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My Idea For A New Puzzle Mode
(Enlarged) Picture from chess.com puzzle page.

My Idea For A New Puzzle Mode

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JacksonScott
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Introduction:

I’ve been thinking lately about a puzzle mode chess.com could add to the puzzle page. Essentially it asks the player to play the best move in a position that has already been played. What do I mean by this? I will show you:

The Position:

As I have said before the position in the puzzle will have already been played. Chess.com’s explorer page is composed of a database of “Master Games.” These are games that have been played in real life by people with a master title. Since this database already exists the puzzle mode can use the database. This way the puzzle will always give you a random position from one of a multitude of real games. This position from that random game can be from a random move of the game with either white to move or black to move. Using this method the player will always be ensured a new position that is alway theoretically possible.

Extra thing:

  • Do not generate in the opening because there is no “best” move.

Finding The Best Move:

This step in generating the puzzle is rather simple. Chess.com can simply use an engine (stockfish for example) to find the best move. Now with the puzzle fully generated the player will play the best move (or not) and either solve (or fail) the puzzle.

Extra Features:

With this basic framework for the puzzle mode complete here are some extra features Chess.com may consider adding:

  • An opening specifier

-This with tell the puzzle creating algorithm to only give you a position (from the master games) using an opening you specified (using a menu?).

  • A move number specifier

-This will tell the puzzle creating algorithm on which move to give you the position on the certain move-number/who-to-move you specified.

-Can’t generate in the opening (because again: there is no “best move”). Can possibly be used in the opening as an opening trainer if used with “opening specifier.”

  • Other: (Post in comments with ideas!)

Conclusion:

I think this will be useful to many players as this idea has much flexibility and can help players train and improve (by playing best-moves in real, possible scenarios). If my idea is interesting and you think it might work maybe one day it will become a reality.