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analyze board bad habit?

analyze board bad habit?

Only Chess

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I only play chess on this site now and use 'analyze board' extensively - especially against players better than me.

I'm starting to worry I rely on this too much and if I played on a real board or anywhere I can't play out potential future moves, I'd be in trouble.

Before using it I used to use my head and could only store 2 moves ahead on both sides - maybe 3 but it would become really vague....

Anyone else share this worry?

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The more you analyze thoroughly, the 'better' you get.

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Originally posted by kennyboy993
I only play chess on this site now and use 'analyze board' extensively - especially against players better than me.

I'm starting to worry I rely on this too much and if I played on a real board or anywhere I can't play out potential future moves, I'd be in trouble.

Before using it I used to use my head and could only store 2 moves ahead on both sides - maybe 3 but it would become really vague....

Anyone else share this worry?
I think this analyze tool does more good than harm for a great while. After you can fully analyze a situation and have a greater understanding I think maybe then it could start to do more harm than good for your OTB play. I think however that for the 2 of us we have a long way to go before it would do us any harm.😀

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"Seeing" moves in your head is just being able to use the analyze feature in your imagination. This is based on visualization and memory. Using the analyze feature here (or setting up the game on a board and moving the pieces) cannot hurt your visualization and memory. On the other hand, it does nothing to make it any better.

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Thanks guys - I don't think I could do without it now anyway

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for improving chess understanding: good

for playing the best chess your current potential allows: excellent

for visualisation: no effect. (which means you'll get worse if you don't train visualisation at all. but that applies to the 'visualisation improving effect' of eating ice cream just as well. the problem is not caused by analyse board, but lack of training relevant to the problem.)


lazy analysis otb or in realtime chess in general, is not caused by analysis board. it's caused by allowing yourself to be lazy about it.

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It doesn't really help me to improve my game or my visualizaion abilities, just helps me to lazily slog through a difficult position.

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If you play me OTB you'll know when I'm planning a series of moves or exchanges because I'll start mouthing letters and counting on my fingers. I guess the board just replaces that for me.