Welcome to the ICS discussion forum

Hello

Hunter — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:38:09 GMT

Hey, nice to see that a forum has been created for this ICS. It seems I'm in a similar boat with some of you. I played semi-seriously when I was a kid, but sort of let it go as I got older. Recently, I brushed against chess again and I realized just how much I love the game. I'm looking forward to working through the course material. It looks good.

-Hunter

hello Everyone

ChessChamp — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:04:59 GMT

Hi everyone, I decided to take up chess and was looking for a good online program and found ICS. Before I paid I wanted to do a little research and came across this forum. So here I am, let me tell you a little about my chess knowledge up till now. When i was around 12 years old i started playing a little bit at school, Learned the basics and played in a couple of tournaments. I believe my rating was around 1400-1500. I am now 25 and i have not played any serious chess since those days but I ...

What's up everyone

DeepFreeze — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:03:31 GMT

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum going to start ics as soon as i get set up. I paid for the first 6 months so i can just get it all since i have an obscene amount of time to study chess now. I have anywhere from 8-10 hours a day to study chess so I figure i can get some serious work done. I will also be using chessimo while i study ics as I find it to be a great program. I have module 1 of tactics done already and I am currently working on the endgame modules. I plan to split about 4-5 hours to ...

Hi All - Introducing Gil-Galad

Gil-galad — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:26:28 GMT

Hi All; Just joined the program yesterday. Some background FIDE 2046 ICC Slow play 2136. I only really play long play or rapidplay games these days. Over the board i rarely get time to play but now looking to jump a bit to 2200 FIDE. I am 42 and been playing on and off since aged 8 and live in the UK and have played OTB in 4NCL (UK National league Division 2) Like many others have loads of books , dvd's , chessbase , rybka but lack organised study programme and tend ...

HangingKing was there.

HangingKing — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:50:18 GMT

Hello, i've just discovered this forum, and also subscribed to the ICS program. I'm living in France in Paris, playing chess mainly over internet, because it is more convenient. I play on ICC for normal chess and loser's and Freechess for atomic (more players there). I have an average ELO about 1650 on 15-0 games, my best performance is 1760 but i cannot sustain it (dammit!), and i'm also able to go back to 1450 if i am not i a good day. For blitz it's worst (1350) and bullet ...

Hi from ChromeDome

ChromeDome — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:56:47 GMT

Hi All, I just joined the International Chess School and I am hoping that I can 1) improve my skills as a chess player, and 2) finally get to the 2000 level which I have been dreaming about for many, many years. I use to play chess everyday back in the seventies after work, but when I left the company so did the enthusiasm. So I have not play since that time. My wife bought me a chess computer for Christmas many years ago. It played a good game of chess but I found the experience very ...

And So It Begins!!!

datalore — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:43:13 GMT

Hello, I just wanted to say hi. I used to play chess when I was younger and really wasn't any good. Then I stopped playing for a while and then picked it up again a few years back playing mostly internet chess. Then that didn't last too long and I moved on to other things. Now, for some reason, I want to learn how to play chess. Right now, I just feel as if I know how the pieces move. I don't know where I got the spark from, but right now I can't stop thinking about chess. I know ...

Just Saying Hello!

shaypro — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:59:52 GMT

Hello everyone. I purchased the ICS course for my daughter who just started playing chess in February of this year. She is 9 years old and has been progressing pretty well. She went from her first tournament game in March (and a 400 rating) to a current rating of 1113 (and after this weekend I hope she will be much higher as she's playing at the US Game/60 Championships and possibly the Game/30 as well). I have been very impressed with the materials so far and even though my daughter is just ...

Hi From UnderRated

UnderRated — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:23:30 GMT

Hi.
I just signed up for the main course and I'm looking forward to reviewing the materials
Cheers

Hello

ChessCow — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:07:34 GMT

Hi All, Great Forum. I just joined ICS for my kid. In BDK's words, I am one of those annoying "f??king hummingbird parents". I learn chess togahter with my kid, only plays with him and never attended a tournament. My kid played for about 2 years, plays only OTB games, current elo 1600+. First month's material looks great. Hope the course will bring him to the next level (2000?). ChessCow

Hello from Chess?

Chess? — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:29:01 GMT

Hi fanat, Good to see you. This site, thanks to Blue could turn into something great. How did you do on the test for the first month? My result was extremely humbling. But I hope with time success will follow. We’re do you play? I play on the chessbase server. I do find that some cheat, but for the most part there is a good bunch of people from all over the world. I would like to see a tournament, say on a weekly, or even monthly bases for all the ICS students. Maybe Blue ...

Glad to be here

mathteacher — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:57:25 GMT

Hi, just came across this site. I was wondering if anybody except the "testimonials" on the ICS site were doing this course. I just received month 6 material today, but I am still wading through month 3 and considering going to back through month 2 again.. So, just like college, I am on the extended plan!

Chris

Hello

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:51:33 GMT

Hi, after reading different Blogs about improving in chess ( Chesstiger and BDK ) i made the decission to give ICS a try. I am 1780 DWZ and Fide Elo: Expected first rating: 1911 (11 games). ( see you own here: ). My 5 min Blitz at the fritz Server is 1750-1800. I work on tactics and endgames at . Strange: there are Universitys where you can get a Diplome in Chess ( - training ). But the most effectiv way of training in chess was never checked out. Greatings from Germany Aox

Introducing Myself - jmca

jmca — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:28:46 GMT

Hi Everyone!

I just stumbled across this forum today. I started the ICS course (Main + Openings) last December and am now in Month 7 officially. Unfortunately I had to put things on ice in the middle of month 2. I have resumed now, but I will still be tackling things sequentially. I am currently slogging my way through the games which highlight the different centres. I think the forum is a great idea. Well done BDK!

Jim

Does the program work?

bigdaddy — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:23:20 GMT

HI, I was checking out ICS and found this forum. Do you who have purchased the program find it worthwhile? Did it improve your chess? If so, how much?

Chessbud

Chessbud — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:02:58 GMT

I wanted to introduce myself. I signed up for the ICS and the opening module. I am a 2100 rated player USCF player and a 2100 rated FIDE player. I have never made it to 2200 but have been trying for 20 years. I have 1000+ chess books, hundreds of tapes,DVDs etc. that I have bought over the years to try to make master. Though I really should read more of those 1000 chess books I have. I guess I am more of a chess book collector. I saw this forum and decided to give the ICS chess school a ...

Bobby Blunder

BobbyBlunder — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:26:31 GMT

Hi to all those who participate in this forum. I live in California and have been playing tournament chess since 1974. I have been stuck at an ELO of 2160 for many years. I hooked up with ICS to try to fix my study program which I realised was full of holes. Many of the ideas in ICS I think are very helpful and will plug the gaps in my understanding of the game. I have just finished module 10. The next few months I will skip 11-13 and concentrate on Openings (which I have avoided) and ...

hello every one!

awake — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:48:04 GMT

[i]hi let me introduce myself,i m from quebec canada,so english is not my first language! french is! so sorry for the mistake i will surely do.i began chess 4 years ago,at age 33 and makes good progress with erratic study and play,so my rating now is 1603 elo (otb games).the reason i m here first i heard good reviews on this forum and i need more discipline and strictness for my study time.tired to open a book and shut him after 25pages!so good luck to every one and keep focus!

hello!

MNFats — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:11:23 GMT

I've been reading the numerous blogs for a while now. I've also been contemplating joining the ICS for a little over a month. I was excited to see that BDK took the plunge for us, and that it is a pretty decent course for the money. I'm looking forward to talking to all of you and to devoting some time to better my chess.

Thanks.

- MNFats

Newbie

jeff2k7 — Sat, 23 May 2009 18:31:24 GMT

Hi everyone! I guess I am the newest member of this forum and ICS. I want to say "Thank You" to all of you. Your comments and reviews of ICS have helped me tremendously. I have been looking for a way to get serious about learning chess and this definitely seems like the way to go. I am waiting on ICS to send me my login information so I can get started! I am a very inexeperienced player and relatively new to the game. I don't have a rating and haven't even decided on where ...

Breaking the ice (berg?)

KasparovIsGod — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:36:10 GMT

I am not sure if the phrase 'breaking the ice' is too politically incorrect in today's age of global warming and petty accusations of insensitivity towards fellow humans and gaia alike..so I am gonna refrain from any more of that reference! Bah..as we see I am a fan of Kasparov..well when I was asked once about 'Who is the best human chess player?' by a chess correspondent of the 'Battle Creek Enquirer' (bless his soul as he thought I was worth interviewing!) I was prompt in my reply. Vladimir ...

Introducing Myself Hoopy

hoopy — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:08:15 GMT

Have just restarted playing after 30 years. Want to teach my son (properly). Mu ELO is over 1800 (lower on computer playchess.com where I experiment with the fast games- I am too slow). Looking for improvement of 400 in next 15 months. Wishing everyone total success on the program.

Hi there...

hyperactivemodernist — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:36:17 GMT

I just joined ICS last night and am working through my first week of instruction. So far, it's very good, but I can tell I will be stretched. I hope I can keep up! I've been playing chess off and on for most of my life, but not very consistently until a couple years ago. I've never played in any OTB tournaments, so I don't have an FIDE rating. I mostly play online at Chessworld.com where my rating is currently 1645 (not sure what that translates to in the real world.) I've been trying ...

Look what the cat dragged in!

Blunderprone — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:59:00 GMT

BDK left the door open and in walks me! First and foremost, I am avid chess enthusiast ( my wife thinks I should be committed). I put myself in the self proclaimed category of active chess improvement seeker. I’ve played chess most of my life so far. I learned from my father ( an active tournament player back in a day) when I was 6 and participated in a local coastal Maine chess club growing up. Due to life, I had various episodes where I was absent from the chess scene for several ...

Hello!

CastlingQueeenside — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:36:19 GMT

I have not joined ICS, but am a regular reader of BDK's regular blog. I'm not sure if I'll join, but I'm interested in following his progress via this forum. I'll take a look at the curriculum. I have commitment issues, so I'm not sure I'm ready to lay out money unless I'm really ready to buy into this. Some of you know me through my blog, but to those who don't; I've been playing in tournaments since 1972. I hit a peak USCF rating of 1945 back in the late 80s. I dropped quite a bit, ...

Intoducing Myself

Strad — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:52:27 GMT

Hi there. I'm a new comer and i'm glad on finding this forum for sharing ideas. First of all you must know i'm not English spoken but i do my best and hope you will catch my ideas behind my mistakes. My account on ICS is on month 9, but i'm still fighting with month 6..:-( just not enough time to spend on chess. I also play on ICC where my standars is around 1860 (and improving..:-)) Once i send an email to ICS suggesting a forum for students, they told me the idea was considered ...

Introducing myself

Blue Devil Knight — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:37:34 GMT

Hi everyone. Thanks for coming. I don't expect many people to use this site, so if you are here I thank you. Feel free to introduce yourself in this subforum, or even as a response to this thread. I'm sick of sucking at chess, but I'm also sick of focusing exclusively on tactics. This course looks weird, interesting, and I think it might actually help. I look forward to tracking my progress as I struggle through what looks to be an intense course. One thing that attracted me was that it ...

Introducing myself

fanat — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:40:45 GMT

This forum seems like a great idea to discuss the ICS experience. I've been playing chess seriously for about a year. ICS looked interesting and I thought I would give it a try. I'm now almost done with month 2. I mostly play on the internet (chess.com to be exact) and my internet rating is around 1900. Obviously the internet rating is inflated by 400-500 points at least! My goal is to become a stronger player by the end of ICS and then will see what's next. Maybe some OTB tournaments.

Hello guys

Bilbo — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:01:54 GMT

Hi guys, I signed up to this course in March although with a very busy month I only started the first month proper in April so already a month behind as I now have the second month's materials as well! I subscribed to the openings but I think I'll be leaving them be at least for the first few months. Most likely I'll study the openings as a second course once I've finished the main module. Anyway I'm enjoying it tremendously so far and its great to see a forum has sprung up devoted ...

Introducing Myself - Kopperhed

Kopperhed — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:01:01 GMT

I started playing chess back in 1972 and played for the next 10-12 years. Never followed a training plan, just played, and eventually my rating got up to near 1800 USCF. Unfortunately, I got busy with other stuff and stopped playing. A few years ago, I became re-interested in chess. I rarely play anymore since the nearest club is a ways off and I find playing chess on the internet too impersonal. I'm not a member of the ICS, but saw a post on another forum about this forum so I figured ...

Howdy from chesstiger

chesstiger — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:31:56 GMT

I finally got my login for ICS so i guess i can say that i can be a full member of this forum. I am a belgian, 36 years old. Playing chess for almost 26 years of which 20 years in a chess club. My current belgian rating is 1907, my (first ever) Fide rating 1979. I have signed in to ICS because i wanted a structured way of working at my chess instead of reading a part of a book before switching to another book from which i read only a few pages before ... . Since this course ...

J'adoube introduction

j'adoube — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:17:40 GMT

. . of course, taking every opportunity to remind you that North Carolina is The University of National Champions!

Go Tar Heels!