How do I get better at chess tactics? • page 1/2 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

Currently I'm solving 50 puzzles a day, but even after solving soo many puzzles till now I'm only dancing around 1600-1700 rating.

And every day I get like 23 wins 27 looses, 24 wins 26 looses and so on...

How do I get better at it?

Currently I'm solving 50 puzzles a day, but even after solving soo many puzzles till now I'm only dancing around 1600-1700 rating. And every day I get like 23 wins 27 looses, 24 wins 26 looses and so on... How do I get better at it?

stumilowylas

#2

Calculate all forcing lines. Lichess puzzles have only one right solution, that's your biggest hint in every puzzle. If you think you have a solution, see if you can disprove other moves that look reasonable. Take at least a few seconds to look at every legal forcing move: check, capture, threat, pawn promotion. Don't solve 50 puzzles and 20 wrong, rather do 10 and every one correct. If you want to practice blitz, go to other website, that can generate easier puzzles to solve quickly. It's important to solve them right and not guess.

#3

dit-dah

#4

Thanks for the suggestion @Triangel but there are no chess puzzles at chesstactics.org ony theories

movingslowly edited

#5

You might want to try taking your time and doing puzzles EVEN slower. I might spend 5 minutes on a puzzle... or 30 seconds, but I've found sticking to the puzzle and trying to visualize everything helps. Take as long as you can... unless you're totally clueless after a while.

Also, you can work on playing blindfold chess, even alone. It'll do wonders for your visualization skills over time.

Keep in mind, chess is a sport... and like most sports you can break down your game into manageable facets to improve upon.

And tactics is just one facet, work on all of them... I was able to get to 1600-1800 strength on weak tactics and strong positional understanding alone. Once my tactics starting catching up my playing strength skyrocketed...

Take your time and develop your game.

You might want to try taking your time and doing puzzles EVEN slower. I might spend 5 minutes on a puzzle... or 30 seconds, but I've found sticking to the puzzle and trying to visualize everything helps. Take as long as you can... unless you're totally clueless after a while. Also, you can work on playing blindfold chess, even alone. It'll do wonders for your visualization skills over time. Keep in mind, chess is a sport... and like most sports you can break down your game into manageable facets to improve upon. And tactics is just one facet, work on all of them... I was able to get to 1600-1800 strength on weak tactics and strong positional understanding alone. Once my tactics starting catching up my playing strength skyrocketed... Take your time and develop your game.

tpr

#6

The main problem with puzzles is that you know there is a tactic.
Analyse your lost games to see what tactics you missed.
Play slower time controls.
Take time to think.
How long do you think when solving a puzzle?
You should think at least as long when playing a game.
Look at the following example: the checkmate tactic is easy to find but you seem blind to it. Haste makes waste.

https://lichess.org/mDkgznsz/black#31

The main problem with puzzles is that you know there is a tactic. Analyse your lost games to see what tactics you missed. Play slower time controls. Take time to think. How long do you think when solving a puzzle? You should think at least as long when playing a game. Look at the following example: the checkmate tactic is easy to find but you seem blind to it. Haste makes waste. https://lichess.org/mDkgznsz/black#31

Neustart

#7

Aagaard gives a method working from newbie to GM. At least I can confirm this is right till FIDE 20xx.

Look first what you did wrong.
Ask yourself what you did miss (b.e. which tactical theme).
Write it down in a file. Look after a decent number of entries (25 at least) which is the most often appearing theme.
Start training this for some weeks.

It works with tactics, game analysis, evaluation (the most difficult for me). The only disadvantage: It doesn't promise fast changes. The advantage: Realism.

Aagaard gives a method working from newbie to GM. At least I can confirm this is right till FIDE 20xx. 1. Look first what you did wrong. 2. Ask yourself what you did miss (b.e. which tactical theme). 3. Write it down in a file. Look after a decent number of entries (25 at least) which is the most often appearing theme. 4. Start training this for some weeks. It works with tactics, game analysis, evaluation (the most difficult for me). The only disadvantage: It doesn't promise fast changes. The advantage: Realism.

clutchnutz edited

#8

Articulate every detail of the problem to yourself like you were explaining it to a rubber duck.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging

Articulate every detail of the problem to yourself like you were explaining it to a rubber duck. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging

#9

pointlesswindows

#10

You probably play it too fast and often guess moves.

Solution:
Do 20 puzzles a day but in the same time as you do now 50 and try to understand what the idea of the puzzle is.
If you still lose, solve 5 - 10 puzzles a day, taking up to 15 minutes to examine the puzzle carefully.
Repeat for 3 months.

You probably play it too fast and often guess moves. Solution: Do 20 puzzles a day but in the same time as you do now 50 and try to understand what the idea of the puzzle is. If you still lose, solve 5 - 10 puzzles a day, taking up to 15 minutes to examine the puzzle carefully. Repeat for 3 months.