This is actually a good read so far...

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the research showed that people who played the most matches per week (more than 64) had the largest increase in skill over time. But playing lots of games wasn’t the most efficient way to improve skill. Looking at the data another way — in terms of which groups showed the most improvement per match rather an over time — showed markedly different results. That analysis showed that, over their first 200 matches, those who played four to eight matches week gained the most skill per match, followed by those who played eight to 16 matches.

“What this suggests is that if you want to improve the most efficiently, it’s not about playing the most matches per week,” Huang said. “You actually want to space out your activity a little bit and not play so intensively.”

But breaks in activity shouldn’t be too long. The researchers also looked specifically at how breaks in play affect a player’s skill. Short breaks — one or two days — were no big deal, the study found. Players gained back lost skill over the course of the next match they played. But longer breaks were shown to have longer-term effects. After a 30-day break, for example, players took around 10 matches to get back the skill level they had before the break.

The lesson from the study, Huang says, seems to be that moderation is a good thing in terms of learning efficiency, as long as breaks in play aren’t too long.

All very interesting, but they didn't study how to achieve the optimum win/throw ratio, which we all know you have perfected. Maybe you should contact them and offer your services :D

I think it makes sense because of the reflection time between sessions. Within first 200 games performance has smaller effect compared to making correct choices. Analyzing correct strategical and tactical choices is something you need to put full attention to which can't be done while playing. Also, brain takes time to get used to information, kinda like those studies which showed that people who studied night before exam had better results than people who studied just before exam.

Yep. I think if you play too often, it's a lot easier to develop bad habits from not reflecting on your matches.

i think one has to be careful with this. could also be due to decreasing "improvement of performance" with time spent - at the begining ppl often make biggest steps. these skill-gains/time unit usually decrease. not having read it - did they make sure that this is not the cause?

If I understand your question correctly, yes. They compared player's first 200 games. Those who played a certain amount -- a sweet spot -- progressed faster in their first 200 games versus those who played more frequently for their first 200.

Well yes if you play too much you will end up just doing same things over and over.

But there is also a difference between just playing and training . As it is with all "sports" , you must train smart a certain amount and then you can play and have fun after.