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About Louis Lima
Expertise
I can answer questions on proper self-training and chess tactics, but feel free to ask me anything related to chess and if I cannot answer it I will tell you.

Experience
I am a category A player with a FIDE rating of 1963, and a USCF rating of 1965. I have several instructional chess videos at http://www.youtube.com/chesslearning and author a review column for http://www.chesscafe.com and teach a Sunday chess class to kids at Tzu-Chi Foundation's Chinese School.

Organizations
Nassau Chess Club, Queens Chess Club, Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR)

Publications
Mobility Magazine, Moving Forward Monthly, www.schemingmind.com, http://www.chesscafe.com

Education/Credentials
Masters degree in Organizational Psychology with a specialization in Training and Development.

Awards and Honors
51st Nassau FIDE Futurity 2009 (3rd Place) Queens July Open 2007 (1st Place) North American Open 2005 (3rd Place in the U1600 Section) 2nd FCC Winter Swiss 2009 (3rd Place) 32nd Freeport Spring Swiss 2006 (3rd Place) 9th Queens Teams Champtionship 2009 (3rd Place)

You are here: Experts > Games > Chess > Chess > Rating improvement and use of Monroi PCM

Chess - Rating improvement and use of Monroi PCM

Expert: Louis Lima - 10/24/2009

Question
Hi, Louis Lima.
I just found your Channel in YouTube and I commend you and applaud your excellent work in which your love for Chess is evident. I re-started my OTB play almost 3 months ago. I learned to play Chess at 13 years old. I never really wanted to become a Master, until recently. The thing is: I'm 46 now. But I'm encouraged by people like you to practice more in real tournaments and learn more tactics. Do you think I can gain about 400 rating points in 400 days, like another amateur achieved? My current USCF rating is 1308. Also, is it helpful for someone my age to use a MONROI PCM to enter and organize my OTB games? Your helpful suggestions will be highly appreciated. Cordially, Pedro.

Answer
Dear Pedro,

Thank you for the kudos on the YouTube page. Although the rating jumps are higher at the USCF 1300 level, it is very difficult to get that many points in a year. You would need to play in several tournaments. I think 100-150 rating points gained per year is reasonable if you are training hard. You can probably do it in a couple of years with the right training and OTB commitment.

Is your rating of 1308 current? For instance, if you stopped playing in tournaments long time ago and your rating was 1308 back then, but you kept playing casually - then it could be possible to get there sooner. I feel a goal is very helpful for improving at chess. It has to be both challenging and realistic.

I'm familiar with the Monroi device, but have never owned one myself. If you write your moves on a scoresheet and can read them afterwards, then I don't see how it can benefit your chess. I'd rather buy Chessbase database with that money, and input my games into that database in order to catalogue them, analyze them, and do so many training-related functions with it. I do know many older players in their late sixties who really struggle trying to read their moves from the scoresheet after a game, and I think Monroi could be helpful for them.

Also, in many tournaments you still are allowed to write down the move on a scoresheet before making the actual move on the board - and this is really useful to avoid blunders. If you use a Monroi you are not allowed to do that. I personally don't like them but I imagine is a cool gadget. I would have to own one and study it in detail to really tell how useful it can be.

Cheers,
Louis

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