Thanks for the blog!
Some questions that could be considered: do you employ approach V or M? Is it some mixture of both? Or something else entirely?
If it is V: how does the picture of the position in your mind look like? Is it lively/detailed or rather abstract / does it only contain the necessary information?
If it is M: describe what kind of facts you store in your memory, how you recall them, etc. And if you don't have aphantasia, why do you think you gravitate towards this approach? Is a chess position simply a too complex/detailed scene to visualise fully?
For me, I approach V. The position in my mind is pretty tough, and I can only see the most important parts, not the whole board, after about 15 moves in blindfold. However, I will add that the blindfold I play is usually not that slow blindfold, so I don't have that much time to focus on it.
Hope this is helpful!
Some questions that could be considered: do you employ approach V or M? Is it some mixture of both? Or something else entirely?
If it is V: how does the picture of the position in your mind look like? Is it lively/detailed or rather abstract / does it only contain the necessary information?
If it is M: describe what kind of facts you store in your memory, how you recall them, etc. And if you don't have aphantasia, why do you think you gravitate towards this approach? Is a chess position simply a too complex/detailed scene to visualise fully?
For me, I approach V. The position in my mind is pretty tough, and I can only see the most important parts, not the whole board, after about 15 moves in blindfold. However, I will add that the blindfold I play is usually not that slow blindfold, so I don't have that much time to focus on it.
Hope this is helpful!
I have been waiting for blog 10 of challenge 2500 for a while and thought you have stopped posting about due to the lack of tournaments. Glad to see that you are still working on 2500 and continuing the blog, I really like it.
As for the questions, I usually use a combination of method V and M, using method M for things that changed during my calculation ( say I castled or the queens are traded, etc ). This is the case in most of my actual games,where calculation not more than 3-4 moves is required. Meanwhile in blindfolded, I usually lose track of the exact position of the peices if I use visualization, so I mostly use method M in blindfolded.
As for the questions, I usually use a combination of method V and M, using method M for things that changed during my calculation ( say I castled or the queens are traded, etc ). This is the case in most of my actual games,where calculation not more than 3-4 moves is required. Meanwhile in blindfolded, I usually lose track of the exact position of the peices if I use visualization, so I mostly use method M in blindfolded.
Thanks for your answers!
For anyone else looking to contribute, I opened a discussion here: lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/how-do-you-visualise-chess-positions
That way, people can find this topic through the forum as well.
(@ebk1976 @Akarsh_2010 you're welcome of course to repost your input there if you want, but in any case, thanks!)
@Akarsh_2010 thanks so much for the positive feedback on Challenge 2500, it means a lot!
For anyone else looking to contribute, I opened a discussion here: lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/how-do-you-visualise-chess-positions
That way, people can find this topic through the forum as well.
(@ebk1976 @Akarsh_2010 you're welcome of course to repost your input there if you want, but in any case, thanks!)
@Akarsh_2010 thanks so much for the positive feedback on Challenge 2500, it means a lot!
Hi, I'm Takashi. I made a website " How to Visualize a Chessboard and Movement ". However, the English translation has not yet been completed. For me, English translations are time-consuming and I don't have the energy to translate all the articles on that website into English at the moment. I hope you find this information helpful.
How to Visualize a Chessboard and Movement
visualization-chess.blogspot.com/
How to Visualize a Chessboard and Movement
visualization-chess.blogspot.com/
Disclaimer, look at my rating. It is going down. However, it is going down. Who knows why, due to some profiles playing openings till depths twenty, yet rated abysmally, and maybe the notifications I receive (i) somebody reported was banned... who knows. That said,
I don't know, neither like opening theory -- I'm an amateur from the communist block, where chess has tradition on the streets, not in books. That's why I play lots of chess960, and never ever read a single book about playing the game. That's why I have next to no notion of the notations, everything is visual in my head.
Positions light up, I see flashes of possibilities, a file, a diagonal, after the pieces clear up or move away, a pin, an in between, and sometimes my mind just wonders away into impossible whatifs, for they look good. It's pretty crowded, there should be a mate somewhere. Ghosts are pretty bad though, when I realize a knight is on the wrong square.
I don't know, neither like opening theory -- I'm an amateur from the communist block, where chess has tradition on the streets, not in books. That's why I play lots of chess960, and never ever read a single book about playing the game. That's why I have next to no notion of the notations, everything is visual in my head.
Positions light up, I see flashes of possibilities, a file, a diagonal, after the pieces clear up or move away, a pin, an in between, and sometimes my mind just wonders away into impossible whatifs, for they look good. It's pretty crowded, there should be a mate somewhere. Ghosts are pretty bad though, when I realize a knight is on the wrong square.
The question is more, how the player protect em self for one stage blunders, this is the only different behind master and street player ^^
I am a player that came to he game with no real skill 3 years ago and I have just messed around on 2 different accounts learning by trial and error. I play a lot of bullet and blitz with only a love for the game. No real aspirations.
When I visualize a position I will split the board into parts. The total amount will generally be less in an open position but if there is a closed centre I imagine 5 segments. 3 on one side and 2 on the other mostly related to castling direction.
Most of this is to help me focus on which main areas play is occuring on in bullet games when time is tight. Or at least that's the likely explanation.
Because of my self taught nature I am curious to what more classical players Visualize.
When I visualize a position I will split the board into parts. The total amount will generally be less in an open position but if there is a closed centre I imagine 5 segments. 3 on one side and 2 on the other mostly related to castling direction.
Most of this is to help me focus on which main areas play is occuring on in bullet games when time is tight. Or at least that's the likely explanation.
Because of my self taught nature I am curious to what more classical players Visualize.
I Use a 4-Step-Plan
1.Step Analysing my oppenents move
Does he/she attacks something? Is somewhere a mate? Did I/he/she blundered a piece? It is check? What would my oppenent do if he can move again after his move? What could be the plan of my oppenents move? What weaknesses did my oppenents move create? Are there any signs for tactics?
2.Step Searching for candidate moves
- how could i attack the weaknesses
- can i attack the king
- how could i improve the position of my pieces
- are there any possble dangers?
- how can i get an advantage?
- are there any signs for tactics?--> recognizing chess pattern positions
3. Step Calculating candidate moves
- calculating main lines
- calculating all "strong" moves my oppenent can do
- trying to find best moves for my oppenent too(rating doesn't matter. i do it in all games. Not important if my oppenent has 1100Elo oder 2200ELO)
4. Step
- 1Ply-blunder check
- final board check
I have 1690-1790DWZ and 1890-1900ELO
1.Step Analysing my oppenents move
Does he/she attacks something? Is somewhere a mate? Did I/he/she blundered a piece? It is check? What would my oppenent do if he can move again after his move? What could be the plan of my oppenents move? What weaknesses did my oppenents move create? Are there any signs for tactics?
2.Step Searching for candidate moves
- how could i attack the weaknesses
- can i attack the king
- how could i improve the position of my pieces
- are there any possble dangers?
- how can i get an advantage?
- are there any signs for tactics?--> recognizing chess pattern positions
3. Step Calculating candidate moves
- calculating main lines
- calculating all "strong" moves my oppenent can do
- trying to find best moves for my oppenent too(rating doesn't matter. i do it in all games. Not important if my oppenent has 1100Elo oder 2200ELO)
4. Step
- 1Ply-blunder check
- final board check
I have 1690-1790DWZ and 1890-1900ELO
I use a bit of a different method, in that on each move I repeat the whole game up to that point, so that I have a chain that I can follow in case I forget where a piece is.
For example
D4, D5
on the next turn
D4, D5, C4, C6
etc.
I use this approach so that I can play the majority of the game in M mode, but in a critical position, or a tactical spot can reconstruct the board accurately to use V instead.
For general strategic/positional play I use M. And for more tactical/board vision dependent play I use V. Although V is considerably less efficient/intuitive because it takes active effort to remember the positions of all the pieces. Whereas the general relationships between pieces/plans is much more intuitive.
For example
D4, D5
on the next turn
D4, D5, C4, C6
etc.
I use this approach so that I can play the majority of the game in M mode, but in a critical position, or a tactical spot can reconstruct the board accurately to use V instead.
For general strategic/positional play I use M. And for more tactical/board vision dependent play I use V. Although V is considerably less efficient/intuitive because it takes active effort to remember the positions of all the pieces. Whereas the general relationships between pieces/plans is much more intuitive.