I’m 17 years old, and I love playing chess, but I find that devising a strategy is difficult. Do you have any suggestions on how to improve my concentration, analytical skills and the speed it takes for me to develop a plan?
—Emmanuel Rufai Rustenburg, South Africa
My son was a chess master when he was your age and loved simultaneous exhibitions, where he played many opponents at the same time. This seemed to greatly increase his speed. I don’t play chess, but for improving concentration in general, I find that studying when I feel physically best is a great help. Sharpening one’s analytical skills is by far the hardest, but much daily variety and challenge is fundamental.
