Analysing lost games

Being fairly new to cyber chess I have just been trying out analyzing (Z or s?) my lost games with the aid of a chess engine on Scid. It really is something. I just flick through the game and watch the chess engine. At first it alternates between + and - with fairly low figures then usually a trend develops where I am on the wrong end. Eventually the figures take a jump in my opponents favour and I can see where I really blew it. It is not finished there -I can go back to the point where I went wrong put in the move that the engine suggests and (sometimes) turn the game around.

I find this development extraordinary. It saves so much time and makes analysis a fun thing to do. Getting back into chess after a very long break I have not made up my mind yet whether I was happier playing not knowing that all this stuff was available. I have heard of yachtsmen who refuse to equip their boats with radar, gps etc just for the pleasure of sailing alone against the elements. In a way that is what we do here when we play our games without asking Crafty what he would do!

I am wondering if there is any other analysis tricks I should know.

Originally posted by dixondo
Being fairly new to cyber chess I have just been trying out analyzing (Z or s?) my lost games with the aid of a chess engine on Scid. It really is something. I just flick through the game and watch the chess engine. At first it alternates between + and - with fairly low figures then usually a trend develops where I am on the wrong end. Eventually the figur ...[text shortened]... Crafty what he would do!

I am wondering if there is any other analysis tricks I should know.

Yeah.Analyse unassisted first,then run the game through the engine.Also run your analyses to see if/where that can be approved.

By just watching the engine do it's thing you won't improve much.

Originally posted by Katastroof
Yeah.Analyse unassisted first,then run the game through the engine.Also run your analyses to see if/where that can be approved.

By just watching the engine do it's thing you won't improve much.

Yes. I take your point.But the 'wow' factor is there. I have not really got into it yet and I am not sure that I want to, but it seems that you can set up a board position and then get Scid to search databases for a similar position in a recorded game at some chess tournament in for instance Albania in 1933. 'wow' again.

Originally posted by dixondo
In a way that is what we do here when we play our games without asking Crafty what he would do!

I am wondering if there is any other analysis tricks I should know.

Frist, get rid of that Crafty. Even delete it. Than, attack the person who has advised you to use it for analysis. 🙂 try everying you can do find that advisor. there are many free engines much stronger than that.

you could begin with toga, and check superchessengine.com if you're looking for alternatives.

Originally posted by dixondo
Being fairly new to cyber chess I have just been trying out analyzing (Z or s?) my lost games with the aid of a chess engine on Scid. It really is something. I just flick through the game and watch the chess engine. At first it alternates between + and - with fairly low figures then usually a trend develops where I am on the wrong end. Eventually the figur ...[text shortened]... Crafty what he would do!

I am wondering if there is any other analysis tricks I should know.

Also remember that, while engines are great for finding tactics, they're not so good at finding and explaining strategic or positional moves. It's still a good idea to have a stronger player go over the game with you if that's possible. They can teach you things that an engine just can't explain to you.

Best of all - ask your opponent to analyse the game with you, he is probably most aware of why the moves were played and what he was trying to achieve by them.

Although, some real losers will win a game and then jump up and leave rather then analyse - I think those types should have their result forfitted for unsporting conduct.