Neal Bruce

I’ve been studying chess in a serious way for 5 years. This thread is about: 1. Why I started this journey 2. My beliefs, skills, tools, process 3. How I made chess study a daily practice and part of my identity I hope it will help you in your chess journey. 🙏

Chess can be inspiring. 🔥 Hard work gets rewarded. 😊 #chesspunks

@checkmatetheday @jordenvforeest @chessable I’m happy when any of my openings as Black very quickly give me equality.

@NealBruceBC @jordenvforeest @chessable This is worth looking back at. I like the plan where their pawn is essentially pinned later on and how that naturally happens. I also hate the London 😅

I learned this interesting line to play against the London from @jordenvforeest’s excellent @chessable course on the Tarrasch Defense. #chesspunks

As a beginner, which is more important to study openings or tactics? I would suggest If you only know opening principles and basic tactics, you might lose 20% of games facing tricky openings. But with opening knowledge and weak tactics, you might lose 80%. 😳 #chesspunks

Smooth 5+5 QGD as Black vs 1400 player. I’ve always played the Tarrasch. Good enough for Garry, good enough for me. 👍 In Blitz, I usually just take the material, but I’m happy that I paused this time, and found the mate in 6. 😊 #chesspunks

@AlexAndBooks_ I was blown away by How To Read A Book Alex. 🤯 Set the foundation/process for me as I work through the great books of western civilization. 💡 Currently reading volume 1 of Summa Theologica (2900 pages in total). 😳

Has anyone here read this book? If so, please comment below so we could be friends.

Endgame Understanding! ♟️ White to move! Is this a winning position for White, or can Black hold the draw? Precise calculation required! #Endgame #ChessImprovement #ChessPuzzle

@athenaeumbc Why break up Dante into 3 books? I choose Dante’s Commedia 😊

You can keep only one of these books. Which are you keeping?

Love your pawns… Or I will take every single one of them. 😈 French Defense v 1530 player in Blitz. #chesspunks

One way to evaluate a game is to look at how many of your pieces crossed over to the opponent’s side of the board. 💡 Active vs Passive pieces In this game, all but my Rooks and King crossed over vs. only his Queen crossed over. #chesspunks

@slowjoe777 Yes I get my coordinates mixed up 5+5 Blitz game

@NealBruceBC Interesting game. I would love to see more like this. You mistook Nh5 and Na4 for Na5 in a couple of places. What was the time control?

🧵 1/10 I just played a relatively smooth Blitz game vs 1420 player. Italian Opening as Black. I will share my thinking process during key points of the game. 💡 Please let me know if you want me to post more of these types of threads. 🙏 Thanks! #chesspunks

White to move! How would you evaluate this position, and how should White proceed? #Endgame #ChessPunks

@Michael54162149 Perhaps a game sometime.

@NealBruceBC I am 1480 USCF ( highest 1580 but had a brutal downward spiral) 1711 chess.com and 1805 Lichess. Would you be interested in a game or a chat sometime?

@Michael54162149 Thanks Michael 🙏

@NealBruceBC Hi Neal. I have been a fan of yours for years. I find these posts about in game thinking to be very beneficial. Mike O. in GA

10/10 Here’s the complete game. 😊

9/10 A pretty final tactic 29...c4! And my connected passed pawns can't be stopped. My opponent resigned after 32...a3! Please let me know if these threads about my in game thoughts are interesting. 🙏