of course "solving tactics" will help to improve. But what good is it if you rarely reach such positions to begin with? How do you retain the information learned by solving a puzzle and make practical use of that information in your games ... especially fast games when the clock is running? Masters spend much of their time reviewing tactics, looking for combinations that lead to advantages. Master are 1 % of players. The lower the rating, less time on tactics and more time on principles and elements.
Solving a puzzle, when you are told, 1 and only one move exists to win the game is of little use to the average player who is expecting by studying them will lead directly to improvement. 1st, such player needs to attain such a position, usually relatively equal, with good play from both sides to reach such a position.
Of course, puzzles as mates in 1 or two with only a couple of pieces help to recognize patterns. Do enough of them and the memory is bound to sink in. But "tactical puzzles" as presented with half the pieces on board won't be seen in any of your games.
examples as the CAPTCHA's are all mates in one. Are they "tactics?" Heck no. A "puzzle?" sure, but solved in <2 seconds. what's there to study?
@the_loving_boy #30
This week I was at a GM "AMA" event (plus simul).
The GM said that IM Cor van Wijgerden (Well known chess coach in Holland) many years ago said : "Till 2400 rating there's no need to focus on opening lines". The GM continued : "Games at amateur level are often decided by tactical tricks. So it makes much sense to work on tactics. And nowadays there's various ways to train your tactics, on-line, on computers, on the phone, while travelling".
My conclusion : Work on your tactics, when your tactical skills are rather low. And continue working on other chess parts in the mean time, like endgame and positional chess.
(My tactics rating at Lichess is currently > 2300 with quite a few puzzles done. That is not bad at all. However if your tactics rating is still under, say, 1500, then you have lots of tactical work+fun to do imho.)
Have fun with tactics ! :)
Different strokes for different folks. My suggestion is sure study a few "tactics" but the amount of time invested by the average player should be minimal compared to the other elements of chess that require more study. (Just to reach positions where tactics are possible.) How many do we see here that say they extensively practice the tactical puzzles and see no improvement in rating? Quite a few.
I think much of the debate surrounds what is the definition of "tactics". What is it's meaning? It needs defining as some would say this or that are not tactics but simple recognition of the elements" as pins, skewers, forks etc. , while for others, "tactics" exist in every move, considering what is the best move, they are forever looking for "tactics" when it is more a matter of following sound principles.
This is simply just not true
@mdinnerspace. You can not spend enough time on tactics almost ever. I am at 2300 Elo level and even i feel like my tactics still need work. I went from 1600 elo to 2000 elo in 6months and all i did for that 6 months was tactics tactics and more tactics. Once you become really good at them the other elements start creeping in too because you start seeing how tactics are set up. Thus you start seeing how to position your pieces and ready then in different positions to create tactics. Sure obviously a good balance between all the phases of the game is required. But saying you should do much on tactics is a terrible idea :)
And if you are not improving from doing tactics... then you are doing it wrong
And your argument for how do you retain information learned form tactics... sorry to say but the same goes for anything you learn in chess... knowing something is alot different from understanding it and only by understanding it can you really implement it in your own play. This sadly like everything else takes a lot of time. So you say that what use is it if you cannot get to positions where the tactics matter... you have any idea how many players get to good positions but then miss the tactics because they are not good enough at it... So again, balance is required sure. But the saying chess is 99% tactics does have some truth to it if only to say that 99% of games are won because of a tactics... For me a tactic would be defined as a move or sequence of moves that lead to gaining material (ofcourse mate is fine too).
as for the time thing. Because there is no time influence on the tactics on lichess... i suggest you focus more of your energy on getting the tactics correctly than getting them fast! I cannot say this enough during my tactic streams.
Happy Tactic hunting.
@ChessDoctors Like I say different strokes....
You are 2300. Of course "tactics" are a big part of your study time.
They should not take up a majority of time for the average player. There exists many other elements to learn. Maybe these elements I am referring to are called tactics in your book. I do not know.
But to say... "you can never spend to much time on tactics" is simply wrong imo for the average player who should study things as endgames, pawn structure, controlling space and key squares, the importance of time and gaining tempo, where best to develop the pieces and the coordination of... the list is extensive.
Tactics may be included in some of these principles, but studying "puzzles" is the topic. There are ways to study tactics besides puzzles, which in the end only makes for better puzzle solving and not better chess.
I only studied tactics for the first 6 months of my career (several hours per day), no games. My first tournament ended in a rating of 1337. <-- lol.. not kidding.
I'd rather use the term "instructors" than "coaches". Instructors teach anyone, while coaches are more geared to assisting a select few players.
Teaching the real nuts and bolts of chess, that is the challenge.
Presenting it in such a way that is educational along with being entertaining is the task.
Such elements as pawn structure, controlling space, gaining time, pawn, rook endings are often boring. These lessons are not "glamorous" if presented in a dull manner.
On the other hand, puzzles are glamorous, attractive, move on quickly to the next new challenge after receiving instant reward with each successful completion. Coaches love em ... hand them out, sit back (already having the answers in hand) able to explain the answer if the student is stumped. Tactics, tactics and more tactics. A broken record. Little work, easy paycheck.
One of my favorite lessons I devised is teaching the Saavedra Position. I use it to teach the 5 ways a draw can be achieved along with the other elements that make for the position. Possibly some here would say tactics exist in this endgame, there are many choices to make, things go unseen, learning what to be looking for, are all happening in what at 1st glance appears to be quite a simple position but is not. I would not classify any moves as being "tactical." This difference in definition may be the cause of some disagreement. It is a position that could easily occur, with close alternative ones that have a similar solution. Is it a puzzle? Not really, but can be easily interpreted as one.
@mdinnerspace did you know the Spanish priest Rev. Fernando Saavedra discovered the Saavedra position while in Scotland? He was on holiday I think when he found it. Scotland invented a lot of things like the television and the telephone, penicillin etc. We also invented that position you like. Pretty cool that we have something in common now.