Most efficient and effective way to use Lichess for improving my chess

cmalbert

It is not quite easy for me to use the line by line stockfish analysis at https://lichess.org/study to see where I went wrong.
On the app there is a "learn from my mistakes freature" which is very helpful. I imagine it's algorithm just looks for larger scale deviations in the engine analyis.
Is there such a way to do this on the website? The app is great but it doen't work with my mouse and thus encourages bad posture.

I have several fully annotated PGNs all of which contain many games - would it be possible to upload the batch to a private study?

Lichess seems like a perfect vehicle to use with a chess coach.
Any recommendations on how to choose a chess coach?

Some are quite expensive and since I am just a 63 yr old patzer who loves the game a reasonably priced guide to its inner workings seems reasonable. I really need a good teacher more than someone with a title - not that has to be exclusive.
I already do various puzzles on chesstempo, chess.com, actually read and study chess books and have courses from chessable, ichess, etc.

I feel like i am improving a bit, yet repeating similar mistakes, and with the plethora of videos, books, courses, sites,...etc it is easy to get (enjoyably) distracted but in doing sodecrease the marginal utility of my efforts.
I like in Mexico in a town where there is no chess club and so I only really play online - which wouldn'y be my first choice.

Can any of you steer me in the right direction to find a coach, or do some preparatory work first like master a couple books beforehand?

Sincerely,
Christopher Albert

Greetings to all, I have some quesions about how to get the best out of this site (or app). I would like to make a personal study to record and analyze my games. I can import PGNs, FENs and game URLs from lichess into chapters; it would be nice to have the latter an automated option when I finish a game. Is there an easiest way? It is not quite easy for me to use the line by line stockfish analysis at https://lichess.org/study to see where I went wrong. On the app there is a "learn from my mistakes freature" which is very helpful. I imagine it's algorithm just looks for larger scale deviations in the engine analyis. Is there such a way to do this on the website? The app is great but it doen't work with my mouse and thus encourages bad posture. I have several fully annotated PGNs all of which contain many games - would it be possible to upload the batch to a private study? Lichess seems like a perfect vehicle to use with a chess coach. Any recommendations on how to choose a chess coach? Some are quite expensive and since I am just a 63 yr old patzer who loves the game a reasonably priced guide to its inner workings seems reasonable. I really need a good teacher more than someone with a title - not that has to be exclusive. I already do various puzzles on chesstempo, chess.com, actually read and study chess books and have courses from chessable, ichess, etc. I feel like i am improving a bit, yet repeating similar mistakes, and with the plethora of videos, books, courses, sites,...etc it is easy to get (enjoyably) distracted but in doing sodecrease the marginal utility of my efforts. I like in Mexico in a town where there is no chess club and so I only really play online - which wouldn'y be my first choice. Can any of you steer me in the right direction to find a coach, or do some preparatory work first like master a couple books beforehand? Sincerely, Christopher Albert

NM MrPushwood

I doubt very much that you really need a teacher/coach. I never had one.

Books though are a good idea. My three faves:

Modern Chess Strategy - Pachman
Pawn Structure Chess - Soltis
100 Selected Games - Botvinnik

As for your remark: "I feel like i am improving a bit, yet repeating similar mistakes." That's probably how everybody feels on the way up. :)

I doubt very much that you really need a teacher/coach. I never had one. Books though are a good idea. My three faves: Modern Chess Strategy - Pachman Pawn Structure Chess - Soltis 100 Selected Games - Botvinnik As for your remark: "I feel like i am improving a bit, yet repeating similar mistakes." That's probably how everybody feels on the way up. :)

NM ThunderClap

I Second Mr Pushwood's Notions (Motions hehe) ... I also never had a Coach . I would say to study chess books study chess videos play & look at the games for the shots missed afterwards . Study Play Play Study & you will get "there" wherever there is for each of us heh'

Aragorn-Elessar

To some people books are monotonous and useless. I think what you need is a playing and analysing partner

greysensei

I think a coach is extremely useful. Especially one that works with beginners. He or she can quickly identify your weak spots, rather than you guessing what they are. Check out cochess.com

Another hack is to find a player better than yourself to play consistently and then analyze your games together. It can be difficult psychologically, because they always beat you, and also boring for them, but if you can find that situation, it is good.

On lichess, I think one of the best features is puzzle streak (as opposed to puzzle storm). It naturally makes you do a heavy volume of easy puzzles, until you quickly start seeing patterns. And if you do well, then you get to practice some calculation as well.

I think a coach is extremely useful. Especially one that works with beginners. He or she can quickly identify your weak spots, rather than you guessing what they are. Check out cochess.com Another hack is to find a player better than yourself to play consistently and then analyze your games together. It can be difficult psychologically, because they always beat you, and also boring for them, but if you can find that situation, it is good. On lichess, I think one of the best features is puzzle streak (as opposed to puzzle storm). It naturally makes you do a heavy volume of easy puzzles, until you quickly start seeing patterns. And if you do well, then you get to practice some calculation as well.

jjupiter6 edited

I have had chess coaches and read books. Both are good. Books are cheaper, but they can't identify your own weaknesses.

A coach can look at a recent game or two and teach you relevant ideas. My coach points out errors in my games on Lichess using the studies and then brings up positions to illustrate the theme in more depth. I found him in the coaches section here on Lichess.

Saying someone doesn't need a coach despite never having had one yourself is like telling someone they don't need swimming lessons because you have never had any. Therefore, you don't think it's necessary for anyone. I was a swimming coach for 10 years. I never met anyone so good that a few sessions couldn't find something for them to work on. I have had chess coaches and read books. Both are good. Books are cheaper, but they can't identify your own weaknesses. A coach can look at a recent game or two and teach you relevant ideas. My coach points out errors in my games on Lichess using the studies and then brings up positions to illustrate the theme in more depth. I found him in the coaches section here on Lichess.

PTX187

@cmalbert said in #1:

Any recommendations on how to choose a chess coach?

Sincerely,
Christopher Albert

I have never worked with a coach remotely, so treat my advice with a good degree of skepticism.

Choose a chess player with a title CM or FM.
IM, GM - not for you.
If a woman, then WIM. (By the way, I think this would be the best option, because a coach for a beginner should not be a strong player, he should remember how he himself was taught once).
In order for the price of lessons to be acceptable, you need to look for a coach from a country with a low standard of living.
The countries from the former USSR are good in this sense, and there are many qualified chess players there. But very few of them are ready to communicate in English. And there may still be problems with payment with the Russians due to sanctions.
However, these details need to be clarified in person.
Probably, it is still better to have an option that allows you to communicate with the coach in your native language.
And if it's Spanish, then this option does not seem impossible)

Right here, in the "Learning" menu, there is a list of trainers ready to work with you.
For example, a coach from Spain:
https://lichess.org/coach/Torvicio
or coach from Cuba:
https://lichess.org/coach/Rafa3D

These are the first and inexpensive ones. You can look for more.
And you can search for them also on Chess.com.

@cmalbert said in #1: > > Any recommendations on how to choose a chess coach? > Sincerely, > Christopher Albert I have never worked with a coach remotely, so treat my advice with a good degree of skepticism. 1. Choose a chess player with a title CM or FM. IM, GM - not for you. If a woman, then WIM. (By the way, I think this would be the best option, because a coach for a beginner should not be a strong player, he should remember how he himself was taught once). 2. In order for the price of lessons to be acceptable, you need to look for a coach from a country with a low standard of living. The countries from the former USSR are good in this sense, and there are many qualified chess players there. But very few of them are ready to communicate in English. And there may still be problems with payment with the Russians due to sanctions. However, these details need to be clarified in person. 3. Probably, it is still better to have an option that allows you to communicate with the coach in your native language. And if it's Spanish, then this option does not seem impossible) Right here, in the "Learning" menu, there is a list of trainers ready to work with you. For example, a coach from Spain: https://lichess.org/coach/Torvicio or coach from Cuba: https://lichess.org/coach/Rafa3D These are the first and inexpensive ones. You can look for more. And you can search for them also on Chess.com.

StratteraCapsules

As someone who used to pay for a Chess.com membership and now happily uses this website to improve my chess I'll tell you what I try and do to get the most out of Lichess.

I try to analyze most game I play and write notes in the "notes" section of the analysis board about the opening, middlegame and endgame. I'll often watch a video on an opening before I do this if it's a theoretical opening such as the Grunfeld and use the engine to see why moves are blunders/mistakes/inaccuracies.

I'll try and do five puzzles (or more) daily and attempt to get new highs scores on the puzzle variants. There are many who believe that tactics alone can carry someone to being an expert player.

I'll look though studies on gambit lines that I face often and on openings that I enjoy.

I'll use the practice section to work on endgame.

I'll look though the forums.

The first two are really the most important, unlimited puzzles and analysis is truly amazing.

As someone who used to pay for a Chess.com membership and now happily uses this website to improve my chess I'll tell you what I try and do to get the most out of Lichess. I try to analyze most game I play and write notes in the "notes" section of the analysis board about the opening, middlegame and endgame. I'll often watch a video on an opening before I do this if it's a theoretical opening such as the Grunfeld and use the engine to see why moves are blunders/mistakes/inaccuracies. I'll try and do five puzzles (or more) daily and attempt to get new highs scores on the puzzle variants. There are many who believe that tactics alone can carry someone to being an expert player. I'll look though studies on gambit lines that I face often and on openings that I enjoy. I'll use the practice section to work on endgame. I'll look though the forums. The first two are really the most important, unlimited puzzles and analysis is truly amazing.

Testudine2002

I used to hire coaches and tutors for all kinds of things like chess, guitar, and math. Never again! I can learn everything on YouTube for free. I doubt you would need a tutor with so many excellent courses on Chessable and YouTube. I feel like I can do anything with YouTube's instruction now including fixing a car and minor surgeries.

Alientcp

edited

#10

How to use the site effectively. Hmmm. Long answer, but read it.

Go to puzzles, do about 200-300 to get a sample. Spam around 200-300 games, but do your best. Same purpose, to get a sample.

With the samples out of the way. Hover puzzles, and a submenu appears, click on puzzle dashboard.
The graph will thell you wich patterns are problematic to you according to your sample on puzzles and games.

Interpret the graph and take note of problematic areas.

Click puzzles (dont do any). At the bot left, there is a link that says "Puzzle themes". Click there, identify the problematic pattern. This isolate that pattern so you can do drills on that specific pattern until you are decent at spotting it. Once you get good at it, work on another one. Check the dashboard frequently, as it updates with your games and performance on puzzles.

Now, click on your profile. And there is a button that says "chess insights" on the right side.

Check the questions on the left panel. Take note of problematic areas.
On the bot part, you will see a breakdown on how well you do against certain openings. Take note of the problematic ones with their opening code and color. <-- More about this on the last part.

Go again to your profile. On the left panel, select the time control your sample comes from. Click it, and on the top right side on the next screen there is a button that says "view the games"

There is a filter option here. Filter the worst openings and the color you struggle with.

Check a decent sample of those games with the engine and see when you start losing equality. The bigger the sample, the more accurate you can pinpoint by which move you screwed up. I mean, you should find a pattern. Take note of when that happens, by move 5, 10, or whatever.

Once you identify that, go to tools--> Opening explorer.

Above the movelist, there are 3 tabs. Master = GM;s that followed that opening. Lichess = The playerbase from the site that followed the same opening, and player = your games.

Well, go through that opening there until you reach the point on the pattern when things went south, and look for a better move whether on your own db or preferably, from the master one. But as long as it yields better results for you, it doesnt really matter from which one.

Now, remember when you got a breakdown of your performance on chess insights?
If the results are absolutely atrocious, you might want to consider changing openings. The explanation part was mostly to fix the mistakes, but sometimes its just not worth it. Just change the opening.

Now, if you do change the opening, you can go to learn--> Study and search for an opening there.

Thats more or less how you are supposed to use the site. The opening explorer is a ridiculously amazing tool. Use it to fix your openings. And do drills on targeted themes to improve your tactics. Just check once a month or so see new areas of improvement opportunity.

All of that only applies if you are somehow mid level/advanced, which i am assuming. But if you are absolutely new to the game, i recommend to go to learn and do the basic, practice and coordinates course first until everything is green.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

How to use the site effectively. Hmmm. Long answer, but read it. Go to puzzles, do about 200-300 to get a sample. Spam around 200-300 games, but do your best. Same purpose, to get a sample. With the samples out of the way. Hover puzzles, and a submenu appears, click on puzzle dashboard. The graph will thell you wich patterns are problematic to you according to your sample on puzzles and games. Interpret the graph and take note of problematic areas. Click puzzles (dont do any). At the bot left, there is a link that says "Puzzle themes". Click there, identify the problematic pattern. This isolate that pattern so you can do drills on that specific pattern until you are decent at spotting it. Once you get good at it, work on another one. Check the dashboard frequently, as it updates with your games and performance on puzzles. Now, click on your profile. And there is a button that says "chess insights" on the right side. Check the questions on the left panel. Take note of problematic areas. On the bot part, you will see a breakdown on how well you do against certain openings. Take note of the problematic ones with their opening code and color. <-- More about this on the last part. Go again to your profile. On the left panel, select the time control your sample comes from. Click it, and on the top right side on the next screen there is a button that says "view the games" There is a filter option here. Filter the worst openings and the color you struggle with. Check a decent sample of those games with the engine and see when you start losing equality. The bigger the sample, the more accurate you can pinpoint by which move you screwed up. I mean, you should find a pattern. Take note of when that happens, by move 5, 10, or whatever. Once you identify that, go to tools--> Opening explorer. Above the movelist, there are 3 tabs. Master = GM;s that followed that opening. Lichess = The playerbase from the site that followed the same opening, and player = your games. Well, go through that opening there until you reach the point on the pattern when things went south, and look for a better move whether on your own db or preferably, from the master one. But as long as it yields better results for you, it doesnt really matter from which one. Now, remember when you got a breakdown of your performance on chess insights? If the results are absolutely atrocious, you might want to consider changing openings. The explanation part was mostly to fix the mistakes, but sometimes its just not worth it. Just change the opening. Now, if you do change the opening, you can go to learn--> Study and search for an opening there. Thats more or less how you are supposed to use the site. The opening explorer is a ridiculously amazing tool. Use it to fix your openings. And do drills on targeted themes to improve your tactics. Just check once a month or so see new areas of improvement opportunity. All of that only applies if you are somehow mid level/advanced, which i am assuming. But if you are absolutely new to the game, i recommend to go to learn and do the basic, practice and coordinates course first until everything is green. Hope this helps. Cheers.

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