Absolutely agree that improving time management is a bit of low-hanging fruit that a lot of us are leaving on the tree. I will wait anxiously for the next chapter in which you talk about using too little time. I run a series of weekly classical tournaments on lichess (60+30) and I routinely watch players below 1500 or so come to the end of a 30 move game with more time on the clock than they started with. The games are typically filled with tactical blunders that could have been avoided by investing some time in calculation. As you rightly point out, calculation is the place to invest this scarce resource and not doing so is no different than leaving a piece permanently undeveloped.
I think using too little time is much more common in online games. The stakes just don't feel as high when you're not sitting across the board from someone.
Thanks for the article! Another aspect of time management, (that is a little harder to understand, but if you could consider it for a future topic) is, wasting tempo/tempi on moves that don't improve your position or chances. I am currently trying to become aware of this in my games and it is surprising how many times I have caught myself realizing I moved something only to have to move it back or move it again in a move or two because I didn't consider my opponents reply and/or I didn't move it to it's best square on the first attempt.
Absolutely agree that improving time management is a bit of low-hanging fruit that a lot of us are leaving on the tree. I will wait anxiously for the next chapter in which you talk about using too little time. I run a series of weekly classical tournaments on lichess (60+30) and I routinely watch players below 1500 or so come to the end of a 30 move game with more time on the clock than they started with. The games are typically filled with tactical blunders that could have been avoided by investing some time in calculation. As you rightly point out, calculation is the place to invest this scarce resource and not doing so is no different than leaving a piece permanently undeveloped.
Thanks for these posts Nate. Always stimulating!
I think using too little time is much more common in online games. The stakes just don't feel as high when you're not sitting across the board from someone.
Thanks for the article! Another aspect of time management, (that is a little harder to understand, but if you could consider it for a future topic) is, wasting tempo/tempi on moves that don't improve your position or chances. I am currently trying to become aware of this in my games and it is surprising how many times I have caught myself realizing I moved something only to have to move it back or move it again in a move or two because I didn't consider my opponents reply and/or I didn't move it to it's best square on the first attempt.