Hi! I'm pretty new here 🙂 I wanted to ask the pros what they think about the "Analyze Board" function.
If a position is very sharp and it's hard to see in my head exactly what the position will look like after three or more moves, I'll sometimes use the analyze board and move the pieces myself to see. But obviously, this is impossible to do playing on a real board because of the touch rule (you have to move the piece you touch).
Am I cheating myself by using that in that way? If I were, how do I know my opponent isn't doing the same thing? If my opponent has every variation calculated out because he used the analyze board to examine each variation, while I'm sitting here training myself NOT to use it and trying to calculate and visualize the varations in my head, doesn't that give him an extreme advantage? Or does it really matter who has the advantage as long as I'm training my tactical skills by not using it?
This is correspondence chess and the analyze board is the same as setting up the position on your own chess board: this is fine. The fact that it is not allowed otb is not relevant. I need the feature to remind me of how the game got to that position- I would know that over the board- and also to look ahead.
To play without this feature, I'd have to be a much stronger player. I'm going back to otb chess soon and expect to be slaughtered.
Originally posted by EnigmaticCam Hi! I'm pretty new here 🙂 I wanted to ask the pros what they think about the "Analyze Board" function.
If a position is very sharp and it's hard to see in my head exactly what the position will look like after three or more moves, I'll sometimes use the analyze board and move the pieces myself to see. But obviously, this is impossible to do playing ...[text shortened]... tactical skills by not using it?
I hope there already wasn't a discussion on this.
What do you value more? OTB or CC?
I use it now and then, but try going over the first several moves in my head. I value OTB more then CC and try not to make it a habit of using the analyse board. It takes away from your calculation ability for OTB games.
Originally posted by RahimK What do you value more? OTB or CC?
I use it now and then, but try going over the first several moves in my head. I value OTB more then CC and try not to make it a habit of using the analyse board. It takes away from your calculation ability for OTB games.
Ultimately, I want my game OTB to be at it's best. But I kinda feel that CC is a great way to learn tactics and positional play. You can't learn from never knowing when you could've made a great tactical move. Playing hundreds of games with hundreds of various positions will help you learn those common tactics, and eventually, learn those positional principles. At least that's what I think. Do you think using it too much would defeat the purpose?
Originally posted by EnigmaticCam Ultimately, I want my game OTB to be at it's best. But I kinda feel that CC is a great way to learn tactics and positional play. You can't learn from never knowing when you could've made a great tactical move. Playing hundreds of games with hundreds of various positions will help you learn those common tactics, and eventually, learn those positional pri ...[text shortened]... ples. At least that's what I think. Do you think using it too much would defeat the purpose?
My personal opinion, I think CC is great for planning and learning your openings better. That's why I play here. I play 3 games at most at once but take the time to analyse stuff and go over them after they are done. I choose my move and check in a db and find out why my move is wrong if I choose the wrong move. That way I learn my openings better. As for the analyse board, I do a similar thing. Calculate the first several moves in my head and then I use the analyse board and makes sure i didn't miss anything. It hard to follow this sometimes but I try to. Depending on it to much will harm your OTB play. But keep in mind others are using it when playing against you so if you want a good rating on here, you should use it but try calculating in your head first and then use it to check after.
I think RahimK said it best. If you value OTB play you should take as much time on your moves here as possible. First playing out all the positions in your head and arriving at a conclusion for the best move, then using the analyze board function to check if that move you decided upon was actually the right one. This way, you will hopefully see your mistakes before you make them and therefore learn how to better recognize them in OTB play... then the analyze board function becomes a good learning tool towards developing your recognition of move sequences, rather then defeating the purpose of mental cognition.
Originally posted by Jusuh people should be able to calculate variations without it. And I think it is much more beneficial to play games without using it...
I think it depends on how you use it... like I said above... does that not make sense?
What I have also recently done which seems to have improved my play greatly was to create folders called "Middlegame" and "Endgame".
The games that are still in my Inbox are ones that are still in the opening (by my definition, still in a standard opening, like in the first few moves, or still in database, so does not require a great deal of thought). Once it has left this stage, I move the game to my "Middlegame" folder. This is where I put in my greatest analysis. Using the analyse board feature and note down various lines in the Notebook that I have in mind. Usually games in my "Middlegame" is where I play the slowest.
Once the game has reached a stage where I can see a possible winning combination, I note down the winning lines and put it into my "Endgame" folder.
Lost games do not normally leave my "Middlegame" folder and I would either resign or see if I could analyse further and turn the game around to my advantage.
Originally posted by lausey What I have also recently done which seems to have improved my play greatly was to create folders called "Middlegame" and "Endgame".
The games that are still in my Inbox are ones that are still in the opening (by my definition, still in a standard opening, like in the first few moves, or still in database, so does not require a great deal of thought). Once ...[text shortened]... r resign or see if I could analyse further and turn the game around to my advantage.
Intresting. I guess you must have lots of games going on. I sort my games into the openings after the game is over and put them in different folders, so if I want to see my games for that opening I can look in that folder.
Originally posted by RahimK Intresting. I guess you must have lots of games going on. I sort my games into the openings after the game is over and put them in different folders, so if I want to see my games for that opening I can look in that folder.
Yes, I have done that as well. Created other folders of different openings for archiving purposes. The Inbox, Middlegame and Endgame is for games in progress.
Originally posted by lausey Yes, I have done that as well. Created other folders of different openings for archiving purposes. The Inbox, Middlegame and Endgame is for games in progress.
Edit: Maybe I have too many games going on. 😕
But then you have to open each folder to find your games in progress don't you?
You must use long timeouts also.
Originally posted by RahimK But then you have to open each folder to find your games in progress don't you?
You must use long timeouts also.
I use 1/7.
The shortest timeout and timebank I use is 3/7. Going through those folders isn't a problem. Usual routine is to go to the endgame folder first because that is where I already have an end in sight and move the quickest. Then go to the Inbox and think about my next move, then would look at the middlegame where I would go in deep analysis mode.
I actually think it is safer that way, because it puts me in the correct frame of mind depending on which folder I am looking at.
What mainly builds up the games is that I sometimes subscribe to a few tournaments and a member of 4 clans. There are just a small number of regular opponents that I play against. Very rarely would I accept open invites.
Originally posted by lausey The shortest timeout and timebank I use is 3/7. Going through those folders isn't a problem. Usual routine is to go to the endgame folder first because that is where I already have an end in sight and move the quickest. Then go to the Inbox and think about my next move, then would look at the middlegame where I would go in deep analysis mode.
I actually th ...[text shortened]... small number of regular opponents that I play against. Very rarely would I accept open invites.
Originally posted by RahimK My personal opinion, I think CC is great for planning and learning your openings better. That's why I play here. I play 3 games at most at once but take the time to analyse stuff and go over them after they are done. I choose my move and check in a db and find out why my move is wrong if I choose the wrong move. That way I learn my openings better. As for the here, you should use it but try calculating in your head first and then use it to check after.
"But keep in mind others are using it"
Others, but not everyone. Why hurt your ability to calculate because others are?
"Analyze Board"?
20 Apr '06 21:23
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