I just started with Chess Mentor, so I assume I just can't find the answer to something kinda basic.  I just upgraded my account to get unlimited access to CM too... and because I am so impressed with chess.com :D

Anyway, my second lesson displayed this text:

Usually the side with two pawns versus none (in a Bishop of opposite color endgame) wants his/her pawns to be far apart so no blockade is possible (see Variation One for an example of this kind of blockade). If the pawns are connected (as is the case here), the defender can still draw if he/she knows the proper defensive formation. The position under discussion is not the proper formation (see Variation Two for the proper formation) and, to make matters worse, Black doesn't have time to set the proper formation up. Due to this, Black should lose the game.

So, how do I get to see these variations?

Can you please let me know which Chess Mentor lesson refers to "variations". This is a mistake as the variation feature is only available in the CD version of Chess Mentor.

I just played that lesson :D

How much ya gonna pay me? 

lol

It's one called Bishops of opposite colors: two pawns vs. none

aka 2187.

Cheers... at least I know it's not me ^^

BQ.

IMT017 also has "variations" .  There have been others....mostly Mr Silman's.

Thx

From what I understand, your questions can be answered so:

What must I do to see them:  Buy the CD.

Could this be explained: yes, the mentor on chess.com is a copy and paste of the CD but it isn't as well interfaced, so variations are not supported on chess.com like they are on the CD version.

What is this CD:  It's a CD version of Chess Mentor that you can buy.

Your chess.com membership gets you a lot more than just chess mentor.  But yes, CM is buggy because of the way it has been placed online... however, it is still very helpful.

I actually was more interested in the tactics trainer, but meh, I am now happy to just be supporting chess.com while receiving maximum benefits.

Often the lesson ends, leaving a beginner, like me, wondering what comes next.  Perhaps a brief sentence, explaining why in the absence of an obvious mate the situation shows an advantage leading to victory.

Such is the weakness of the online chess mentor.  Personally, I think the CM should be upgraded to support the variations of the "CD Version".   It's not like we don't pay for it.

In many lessons I have had to transfer to an engine to work out what is going on.  That shouldn't be hard with one click for chess.com as well.

I suggest that what is going on is that the content of CM is copied/imported from the CD Version but the online CM structure cannot cope with variations, so the importing process strips the variations away.

Staff don't deliberately go and delete variations, what they do is modify the online CM lessons to remove references to the variations.

I go through a lot of lessons that instruct me to refer to variation 1, 2, or whatever, and I was wondering how to do it, myself.

Same here, this is a bit frustrating and disappointing.....There should be some way of having the variations be able to be looked at during the lesson...Without the variations, many lessons are devalued. Deleting the variations or references to them is a bad idea........better to spend a little time and figure out how to display them

At the very least, it would help to have a disclaimer that the variations are not available in the online version.  It is very confusing to search around for how to find the variations when they don't exist.

It took me a while to find out that "variations" are not available. It's not mentioned anywhere within Chess Mentor's help area.

So, a little disclaimer would be very appreciated.