21 Dec 05
Do any of you think during your opponents move?
Besides walking around, staring at other games, washroom, etc... what are you doing during your opponents move?
I try to check out the position and form some ideas and plans while i'm waiting for him to make a move. That way, I have more time to think about the actual move i'm going to play during my move.
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by RahimKIn my opinion until you reach a point of visualisation where you could walk away from the game and set up the current position on an empty board confidently you should stay at the board. Now that I can do that (as well as recall every move of my game from memory the next day) I can wander the room checking out other games while my opponent moves and still play over the position in my mind.
Do any of you think during your opponents move?
Besides walking around, staring at other games, washroom, etc... what are you doing during your opponents move?
I try to check out the position and form some ideas and plans while i'm waiting for him to make a move. That way, I have more time to think about the actual move i'm going to play during my move.
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by XanthosNZHow do you sharpen visualization skills that much? Just lots of practice or puzzles? I'm trying to raise my game so I'm trying to learn all I can.
In my opinion until you reach a point of visualisation where you could walk away from the game and set up the current position on an empty board confidently you should stay at the board. Now that I can do that (as well as recall every move of my game from memory the next day) I can wander the room checking out other games while my opponent moves and still play over the position in my mind.
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by GalaxyShieldThere are various methods. Here's the one I used:
How do you sharpen visualization skills that much? Just lots of practice or puzzles? I'm trying to raise my game so I'm trying to learn all I can.
Start with a familiar opening (I used the Yugoslav Attack of the Dragon). Look at the written down moves and follow the game in your head to at least 10-15 moves deep. Once you can do this move onto less known openings (QGD: Orthodox) and onto completely unfamilar openings (various French lines). Once you are here you can try running through GM games, short at first then longer ones.
Of course the ability to follow a pgn in your head isn't the whole story as calculation without a board will still be much harder. Build these up the same way you build up standard calculation skills (find a position from anywhere [GM games, opening books, puzzles etc.] and work out what you would play next and compare what to what was actually played), except don't have a board in front of you. At first you'll struggle missing fianchettoed bishops and knight forks but you'll quickly improve (at least I did).
Unless you practice for years or have an innate ability you will never play as well in your head as you can at a board. The walk away from the board is good for coming up with new ideas (I often find myself hung up on a single idea when sitting at the board unable to look past it) but always check your calculation upon returning.
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by XanthosNZNever thought of it that way. Good advice! 🙂
There are various methods. Here's the one I used:
Start with a familiar opening (I used the Yugoslav Attack of the Dragon). Look at the written down moves and follow the game in your head to at least 10-15 moves deep. Once you can do this move onto less known openings (QGD: Orthodox) and onto completely unfamilar openings (various French lines). Once y ...[text shortened]... n sitting at the board unable to look past it) but always check your calculation upon returning.
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by Oddjob291Yes, I do.
Just wondering whether (or not) people experience 'a chess headache' whose symptoms include 'seeing black and white squares' when blinking (after concentrating hard after a long period) - I often get up to get rid of this thing and focus elsewhere.
Typically I sit there through the opening until Ireach what I consider to be a critical position. At this point I think, move and then stand up and walk around visualizing the game.
Once in a while when i am extremely tired or have a headache, I will walk just to relax and not worry about the game. In general though, I do think on my opponents time.
21 Dec 05
1 edit
Originally posted by GalaxyShieldI can do this as well. It started happening about 8 or 9 months ago. I got into bed and realized RHP was still there in my head!!!! 😲😲😲
How do you sharpen visualization skills that much? Just lots of practice or puzzles? I'm trying to raise my game so I'm trying to learn all I can.
EDIT: ...Seriously though, RHP can help in this regard. I played Ivanhoe a year or so ago. I go into trouble and it looked like i was going to lose a piece. I looked at the position about 3 or 4 times, each time trying a new idea. I then closed the game and came back to it later, all to no avail. I'd all but given up on it when one day i got into bed (i'd been out, i hadn't been on RHP all evening like usual) and the game position appeared in my head, with all the square colours and everything. I found the correct move there and then and was amazed to find it WAS actually the correct move when i looked the next day. If this method is repeatable, i don't know, but ever since then i can recal games (particularly interesting ones) from memory. I can still recall the Ivanhoe game and that is nearly a year ago now... I think the point i'm trying to make is loking at one position into absolute finite detail helps burn the little black and white squares into your brain. Once they're there, they don't leave (it's a life sentence 😕)
21 Dec 05
Hahaha! Hilarious. I could see some huge opponent doing that. Stand behind and towering over his opponent making him nervous. I see some people just get up and stare at the board standing up give them a overhead view.
I walk away every now and then just to clear my mind and not get caught up in a single idea. Or before I go for a tactic and if i have time I find it, go for a walk and come back and then make sure it works. Sometimes you just get to caught up and make bad move. I can replay the whole game(for the most part but not little manuevers in the endgame) the next day on a board without the score sheet or can tell someone the moves up to a certain point maybe 20 moves deep.
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by marinakatombInteresting. I think if I played less games, I'd remember positions more. I can remember positions from OTB games, and sometimes remember positions I'm really trying to win more than normal on here.
I can do this as well. It started happening about 8 or 9 months ago. I got into bed and realized RHP was still there in my head!!!! 😲😲😲
EDIT: ...Seriously though, RHP can help in this regard. I played Ivanhoe a year or so ago. I go into trouble and it looked like i was going to lose a piece. I looked at the position about 3 or 4 times, each time t ...[text shortened]... white squares into your brain. Once they're there, they don't leave (it's a life sentence 😕)
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by bdh191Speaking of disruptive, what's the most annoying thing you had to face OTB?
One little trick I've used is to stand behind my oppenent. Not so close as to be disruptive, but it seems to give be a clearer picture of, "if I was my oppenent I would do...."
Mine was, playing a kidda, who after playing his move would pull out his football sticker album and stick his footie stickers in ... well STICK THIS, YOU BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEP!!!
21 Dec 05
2 edits
Originally posted by bdh191In OTB tournaments I play in, it would be considered incredibly rude to stand behind an opponent. The TD's would certainly give a warning if asked and probably even if they weren't asked. Kibitzers are supposed to stand on the side at a decent distance from the board so as not to interfere with the players. I, for one, would immediately ask ANYONE who stood behind me to move.
One little trick I've used is to stand behind my oppenent. Not so close as to be disruptive, but it seems to give be a clearer picture of, "if I was my oppenent I would do...."
21 Dec 05
Originally posted by no1marauderI tried to make that clear, guess i did a bad job. I don't stand 3 inches behind him to annoy him. I stand a couple feet behind him to stay out of his field of vision, but behind him enough that so I can see the board from his point of view. if the tables and boards are set up in way that I can't do that without interrupting someone's game I don't do it.
In OTB tournaments I play in, it would be considered incredibly rude to stand behind an opponent. The TD's would certainly give a warning if asked and probably even if they weren't asked. Kibitzers are supposed to stand on the side at a decent distance from the board so as not to interfere with the players. I, for one, would immediately ask ANYONE who stood behind me to move.