurate? After you've done the initial analysis the old-fashioned way, run the game through an
engine to see what you missed and to get an objective comparison of evaluations that you can compare to your own.

IV. After you've completed your analysis, play through at least one Master level game that followed the same line
(however far it was followed) as was played in your game. Choose a game where the colour you played either one or
drew. Play through it as though you were that player, covering the moves your player made and deciding for yourself
what you'd move before seeing what was played. Try to figure why the move played was stronger than the one you'd
chosen. If time permits, play through another game in the same line where your colour lost. This time just try to
determine why the losing player lost.

V. Analyze the opening phase of your blitz games and the opening phase only. There is no point in spending an hour
going over a game you played in 5 minutes. There is a point, however, in following it up until it departed book and
determining if the non-book move was bad, why it was bad, or if it was sound enough but just not fashionable. Look a
little further into the line with an opening book or database to expand your knowledge of that variation. If time permits,
quickly play through (in 5 minutes or so per game) a few Master level games that were played in this line.

This time you're not attempting to find the best moves, or why, but merely to get a feeling for the flow of the game.
What kinds of tactics were used? Pawn structures? Which wing of the board did each side concentrate on? How did
they occupy or control the center? What kinds of flank pawn moves were made? Did they castle same side or opposite
side? Were pawn storms used or mainly piece play? Was a minority attack employed? A mating attack? What was the
general plan from each perspective and can you spot any thematic moves or sequences aimed at realizing that plan?
Doing this will increase your understanding of the opening and help you avoid situations where you're stuck wondering
what to do, or simply chose plans and moves that are at odds with the focus of the opening.

VI. Be graceful under fire. Remember its just a game, you are not a Kasparov, a Tal, or a Capablanca. Its not whether you
win or lose that matters, but what you put into the game and what lessons you can take away from it.

VII. Expand your knowledge of the crucial elements of the game tactics, endings, strategy, openings - by drawing on the
great chess literary works. And remember that chess is a game that is played with all elements as a whole, and not in
isolation, and therefore complete, well annotated games must not be neglected if one is to understand the interplay of
the elements.

Adenda:

(I) 3a. Can I sacrifice any of my material to open up lines for attack, create a strong initiative, mate my opponent, or win
the material back with interest.

(I) 4d. Does he have any surprise resources, including moves that superficially appear "bad", even to lose material, but
which completely refute my attack or turn the tables on me?

(I) 5. If several moves are involved in a sequence, work through each move on the analysis board repeating each of the
steps in (4). Work through variations once and once only, but carry the analysis one move farther than "common sense"
dictates it should end. Use a tree to keep it organized and terminate each variation with a short, concise and honest
evaluation.