Daily Message from Coach Russ
Dear Friends,
The secret to chess success, is that there is no secret at all. Highly motivated students are needed to create hard working students, willing to engage in the daunting process of pursuing chess excellence.
Consistent chess improvement and the pursuit of chess excellence is a windy and often complicated road with no simple or straight path. We often refer to the process of chess development like a stew, which includes many, many different ingredients, and when combined, you begin to see significant measurable improvement.
These ingredients include, but are not limited to, chess puzzles, chess lessons, chess videos, chess books, playing in the chess parks of NYC, playing in the clubs, playing in tournaments, watching chess movies, thinking about chess, dreaming about chess, watching Grandmaster tournaments, following local events, private instruction, group instruction, local events, National events, team shirts, camps, etc, etc. When these are put together in our giant chess stew we begin to see significant measurable improvement.
At the core of the pursuit for chess excellence lies the need for a highly motivated student. Not every student will have the same access to the litany of resources and opportunities that go into the giant chess stew. But, what we have seen time and time again is that the students with drive, motivation and a chess imagination can make the most of even limited resources and opportunities and will find a way to reach excellence.
With that said, below I have outlined our best approach for rapid chess development. This is a combination that we call: Train - Compete - Repeat
If you only train, but don't have any practical playing experience, you will find it difficult to build your competitive instincts and enjoy measurable chess improvement...
If you only compete, you will find it difficult to enjoy any measurable chess improvement as the process of acquiring new knowledge won't be incorporated into your practical play...
That is why we combine both in a circular experience called: Train - Compete - Repeat.
You acquire knowledge, you apply it practically in games, you self-reflect on your mistakes from those games through game review, which results in acquiring new knowledge, and then you apply that new knowledge to your next competition. This circular process, repeated over and over again is the key to success.
VERY IMPORTANT: CASUAL PLAY BREEDS MEDIOCRITY. THE IMPORTANCE FOR COMPETITIONS NEEDS TO BE SET VERY HIGH. WITHOUT AN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO WINNING AND LOSING THE VALUE OF COMPETITIONS WILL BE LOST. TREAT OUR DAILY 4:00 PM MATCHES AS IF THEY ARE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. WINNING IS THE GOAL AND EXPECTATION (WINNING IS NOT A BAD WORD). LOSING IS 100 PERCENT PART OF THE GAME BUT NOT OUR 1ST CHOICE.
4:00 PM MATCHES ARE HOSTED ON CHESSKID.COM AND EACH STUDENT SHOULD RECEIVE A DAILY INVITATION.
Putting this method into practice means:
1. 25-50 puzzles per day (Train)
2. Play in our serious 4:00 pm games everyday day (Compete) MUST TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS
3. Review your serious games played. Either individually, with a chess computer, or with the help of a coach (looking for practical playing improvements)
4. 25-50 puzzles per day (Train)
5. Play in our serious 4:00 pm games (Compete) MUST TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS
6. Review your serious games played. Either individually, with a chess computer, or with the help of a coach (looking for practical playing improvements)
7. 25-50 puzzles per day (Train)
8. Play in our serious 4:00 pm games everyday day (Compete) MUST TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS
9. Review your serious games played. Either individually, with a chess computer, or with the help of a coach (looking for practical playing improvements)
10. 25-50 puzzles per day (Train)
And REPEAT..And REPEAT..And REPEAT..And REPEAT..And REPEAT..And REPEAT
As previous said, the pursuit of chess excellent is like a stew, many, many things can go into it, any number of these things will fall into either the training portion or the competition portion but you need BOTH..
Please take a moment to watch a short video from one of our highest performing chess players in program history. We first met him as an unrated middle school student from the Bronx and within three short years he became a United States Chess Master. This was done without any significant resources. How was this possible? He was highly motivated and had access to YouTube videos and strong competition. His name is Tyrone Davis and he is now a Sophomore at MIT.
You can watch his video below...
All the above is very true, but without inspired and motivated students all this is not possible. Being a part of a team and being part of a greater community has always been our answer. Team First = Success
In closing, students who take chess seriously ultimately end up enjoying it the most and having the most fun. Even though some of the above ideas may seem intense, from our experience, when done in a loving and supportive environment...Magic Happens!
Be well,
Coach Russ
ICN Online Community: Things to Note
Daily Chess Club Meetings: 3:00 - 3:45 PM
We are happy to announce that starting this week, we will be offering club meetings during normal times through Zoom. This means that whatever day you usually attend chess, you will now have the opportunity to continue that, only virtually for now. Zoom club will begin promptly at 3:00 PM and will run until 3:45 PM to ensure enough time for serious play at 4:00 PM.
Program Advice:
If you are an advanced player - 700 + USCF: DO EVERYTHING (Puzzles, videos, tournaments, lessons, live streams, books, exercises, chess, chess, chess) * We will be including interactive group classes on Zoom shortly.
If you are an intermediate player - 300 + USCF: DO EVERYTHING (Puzzles, videos, tournaments, lessons, live streams, books, exercises, chess, chess, chess) * We will be including interactive group classes on Zoom shortly.
If you are New To Chess:
* Focus on the Learn section on chesskid.com
Lessons on chesskid.com. Start with Lesson One (Pawn 1) and continue all the way through (as many as are appropriate for your desired speed of advancement)
Supplement with Videos on chesskid.com. Start by watching each Beginner Video (as many as are appropriate for your desired speed of advancement)
As your knowledge base grows from Lessons and Videos, keep trying to work on solving Puzzles (this should happen in tandem)
Once Puzzles begin to click...You should begin to test your skills on Play vs Kid on chesskid.com (time control 15 minutes)
Daily Online Schedule:
9:00 AM - Daily Opening Email
Content, puzzle contests, self study, private coaching
11:30 AM, 5-round, G10, d5 - ICN Rapid Open will include all players across the ICN networks
3:30 PM - Daily Coaches Meeting Uploaded on Youtube - Watch Here
4:00 PM, 3 rounds G25, d5 - same format as our ICN monthly tournaments w/ U300, U700, U1000 & Open sections
Content, puzzle contests, self study, private coaching
Daily Morning Email: 9:00 AM
Our morning email will discuss upcoming events, introduce new programming elements, give updated team and individual stats, and address any prevailing questions.
Daily Rapid Tournament: 11:30 AM
Rapid open (G10, D5) for all ICN players. 5 rounds of morning fun. log into chesskid.com to receive your daily event information. Results from these events are counting towards team and individual standings.
Online Commentary Included, See Here
Daily Team Meetings Uploaded on Youtube: 3:30 PM
We will live stream daily Team meetings hosted by different ICN Coaches. Our meetings are geared toward giving program updates including past, present and future events and also connecting out students directly to each other and their coaches. Join Here.
Daily Serious Games: 4:00 PM
We have grouped our players according to their USCF rating and placed longer time controls (G25, D5) to allow for more serious thoughtful competition. We encourage everyone to participate in these EVERY DAY! These tournaments are also included in our daily updated individual and team standings. You can join by accepting our daily invitation on chesskid.com
Online Commentary Included, See Here
Additional Programming: All Other Times
When we are not offering structured programming, we encourage you to solve PUZZLES, PUZZLES, PUZZLES. These results are also directing effecting both individual and team standings and being updated daily. We also encourage doing exercises, watching videos, working with a coach privately, along with reading chess books and any other additional resources.
Check out our youtube page for new uploaded content!
Online Community Page:
Please reference our Community Page for a FAQ on how to join and play in the tournaments. If you have any questions about logging in, email ICNChesskid@gmail.com.
Private Lesson Opportunities:
We have now successfully begun the process of connecting players with coaches for private instruction. If you are looking to add a daily/weekly structured activity into your child's schedule we are happy to connect you with one of our eager coaches. You can speak directly with them regarding scheduling, etc. If you have a particular coach in mind, please let us know, if not we are happy to make a recommendation.
Please email us at impactcoachingnetworklessons@gmail.com.
Welcoming New Members:
We had an overwhelming response to our online community and we are now thrilled to extend the opportunities to others outside of our ICN network. If you have friends interested, they can Join Here.
Team Shirt Friday
Fridays are our weekly team shirt day. Check out our friends in their team shirts @ TEAM SHIRT FRIDAYS
Send pictures in your Team Shirt on Fridays to icnonlinecommunity@gmail.com.
We will post all of our photos to our Instagram below.
Daily Stats and Standings:
Finally, join me in congratulating all the winners from our daily events:
Our daily winners will be on display here.
Additionally, please see here for our updated day standings of our Puzzles contest.
Team Winners:
Rapid Open
PS 11, 12 points
PS 33, 8.5 points
PS 59, 7.5 points
PS 77, 7 points
1000 +
PS 11, 5 points
PS 77, 2 points
Anderson (2 points)
PS 59, 2 points
U1000
PS 10, 6 points
PS 11, 3 points
PS 33, 3 points
PS 77, 2 points
U700
PS 33, 9 points
PS 10, 6.5 points
PS 130K, 5 points
PS 139, 2 points
U300
PS 33, 8 points
PS 77, 4 points
PS 130K, 3.5 points
BIB, 3 points
Individual Winners (Top 10):
Rapid Open -
Elliot Goodrich (77) - First Place!
Jude Kazan (59)
Christoffer Lamtan (11)
Warren Liang (ICN Friend)
Abyl Dowshen Flores (139)
Shiding Wu (59)
Oliver Skelcher (11)
Emma Phu (11)
Wolfgang Damon (33)
Akaash Rau (116)
1000 +
Avaan Chamadia (11) - First Place!
Elliot Goodrich (77)
Warren Liang (ICN Friend)
Chenyu Zhao (59)
Indira Raparthi (11)
Jacob Meyers (33)
Louis Barry (11)
Oliver Skelcher (11)
Maxwell Stringer (33)
U1000
Emma Phu (11) - First Place!
Devin Wang (77)
Miles Stringer (33)
Miro Lerner (139)
Jeremy K. Yoon (10)
Luke Gorga (10)
Peter Volik (10)
Mila Antonios (10)
Jude Badawi (33)
Philip Moy (59)
U700
Nik Vig (33) - First Place!
Kevin Xie (10)
Harrison Leese (139)
Avin Pawar (33)
Lukas Kam (33)
Hunter Zelznick (130K)
Arlo Schnee (33)
Charles Kim (10)
Jackson Zelznick (130K)
Clark Shlisky (77)
U300
Ethan Mosca (33)- First Place!
Leon Yuan (77)
Finn Loomis (139)
Samaira Mody (59)
Colton Choi (BIB)
Audrey Chan (33)
Oliver McManus (130K)
Sophia Elicier (111)
Daniel Mulvihill (33)
Morgan Mayo (10)
ICN Puzzle Competition:
PS 59's Team leads with a total of 3676 puzzles completed (Top 10)
PS 33's Team leads with a total of 7077 puzzles completed (All Time)
PS 33's Nik Vik is leading the charts with 561 puzzles completed in the last 7 days.
PS 33's Nik Vik is leading the charts with 140 puzzles completed in one day.
A special congratulations to PS 11's Avaan Chamadia for having the highest chesskid rating in the last 7 days of 2603.
We are happy to announce online streamed videos, with live commentary, and skill appropriate lesson content is available on our youtube channel.
Congratulations and keep up the great job,
Coach Russ