Originally posted by BlackampHi
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.
I'll only talk about mating combinations and visulisation.
During a game good players don't see all the moves ahead at every move.
They move their pieces into positions where combinations are likely
to occur.
This is the hard bit of chess - battling for good squares.
You are trying to create a weakness in your opponents postion
to get a combination to work.
Your opponent is either trying to stop you or trying to do the same to you.
(who ever has the initiative is trying to create the weakness).
How far ahead do they see?
When a master opens the h-file they have not worked out the mate
from the moment they played h2-h4.
They have elected to open the h-file and experience tells them
where the other pieces go so that the combination is on.
They have a head full of mating patterns to help them find the
mating combination when it appears on the board and they
have the experience to know when to start looking for it.
You will gain this ability by playing games and studying tactcis.
Here we go
White to play and mate in two moves.
That was so easy.
1.Rxf8 Kxf8 2.Qe8
There is your pattern.
Now in your head - White to play and mate in 4.
(I have the answer hidden - don't look - you can solve this)
1.Re8+ Nf8 2.Nh6+ Qxh6 3.Rxf8+ Kxf8 4.Qd8# a solo Queen mate an old classic from Alekhine.
16 May 09
Originally posted by greenpawn34thanks for the detailed reply - that deserves a rec. this is obviously an area i need to work on, as i don't find the puzzle easy. still, i'll have another go at it a bit later.
Hi
I'll only talk about mating combinations and visulisation.
During a game good players don't see all the moves ahead at every move.
They move their pieces into positions where combinations are likely
to occur.
This is the hard bit of chess - battling for good squares.
You are trying to create a weakness in your opponents postion
to get a ...[text shortened]... Nf8 2.Nh6+ Qxh6 3.Rxf8+ Kxf8 4.Qd8# a solo Queen mate an old classic from Alekhine.[/hidden]
16 May 09
One thing that will help your tactical vision is when you miss a certain tactical motif during your next problem solving session solve ONLY problems with that motif. This serves as a halfway punishment and it will obviously help you see that tactic better in the future.
16 May 09
Originally posted by GoshenIf you don't have it you are at a disadvantage against those who do.
Hello all. I wanna know, how are you better players able to ''see'' 6, 7 moves ahead in the game and also envisage your opponents replies. Erm.. woodpushers are free to contribute too! I wanna know what everyone thinks.
17 May 09
i have some books on combinations, but have always been hesitant to devote time to training from - i guess i have trouble believing i can actually train this ability. plus, i tend to be more a positional player by .temperament anyway. i guess i'd be a better player if i did knuckle down and work through those books.
17 May 09
Originally posted by BlackampThere is no such thing as being good at positional chess without tactics and combinations.
i have some books on combinations, but have always been hesitant to devote time to training from - i guess i have trouble believing i can actually train this ability. plus, i tend to be more a positional player by .temperament anyway. i guess i'd be a better player if i did knuckle down and work through those books.
18 May 09
Originally posted by tomtom232that's entirely true, but i guess what people mean when they say they are positional players, is that they're not someone whose main ambition is to play some spectacular combination culminating in mate. we mainly play combinations in order to 'accumulate small advantages' as they say. i certainly use combinations in my play, but they tend to be only a few moves deep. Long combinations with queen sacs and so on leading to mate seem a bit beyond me at the moment. As i say, if this ability really can be trained, then i'm ready to put in the effort. it's just a matter of having faith that it CAN be trained, and the effort will pay off, i guess.
There is no such thing as being good at positional chess without tactics and combinations.