The story of Cuzear Ford Becoming a Class B player
Cuzear Ford was a long time Class C chess player (see Figure 33) when he came across the Rapid Chess Improvement study program.
After implementing just part of the program, his rating shot up immediately to the Class B level. His rating jumped 122 points in just one two month period. As a point of comparison, my rating never increased more than 100 points over any two-month period even though I, like Cuzear, started at the Class D level. Cuzear's success with the program proves that my experience is not unique. The Rapid Chess Improvement method can be learned and applied by just about anyone. The results come quickly and the performance gains are significant.
- Figure 33: Cuzear Ford's chess rating. Cuzear was a Class D/Class C player for over eight years when he discovered the Rapid Chess Improvement study plan. His rating shot
up to the Class B level almost immediately.
Shortly after I began to discuss the key concepts in the Rapid Chess Improvement program Cuzear wrote to tell me: 'You have given me confidence to stay on course and pursue some of your insights further.'
After he had studied the ideas and concepts further he wrote me a very thoughtful email (I lightly edited the email to make it more readable, but it still contains Cuzear's uniquely expressed enthusiasm):
'I admit, when I first read how you improve (Seven Circles) I thought... people would not do the Seven Circles because it appeared to be too difficult and many would have a problem with their level of consistency in completing the Seven Circles.... The point is you have discovered a concrete method of rapid chess development. Period! It doesn't matter who likes it or who thinks it's too hard. The program is within their reach because you started this as a D player and it thus demonstrated its power. There was nothing to suggest that when you started Seven Circles that you had some special talent or that you were a promising D player on the rise. Quite the contrary I suspect.
Your method is pure genius. Here is why.
First! Simplicity - by studying tactics (Seven Circles method) you will achieve rapid chess development. Now let's weigh in on this. Most people will agree that if they want to improve they must study tactics. No big deal. The truth is studying tactics often has equal billing with studying strategic ideas. So they try to learn both. Or they may put more time into learning strategic ideas (because they may be more entertaining) at the expense of rapid tactics training. Contrary, you put all emphasis on studying tactics, reasoning that a chess player is learning concrete winning methods. Most aspiring chess players really don't appreciate that learning tactics is a fundamental that should be mastered. Therefore the fundamental is not basic knowledge of tactics but an ongoing desire to achieve exceptional knowledge. So the fundamental becomes exceptional not basic knowledge. Your program accelerates that process. Imagine if every chess coach communicated to their eager students that the only way to achieve rapid results or any kind of results at all is through the method rapid tactics training. I believe now that rapid tactics training should be a fundamental teaching tool for trainers. Any teacher who doesn't teach as such isn't worth much. It is like a golf coach who doesn't take advantage of the modern use of video equipment when analysing a student's golf swing. You have convinced me that strong chess tactics is a fundamental that should be over-emphasised over strategic concepts.
Second, the special class of adult chess players can relate to your story. You are one of us. Therefore, your story has credibility and makes us believe that if we do as you do we too can experience rapid chess development. Or at least improve faster than we would otherwise.
Third, the program is doable in a very short period of time. That is exciting.
Fourth, the knowledge is concrete, which makes it useful immediately. A strong tactical player doesn't need to understand the strategic value of a rook on the open file. He will not only naturally understand its strategic value, but will creatively exploit his advantage. That's what tactics do for you - it forces you to think creatively.
I could go on and on. Keep this in mind. This program isn't for everyone. It is for people like you and I who are serious about chess improvement. People who are tired of messing around, losing games, having less fun. It is for people who aren't lazy. The best aspect of this program is that you have provided a vehicle for people such as myself to rapidly increase my strength and to maintain my independence away from high-priced coaches.
Whether the program is fun or not is not important to me anymore. What matters is... If I do this, I get that (something concrete).
The reward will be the steady climb in my chess club and the amazement of my peers. Man, I just can't wait. Thank you so much, you've done good for a lot of people.'
This email message is typical of those that I have received from people who have really thought through the method. They realise that as adult class players they have two choices: They can continue to make three move tactical errors and stay at the class player level or they can work through the Rapid Chess Improvement program and see huge increases in their playing ability.
As Cuzear says, however, the program is not for people who are lazy. Chess is hard and it takes hard work to get better. The Rapid Chess Improvement program will teach you the fastest, most time effective way to improve, but you will still have to put in hundreds of hours of hard work.
At another time Cuzear wrote:
'I have yet to miss a day in the Seven Circles program. I can see already how it is going to help. So many of my chess club friends aren't doing anything close to this, nor do they care too. They all say they want to improve significantly, but somehow refuse to see the error of their ways. Some just don't know what to do, so many others are comfortable and still enjoy the game where they are. The rest some have legitimate life commitments to family, work etc. that interfere with consistent chess work. I guess we all have to cope with life vicissitudes, but some more than others.
I breezed through the first 225 or so puzzles and that was only because I've studied many of the checkmating patterns such as Morphy's mate, Pillsbury's mate, Greco's mate, Anastasia's, Arabian mate, Philidor's smothered mate; I think you get the point (smile). One night I completed 60 puzzles at a 91% rate. Overall I am at 87%, and of course I learned from the ones I missed. Now I'm stuck. And I'm a little concerned that I'm stuck so early in the program. For the remaining problems I must calculate in a more precise way without the help of some obvious patterns. I guess I underestimated what intermediate tactics was all about. I thought the tough stuff would come much later for me. I can't imagine what puzzle 1000 will look like. It seems I have a long way to go. One problem is I can only do the problems late at night after work. It is impossible to do them in the day when my abilities are keener (trust me). The weekends are better, however. I can see why you make a pass over the same problems seven times. It's starting to make sense.'
In this email Cuzear exhibited one of the key components of success, in this or any other field: the ability to select a successful path and then stick to it, no matter how difficult it becomes. If you have never studied tactical puzzles, then you may be frustrated, as Cuzear was. However, like Cuzear, if you want to be successful then you should stick with the program until you have seen it through.
Cuzear also notes that many players say that they want to improve but then they do nothing to improve. I am always amazed to see on the Internet chess server players who have played over 10, 000 games and still have very low ratings. If instead of playing so many games these players focused on improving their play, they would play less error prone chess and, presumably, enjoy playing chess even more.
Most recently, Cuzear sent me the following enthusiastic email:
'I thought I would give you a holler, I'm now a B player! I'm almost done with the Seven Circles. Wasn't able to do it in the time frame you recommended, but I've stuck with it and I'm hurting people with tactical vision. I'm on the 5th circle. I've had my share of debates with Master players who think they know what's important. There is a lot of other good stuff to tell you about. How your article has motivated a few people and we have study sessions every Friday night exploring the world of tactics. My students are beating the students of Master teachers. Just recently two of my students got top honours, one of them scoring 5/5 in the latest tourney and beating the number one state player in his age group. All I do is emphasise tactics. Also, I hold them to it. Two weeks ago my student, 9 years old Louis, played in a ten-minute tourney at the club. He came close to beating a strong speed player (1900+) when he failed to see the mate and lost on time. But throughout the game he used tactical vision and clearly outplayed his opponent. The dad wanted me to teach openings and I refused. Now the dad is in seventh heaven. He said he hardly recognised his son's and daughter's game since they developed a dynamic style.'
As you can see, Cuzear achieved a significant ratings gain (over 100 points!) before he was even finished with the Seven Circles program. You too will experience such improvements if you have the willpower to stick with the program.
Some chess commentators have suggested that after having played serious tournament chess for eight years, a player will have reached his peak and improvement will be almost impossible. This thesis is most commonly attributed to GM Andy Soltis, who wrote an article in Chess Life entitled 'You're Never Too Old To Mate' in which he claimed that very few players improved more than 100 points after playing seriously for eight years. Cuzear's example gives the lie to this chess 'law'. Cuzear spent over eight years stuck in Class C/Class D and shot up to Class B almost immediately after having implemented the Rapid Chess Improvement program. Anyone can do it!
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