I am curious to know how everybody calculates in chess.

Calculate what?

I'd recommend IM Silman's book "How to Reassess your Chess" on this.  In it he also recommends "How to Think Like a Grandmaster", by Kotov, I think, though Silman acknowledges this book is a little advanced and requires a lot of work.

Excelling at Chess Calculcation by GM Aagard explains how to calculate. Many players hold Kotov in high regard but disagree somewhat with his process. I own Aagard's book but have other holes to patch before I undertake reading it.

Is "poorly" an acceptable answer?

Humans can't investigate every move, so first identify a few candidate moves and candidate ideas to calculate. Forcing moves such as checks, captures, and threats obviously should be on your list. Beyond that you'll have to rely on your own skill, knowledge, experience, and imagination--there's no magical secret.

"takes, takes, takes...'

There are some systems that work based on maths for eg:- u might want to go to a certain square and your opponent might want that same one u would ask how many pieces and/or pawns cover that square and how many does my opponent have covering it if u have 3 and they have 2 u win if its equal then u wont u come off about the same and sometimes worse i hope it helps for one egsample anyway....

5 moves in every direction

WVSFielding wrote: 5 moves in every direction

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 don't listen to this guy. he sucks =P

Three general tips:

1.  You want to capture but the square you attack is heavily guarded.  Count how many pieces your oppo has guarding the square and how many you have attacking it.  If you are more than him its ok.  Unless you have a high value piece in front of a lower value one like a Q in front of a rook.  Then check he isnt indirectly defending the square e.g. with an intermezzo check.  Thats a common way to get caught out.

2. In capture sequences if you have a choice, capture the highest value piece first.  That makes calculation easier.

3. Use the stepping stone method.  If you can think 3 moves and the first two moves are forced , visualise the position after two moves and work from there.  Hey presto you can now think 5 moves ahead just like that (it takes practice).

 

Loomis wrote: Is "poorly" an acceptable answer?

lol

inadequately?