Tactics Trainer Ratings

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15th October 2008, 02:58pm
#1
by AlanL
United States
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 81

Do you find a wide discrepancy between your Tactics Trainer rating and your regular game rating?  On the order of several hundred points? 

Which is higher for you?  Why do you think that is?

15th October 2008, 03:31pm
#2
by dmeng
Knoxville, TN United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 308

Well, usually my tactics are much better than my overall rating (by about 200). This happens simply because I am terrible at finding an active plan during games, and rely too much on tactical blunders on the other side.

15th October 2008, 03:45pm
#3
by Sparta
New York United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 1112

My tactics rating is much higher than my normal rating, probably because I have trouble getting to that position, whether it's because I can't find a plan or I mess up the opening.

15th October 2008, 05:38pm
#4
by Montybro
Yakima,WA. United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 95

I haven't been on the tactics trainer for a while now.My overall rating is higher than my tactics trainer rating.I believe this is because of 2 things, maybe 3.

 1. I have more time to make decisions in turn based chess.

2. In tactics trainer, there is one right answer .I often think there is more than one right answer in a real game .The tactics trainer is a challenge to be more efecient in the amount of moves and in time to make those choices.I have thought my rating in both of these would be closer if there were more time to decide the next move in the trainer.

3. playing against a player.....allows the other player to blunder.

26th October 2008, 11:13pm
#5
by LearnChess
United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 326

My highest rating in chess on this site is around 1417.

My highest rating in tactics trainer is 1702.

Frown

27th October 2008, 01:34pm
#6
by dmeng
Knoxville, TN United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 308
LearnChess wrote:

My highest rating in chess on this site is around 1417.

My highest rating in tactics trainer is 1702.

 


I know what you mean. My highest ratings are 1627 (Online), 1514 (Blitz), 1377 (Long), and 1879 (Tactics)

27th October 2008, 01:39pm
#7
by KillaBeez
Kansas United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 4072

Mine stays around 1800 most of the time.  My online rating is 2015, but that is a little inflated even on this site.  I think my tactics trainer rating and my normal online rating is around the same.

27th October 2008, 02:21pm
#8
by AlanL
United States
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 81

For me it's the opposite of the majority here.  My tactics trainer rating is always about 300-400 points lower than my game rating.

I'm not sure why; but in part, I think I'm pressured by the clock.

28th October 2008, 06:14am
#9
by JerryHobby
Houston, TX United States
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 25

I've noticed the same thing.  My "slow game" rating runs around 1300, however my tactics rating is running about 1000.  Same difference as you.   I guarantee you that the clock is rattling me somewhat. 

28th October 2008, 06:47am
#10
by JWMC
Oxnard CA United States
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 23

My tactics trainer rating depends on the time of day i am training. lol, go figure.

28th October 2008, 06:54am
#11
by Sojkicz
Liberec Czech Republic
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 1260

Well I usaully have about 1300 at both and even in blitz and long live chess :o)

28th October 2008, 07:19am
#12
by madpawn
London England
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 707

I have tried the Tactics Trainer, but felt under pressure to find the 'right' answer straight away which puts me under pressure to respond with an instinctive move rather than the most efficient move or series of moves. I then go on to

score highly in 'book' positions, and in my games I generally do well, apart from the odd blunder, which we are all subject to.

Perhaps those who score highly on TT and have much lower games levels should work on their overall strategic play - planning etc?

Correct me if I am wrong!  I am always willing to learn.

28th October 2008, 07:26am
#13
by Drecon
Groningen Netherlands
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 224

My current online rating is around 1800 (although I'm not sure I really deserve the rating, but I'm not complaining).

My tactics rating is under 1400. I think the tocking clock just causes me to panic and make mistakes. I always lose at blitz so it's not really a surprise.

28th October 2008, 07:34am
#14
by AlanL
United States
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 81

Another odd thing I've noticed about the Tactics Trainer, is that sometimes the "opponent" makes silly second moves, falling into obvious traps.

I've heard chess instructors say, "Make the best possible moves, and also assume that your opponent will make the best possible move."

So in TT, when I see an obvious trap for the opponent, I assume that the opponent sees it as well. Accordingly, I don't waste my efforts on it. Then I'm surprised to learn (when I get the problem wrong), that I was supposed to follow that line after all, and the opponent would cooperate.

28th October 2008, 07:41am
#15
by Stefan1Zamfir
Romania
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 2733

 I'm still nr. 1 with 2808 Cool

28th October 2008, 07:54am
#16
by karkasthegreat
Turkey
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 55
AlanL wrote:

Another odd thing I've noticed about the Tactics Trainer, is that sometimes the "opponent" makes silly second moves, falling into obvious traps.

I've heard chess instructors say, "Make the best possible moves, and also assume that your opponent will make the best possible move."

So in TT, when I see an obvious trap for the opponent, I assume that the opponent sees it as well. Accordingly, I don't waste my efforts on it. Then I'm surprised to learn (when I get the problem wrong), that I was supposed to follow that line after all, and the opponent would cooperate.


Exactly. It sometimes happens to me and it's very annoying as my tt rating is usually 300-400 points less than my game rating. But I'm a terrible blitz player and generally blunder under time pressure. Combining these, I'm better in longer games. At least, better than a blitz game or tt, as I can't find out the best option quickly.

28th October 2008, 08:19am
#17
by LydiaBlonde
Zagreb Croatia
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 596

Interesting to see there are two groups, with an important difference (200 points or more) between TTR and GR (game rating), in one or other dirrection, and the third, neutral group

I am in the group one: TTR>GR for about 200 points. (At the moment: 2356 vs 2144). It's a difference in rank too (even having in mind many strong players didn't solves problems in TT): #15 vs #445. It means, I suppose, there are many people who has a better GR than me and worser TTR, and only few (if any) opposite.

The most important is I belive I can improve both my results! Cool

@Stefan1Zamfir: I hate you! Wink

28th October 2008, 08:34am
#18
by camembert
England
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 1494
AlanL wrote:

Another odd thing I've noticed about the Tactics Trainer, is that sometimes the "opponent" makes silly second moves, falling into obvious traps.

I've heard chess instructors say, "Make the best possible moves, and also assume that your opponent will make the best possible move."

So in TT, when I see an obvious trap for the opponent, I assume that the opponent sees it as well. Accordingly, I don't waste my efforts on it. Then I'm surprised to learn (when I get the problem wrong), that I was supposed to follow that line after all, and the opponent would cooperate.


I think in most cases when the opponent in a tactics trainer problem seems to fall into an obvious trap, it's because there was no good way to avoid it (that is, all the alternatives were also losing). Checking the position with a computer after you've finishing solving it (or failing to solve it) usually confirms this.

If you're convinced that there really is a fault with the tactic and that the obvious trap could be avoided, I'd suggest reporting the problem (if there's a link to do so) or else leaving a comment on the problem page itself. There are people around who keep their eye on these things (I'm one of them) and if there's a real fault then we can fix it so other solvers won't have to suffer; if the problem is really sound, we can perhaps at least explain why it seems not to be.

9th November 2008, 05:53am
#19
by LydiaBlonde
Zagreb Croatia
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 596

@camembert: Sometimes I find real mistakes in problems, and also double solutions. Not so often, 1 problem in 100 maybe. Sometimes I think I find a mistake, but I am wrong.

9th November 2008, 06:01am
#20
by LydiaBlonde
Zagreb Croatia
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 596

I tried to solve some problems when I was tired and absend-minded, and, normally, I failed. Then I become mad and tried to solve a series of problems to improve my performance, and as you can expected I was unsucessfull, and my rating fall even <2000 at the worst moment. CryEmbarassed Then, in last few days, I am cool again Cool  and I solve few problems per day, when I am in a good mood, and I improve my rating to a normal level, >2300. Laughing I hope to improve it even a little more (my personal record was 2398), however, I know it's very hard.

@Stefan1Zamfir: I still hate you! And I am sure GM Rakhmanator hate you even more! Smile

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