Originally posted by bill718I suppose you mean evaluate and calculate, analysis usually is something you do after the game. I reccomend tactics first. This will allow you to evaluate the position to see which side has more tactical potential and which moves will affect this (it will also keep you from blundering.) it will also help you to calculate with more accuracy and speed. Then you have to learn the endgame so you may evaluate who would be better if you exchanged down and how each move can affect the endgame. Then you have to learn positional concepts like pawn structure and piece placement. This will allow you to evaluate who has the superior position, barring any immediate tactics, and how each move will affect the position. Most importantly you should know that chess is a fluid game that is played in series of moves and is ever changing. In other words, the position could take on a completely different character after just a few moves or maybe even only one move.
An imporntant part of winning at correspondence chess is anaylizing chess positions and finding strong moves. My question is: How does one learn to anaylize chess positions correctly? Practice? Book study? Lessons? All of the above? Any comments or suggestions would be welcome!
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Hi, here is some comprehensive ideas as was posted earlier in the forum on another thread, entitled, 'how can i put some octane in my analysis', hopefully it will provide some basis for reflection, which i think is the key.
Originally posted by TheBloop
26/04/05 Thread 23051
FOUR KEY QUESTIONS
(AFTER EACH OPPONENT MOVE)
1. What is the THREAT?
a. Was my opponent’s last move a check or capture?
b. Does it threaten a check or capture on the next move?
c. Does it attack or pin any of my pieces or pawns?
d. Does it threaten to improve the position of any of his pieces or pawns?
e. Is there a positional threat? (e.g. occupying an outpost, doubling Rooks on open file, securing a Rook on the seventh rank, creating a passed pawn, isolating or doubling any of my pawns?)
f. Does his last move portend and prepare any long-term threats (e.g. a Kingside attack)?
g. Try to determine the purpose of your opponent’s last move.
2. What has CHANGED?
a. Does my opponent’s last move create any new weaknesses with tactical or positional possibilities for him or me?
b. Is he concentrating his forces?
c. Has he pinned or unpinned any of his or my pieces or pawns?
d. Are any pieces, pawns, or important squares in his or my position now unguarded, or inadequately guarded?
e. Has he created, removed, or attacked any vital guards?
f. Is the protection of weak points in his or my position still adequate?
g. Has his last move left any pieces en prise?
h. Created any weak pawns?
i. Exposed or restriced his King?
j. Created a vulnerable bank rank?
k. Learn to Recognize what has CHANGED with each move
(AFTER EACH OF YOUR MOVES)
1. Does this move IMPROVE MY POSITION?
a. If defense is not required and no immediate tactical or attacking opportunities exist, try to IMPROVE YOUR POSITION by:
i. Activating dormant pieces
ii. Opening key lines for attack
iii. Seizing outposts
iv. Contesting open files and diagonals
v. Doubling Rooks on important files
vi. Posting a Rook strongly on the seventh rank
vii. Shifting pieces toward the major attacking sector, or
viii. Increasing the scope of blocked or immobile pieces
2. Is this move SAFE? (I guess this should be asked BEFORE you make your move - the Bloop)
a. If I make the contemplated move, does my opponent have any move which can hurt me (cost me material or position) immediately or soon?
b. Will my King and all of my pieces and pawns be adequately defended?
c. Would my opponent have any dangerous checks or captures?
d. Would my move create any weaknesses?
e. Would (or could) my move lose material?
f. What is my opponents best reply to my contemplated move?
g. Would it refute my move?
h. Which side would stand better after my opponent’s best reply to my move?
i. Avoid playing moves which help your opponent
Also look for TACTICAL AND POSITIONAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES on the part of both you and your opponent:
· Tactical Strengths Include:
1. Batteries (doubled/tripled pieces acting along a file, rank or diagonal toward an enemy piece or vital square
2. Pins on enemy chessmen
· Tactical weaknesses include
1. Exposed King
2. Vulnerable back rank
3. Unguarded pieces or pawns
4. Pinned pieces and pawns
5. Pieces in a line
6. Pieces vulnerable to Knight fork
7. Pieces with no retreat
8. Overworked defenders
9. Unstable defenders
10. Vulnerable vital guards
Frequent Tactics
1. Superior force
2. Pins
3. Skewers
4. Knight forks
5. Double attacks
6. Discovered attacks
Less Frequent Tactics
1. Overworked defenders
2. Vital guards
3. Removing defenders
4. Deflecting defenders
5. Sacrifices
6. In-between moves
7. Vulnerable back rank
8. Interference
9. No retreat
10. Trapping pieces
11. Desperado
12. Zugzwang
13. Queening combinations
14. Under promotion
· Positional Strengths Include:
1. Control of center
2. Center pawn on our fourth rank vs. enemy pawn on his third rank
3. Superior development
4. Greater space control
5. Strong outpost
6. Control of open file
7. Doubled Rooks
8. Rook(s) on the seventh rank
9. Control of open diagonal
10. Half-open file
11. Bishop pair
12. Bishop vs. Knight
13. Mobile pawn wing
14. Offside pawn majority
15. Advanced pawn chain
16. Advanced pawn wedge
17. Advanced pawn
18. Passed pawn
19. Protected passed pawn
20. Outside passed pawn
21. Better King position
22. Available tempi
· Positional Weaknesses Include:
1. Restricted King
2. Open lines toward the King
3. Cramped position
4. “Bad” Bishop
5. Isolated pawns
6. Doubled pawns
7. Backward pawns
8. Hanging pawns
9. “Holes” in pawn structure
10. Weak-square complex
(of course, all of this thinking can only be done in correspondence games, so it's ok for our purposes).
and one final question you should always ask, Is my opponent of English extraction and from Canada and am i Scottish, if so,no need to worry, its a victory in itself!
😛
On the purely practical side, I find it's useful to have two boards (real boards, not ones on the computer!) so that you set up the position on both, try out ideas on one and then quickly restore it to the original position.
It's also a good idea to dedicate a proper chunk of time to your study, preferably when you are alone, and not try to squeeze it in between TV programmes or as you are cooking dinner.
Originally posted by tomtom232Analysis is done during the game, and optionally after the game ("post-game analysis" ). Calculation and evaluation are components of analysis.
I suppose you mean evaluate and calculate, analysis usually is something you do after the game.
In correspondence chess, it can help to write out variations and systemmatically work through them. I'm not saying this helps OTB practice or offers much fun but such tedious work can help improve CC performance.
Originally posted by VarenkaAnalysis is a careful study of the different variations(along with evaluation. Calculation is too narrow because usually when we calculate it is to reach a desired logical position and not all of the plausible moves on the board) which can and should be done in a cc game but I assumed he meant OTB where you don't have time to perform the complete meaning of analysis. You have to take short cuts to be more efficient, to do so you evaluate to come up with a plan and then calculate possible ways to achieve that plan. Evaluation and calculation are components of analysis but they are not the complete meaning of analysis.
Analysis is done during the game, and optionally after the game ("post-game analysis" ). Calculation and evaluation are components of analysis.
In correspondence chess, it can help to write out variations and systemmatically work through them. I'm not saying this helps OTB practice or offers much fun but such tedious work can help improve CC performance.
At least that's what I take it to mean. It doesn't really matter since I'm sure we'll both agree that the study of tactics should be done first and foremost because without them you will lose too often to tactical shots no matter how carefully you analyse.