Try these.
Here is a couple from a set of 10 we gave the lads in the Motel
Do them in your head.
What happens if White plays 1.dxc6. Click 'play' to see answer.
Too easy? - OK here is another. (remember do it in your head)
What happens if White take the Knight on f1?
If stuck click NEXT to take the Knight.
How does it look now?
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- 30 Dec 07
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- 9905
Originally posted by agentrenoYeah, 3-4 is usually okay to do on a consistent basis, if you see a position that looks stable enough. 6-7 is for middle games against strong players, or as far as you can see.
It is a good skill to have but it's not totally necessary. If you can learn to do it I'd definitely recommend it because it would definitely help your tactical ability, but also because it would save you a considerable amount of time when going through variations from chess books without having to play it through on a board! 🙂 Can't imagine how much of my ...[text shortened]... only find that necessary at critical moments in a game, certainly not constantly throughout!
- Joined
- 30 Dec 07
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- 9905
Originally posted by GoshenI always wonder how they do that. Usually I forget a pawn near the endgame and mess up, and it gives me a horrible headache to hold the positions in my head that long.
okay thanks ivanhoe i will check those links out. i would like to know, can you visualise? by the way has Najdorf's record for the most simultaneous blindfold games been broken?
Originally posted by UzumakiAiby the time you hit 1900...hor mid 1800 I would have thought you'd have had the essense of
I always wonder how they do that. Usually I forget a pawn near the endgame and mess up, and it gives me a horrible headache to hold the positions in my head that long.
that ability. The key is to remember patterns, smaller chunks of the position, and to find a
method to recreate the board underneath the patterns. I personally use the 4 planes of
opposition, but each has their own. It would be much to difficult, if not impossible to visualize
the pieces pictorially in order to play.
-GIN
I think the problem with most people and blindfold chess is that they hold the past moves in their head... I mean think about it how hard can it really be? You can close your eyes and visualize the visualize all your favorite opening variations I bet but you can't even visualize just one simple position at a time?
Hi Goshen
Don't worry about not getting the 2nd one - that was tough.
The first finished in a standard Bishop and Rook mating pattern.
After this go back and do it again - the Queen lured the King into a double
check and then the Rook & Bishop pattern mate took over.
A knowledge of these patterns, gained only by studing and picking
to pieces tactcial situations is essential.
There are sites on the net full of tactical positions for you to solve
or to help with mating pattern recognition. This one is good.
http://www.exeterchessclub.org.uk/mates.html
It works, You are about to do a mate in 5 in your head.
You will see the idea in two seconds and have it solved in 10 seconds.
Look at this position, what does it say to you?
To me it says, if you get a Queen to g5 then it's mate in two.
Black has to play g6 when the Queen goes to h6.
and mate next move.
So there is free mating pattern for you.
You have the idea - now do this in your head. White to play.
The method Greenpawn describes - for me it has always worked the other way around.
I can solve such a puzzle, because I can calculate ahead a couple of moves.
It is not that I can calculate ahead a few moves, because I have been solving puzzles with similar patterns... but for many chess players it appears to work that way. So try to solve puzzles. Try to discover the ideas behind a given exercise position - because a good chess puzzle always will contain some nice pointe.
Try to see through this one without moving the pieces; White to move, and it will be mate in four moves:
Notice: if it was Black to move, he could give checks, so all White's moves have to be checks in order to squeeze the mate in only four moves. Good luck.
Heinzkat and Greenpawn thanks a lot for your tips and excercises. I finally got the last two puzzles. I could actually see those last 4 moves! plus the 3 replies from black! But i guess they were relatively easy. I will definately start doing puzzles. I want to start ''seeing'' like a real chess player. Not a PATZER!! Thanks
It is only possible to see 3 or four moves ahead at most unless they are forced moves. I don't think anyone can calculate all of the possibilities in their head 6-7 moves ahead if some of them are not forced. Sure I can calculate 6 moves ahead but unless every move is forced or close to theres no way. lets say each line you progress to leaves 2 optional lines. in 4 different lines theres 8 different move variations of 6-7 moves subtract 1. Quit playing online chess if you want to get better, play small amount of games over the board and calculate everything. Capablanca said he only looked 1 move ahead, but it was always the best one.
I cant beleive that about Capa. Every great chess player had/has phenomenal calculating abilities. Whether its just pattern recognition or remarkable intuition, i dunno. the likes of tal, fischer, MORPHY!!!, Alekhine, yeah and greenpawn and heinzkat too! I'm going to get on a training programme. I've got to improve!
Hi
I think playing online is OK provided you don't take on a heavy load
and you take your time.
If the position does not have a forced move in it eg. getting out check,
then STOP.
Take the position to a board and work it out from there.
Do you think Weyerstrass sits and analyses his moves by
looking at the RHP screen or fanny's about with that hopeless
analysis board thing which has a mind of it's own.
NO he does not.
So why do you lot do it - OH I see you are all better than Weyerstrass.
Silly me, my mistake, these are not blunders you are playing.
These are sacrifices and I'm just not good enough to see follow up.
Look at this. Black has just played Nc5 hitting the Queen and the d-pawn.
White played Rad1.
He had that position infront of him on the screen when he clicked send.
He lost his Queen - resigned and 10 days later was on here asking
about what openings to play.
Why?
What does he want to do now?
Leave his Queen hanging a in a Ruy Lopez or perhaps he likes the
idea of going a Queen down in the Grunfeld.
I'm going to see Russ and get him to put on triple warning for
under 1400 players when they press send.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Are you Positive - have you left any pieces hanging?"
"Last chance now....."
Now all of you get out there. Stop sending moves off with 5 seconds
of thought. Set the positon up on a board and play chess.
BAH! ðŸ˜
But what is actually meant by 'visualisation'? Does it mean that players who have this ability can actually 'see' what the board would look like in their mind's eye after x number of moves, almost as if they were actually looking at a board in that position? Cos i don't have much of that going on at all.