The Best Exercise for Improving Positional Understanding

American grandmaster and renowned coach Gregory Kaidanov called it “Solitaire Chess” and that’s where I first heard of this exercise, but you might know it as “Guess the Move.” During a camp led by Ramesh R.B. (founder of Chess Gurukul and coach to prodigies like Pragg), I learned his preferred approach to this exercise.

I’ve shared insights from that camp, including a detailed mindmap, in a previous blog post, What I Learned from One of the Best Coaches in the World. Here, though, I’ll focus on the process of playing “Guess the Move.”

---

How to Practice "Guess the Move"

1. Choose a Player

Start by selecting a specific top-level player whose games you’ll study. Ramesh suggests picking someone whose playing style aligns with yours. This can make the exercise more relatable and impactful. (For a deeper dive into how to choose the right player, check out the YouTube video linked below.)

2. View the Game from Their Perspective

Choose games where your selected player won and focus exclusively on guessing their moves.

3. Skip the First Few Moves

There’s no need to guess the opening moves, as they often follow well-known theory. Begin the exercise after the first 4-5 moves.

---

Step-by-Step Process for Each Move

1. Understand the Opponent’s Move
   • Ask yourself: Why did my opponent play this move?
   • Identify three possible reasons within 15-20 seconds. This step trains you to think prophylactically and anticipate the opponent’s ideas.
2. Evaluate the Opponent’s Move
   • Look for potential flaws.
   • Does the move create weaknesses?
   • Does it overlook something important?
3. Identify Candidate Moves
   • Come up with three possible moves for your player.
   • Briefly analyze each move and rank them from worst to best.
4. Check the Actual Move
   • Compare your top-ranked candidate move to the one played in the game.
   • If you guessed correctly, great! If not, reflect on why you missed it. If the move wasn’t even on your radar, use this as an opportunity to learn.

---

Repeat and Refine

Repeat this process for each move, applying the same structured analysis. Over time, this exercise sharpens your understanding of positional nuances and strategic planning.
If you have any suggestion on the next topic from the Ramesh mindmap, feel free to write it in the discussion forum below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOxwwE6Tnfk