Updating course?

What would be nice is for ICS to provide us with a one click down load of all the course material. The as the course is up dated all we have to do is click to update.

Would anyone else find this useful?

Moved to its own thread, this did not belong in the errata thread Chess!

It would at least be useful to have a single 'most up to date' pdf for each month (perhaps with answers separate or something to avoid spoilers).

I guess the reason would be the choices. PDF / Browser / ChessBase files?

Some things I prefer PDF, some I prefer ChessBase. I personally don't use the browser versions for anything anymore. But maybe the choice is why there is no 'big' download option.

But I think there should be a full download option for everything for each month -- not one for all 13 months. And of course, a secondary link for opening content.

Agree!, It's a bit tedious to call up each file...

Ok, but that's not the major issue.

Frankly, i like ICS course, but i'm questionning myself about continuing years 2 & 3 if we still have to go with only PDF versions.

This is a big drawback for me, i like chess but do not always have plenty of time for set up the positions and so on, so chessbase files (or any other "interactive" format) are really a plus !
It is specially true when you come back to a previous lesson, look at something you remember almost but not in whole and want a quick fix, going through the PDF again is boring.

Moreover, with chessbase file, you can do it in public transports (plenty of time to fill in) while going to work on a PDA, but just try to get out your chess board in the subway, no way!

And if you don't have chessbase??

Having the ability to make corrections and notes is essential! Likewise having to set up positions manually to search other games or verify analysis is a serious waste of time.

Offering only PDF is a giant leap back to the 20th Century!!!!

Maybe, but I seem to remember that they recommend that you set the positions up on a physical set. I do it. I am following the courseware to a tee!

I think one of the main benefits of setting it up on a real board is to help the OTB game, which is my focus. Looking at 2d boards / screens only to solve chess problems can lead to OTB visualisation problems imo.

I just make notes in a word document.

BorgQueen wrote:Maybe, but I seem to remember that they recommend that you set the positions up on a physical set. I do it. I am following the courseware to a tee!

They do. I wonder just how many others study that way. I recall an interview with Magnus Carlsen in which he stated he doesn't even have a set in his home.

I do a little of both, reviewing games on the computer, and solving exercises at the board.

I find it too distracting to look back and forth between notation and the board when reviewing games and feel I get a better chess understanding when I just have the (computer) board in front of me. Plus, I find it easier to get the "big picture" of game maneuvers by scolling the games with the mouse wheel back and forth.

I do both also. Initially I'll play through games on the computer, so I'm not preoccupied with moving the pieces and then i'll study the main game on a real board, with the variations on pc.

If you want chessbase files then email them. They respond to customer feedback and it's your money they want so let them know you want chessbase files.

My impression is that they will get to around to putting them in at some point, along with the brower view. They are still writing the second year course as we speak.

It will likely take a few months to get it up and running properly.

Just hold out until then if you want the chessbase files.

For some reason, I find it easier to solve chess problems on a 2d diagram -- either in chessbase or even a pdf file. Clearly chessbase files are better, but not everyone has chessbase.

However, I am still doing the physical board thing until I find it as easy to solve problems on as the 2d boards.