How YOU Can Improve Your Puzzle Rush!

Hi everyone this @Phantom_Beast23 and I hope you're holiday season is goin well! 2020 is almost over and while it may have been really pathetic due to Covid, we all had our moments this year and for me it was chess! I started playing USCF rated tournaments at the beginning of last year and I was able to end the year with 800 Online USCF! But for my chess.com accomplishments, some notable ones would be 

- 1200 Blitz (I may have tilted, but I'm slowly but surely untitling from there)

- 1320 Bullet 

- 30 Puzzle rush

In this blog today, I wanted to talk about ways on improving your puzzle rush and puzzle rating, in celebration of reaching the 30th mark! I was very pleased that day as the last few days had been very rough as I wasn't quite reaching 30. After some dedication and patience I was finally able to reach the 30 mark! 

Note, I was very surprised to find out how there aren't many blogs dedicated to improving your puzzles so I thought it would be fitting to make one today! Also, I think after doing 3500 puzzles, I do have some valid advice that I can offer so I would recommend reading this blog, especially if you're struggling to get to your puzzle rush/rating goal

Anyways let's start

Tip 1: Sit down when you actually have time

Image from - WiredToGrow.com

A common mistake that a lot of people (including me sometimes) generally do is that they'll sit down and do a bunch of puzzles even though they don't have much time. Maybe they have class or something but even if thats the case, and you want to get a quick set of puzzles in between, don't, because chances are, you'll do worse that or you're average on the set.

I talk about this from past experience as sometimes when you'll sit down and you actually have time, the previous scores can be a demoralizer for your future attempts, so I would lastly recommend against doing this.

For general puzzles, this doesn't apply as much since you're not trying to get a "score" unlike in Puzzle Rush so, in a way it's kind of alright. Though sometimes, you may not have enough time and you may start rushing through the puzzles which can lead to a decline of your rating or even severe tilt.

Tip 2: Look for quick threats

If you're doing survival rush or you're doing a timed set, and you want to blitz through the first 8 or so, or you just want to increase your puzzle rush from like 5 or something, I would recommend reading this as it could definitely help you.

You'll notice there's usually a way to attack the king or win a piece in 1 to 2 moves. Even for "intermediate" players such as me, you may make a move that makes a threat, but didn't go over that move that makes an even bigger threat. So if you're blitzing through some puzzles early so you can get a higher puzzle rush score for 3 minute or something, make sure to still go over the move.

If you're just trying to improve your puzzle rush score to 13 or something, make sure to go over every threat you see, no matter how reasonable they look, as it might just be the one Same applies to people that are rated 700 or something in puzzles.

Tip 3: Go over the ones you missed

Image - Chess.com

You've probably heard this tip at least a gazillion times, yet it's never stressed enough and is usually forgotten. This tip is one I completely ignored until I got back to doing puzzle rush seriously. 

It's one of the most, if not, the MOST important tip to improving your puzzles! It' helps you analyze what you did wrong and eventually, you may find a pattern on what you are actually doing wrong. In fact, my endgame play was the one that probably wasn't allowing to get that 30, and while I definitely have not mastered it, I would still say that I'm better at endgame play than I was a month ago.

But don't stop there! You can practice that specific type of puzzle by going to Puzzle>Custom>Theme and you'll find a TON of puzzle types to practice such as mates, en passant, Zugzwangs, and more!

Tip 4: Make sure you're dedicated, no distractions

Image - Reddit

If you're playing to actually get a better rating or a better score, then you have to be DEEPLY concentrated. Make sure there's no surrounding distractions and if so, go to a different room to focus better.

Sometimes, little things help a lot, such as listening to music, and fiddling with things such as Rubik's cubes (if you're good with that stuff). Also, if you have an idea of what to play, but aren't sure, you can drag arrows to see or envision if they work or not. Arrows help see things that you wouldn't if you were eyeballing it.

Sometimes, watching titled players do puzzle rush helps as it motivates me to do better and gives me the "I can do it as well" type of feeling.

Also, a nice idea would be see if you do better during the night or during the day time. I personally find doing games and puzzles in the night time better but I'm sure there are people out there with different opinions. This type of "time playing" usually is a thing with most people as you'll see them in live during the day and see them socializing with clubs and stuff during the night.

Tip 5: Take as MUCH time as you want

Remember, unless you're doing a timed set of puzzle rush, you have ALL the TIME in the world! If you're truly dedicated to improving your score, take Hours or even DAYS! Sometimes, when you're done finishing your homework or something maybe go back to that puzzle rush set you were doing, and try to complete about 3 more! Or even if you don't have that time, try logging on daily doing 3 puzzles each day!

I recommend at least trying this once as it can be very successful. Taking things slowly is a very common but nice strategy as you can dedicate more time and effort into it! 3 puzzles a day is nice since it doesn't exert a lot of effort and it can be better than the continuous 15 that you may hav just did!

For regular puzzles, I would recommend maybe trying to get your rating up 10 points per day, as a continuous stretch can lead to mental fatigue which can lead to tilt.

Tip 6: Take a look at every possible move and when sure, then move

Image - TheSpruceCrafts.com

Adding on to Tip 5 and 2, If you're not sure, what to move, then go over every possible move you think could be right, and then go over every possible move you find "stupid". You may have been startled by the 2nd part of that sentence, but it's honestly so true. Sometimes, if you go over the puzzle you missed, you'll find that the on you absolutely thought was wrong, ended up becoming right. 

If you're still not sure what the correct answer could be, then take a look at every possible move and if it's an endgame puzzle, then every single variation. Anything after that would honestly be cheating which you should never revert to no matter how much you want to get it.

It's possible that you still got it wrong despite how sure you were. And that's ok as you can go back to step 3 to see what you missed and practice puzzles of that sort.

Tip 7: Don't stress about it

This seems like a very obvious one, but I wouldn't recommend skipping it nonetheless. Sometimes, you'll find that you were one away from reaching your goal. That can be be really triggering since you were so close to reaching your peak.

If that happens, then don't do another one thinking you'll get it the next time. As harsh as it may sound, it's honestly the best thing to do. That sort of thing can be really demoralizing, and  if you want to attempt another rush 5 seconds later, don't. You're already too demoralized to do another one. 

This is where you take a break, may be go offline, or play some chess games instead. Try again tomorrow. This can be hard sometimes but it'll do you some good. You get to start with a fresh mind and your head will be cleared of everything that happened the day before.

Image, someone feeling stressed - AmericanHeartAssociastion.org

That's basically it for all my tips. You may have found them generic, but these are the best tips anyone can ever offer. It really just takes these tips to get a good puzzle rush score. Here is a forum I made a while ago for tips back when I was struggling to get 30 which you can find  Here!(I may have called someone an idiot sandwich once or 4 times so I would recommend skipping over that) A lot of people commented stating their opinions

Some more "extras" I wanted to add were that you should

 - See how to pressure the back rank 

 - See how the king can move in an endgame puzzle

 - See a set of captures where you end up being better

 - En passant

Lastly, I wanted to end this blog with a famous puzzle in which Bobby Fischer lost 2 bets to! I was surprised when Bobby couldn't solve this but it just goes to show how hard chess and how you have to think "outside the box"

There are many other variations and ways to solve that puzzle but that way is probably the best known one for those that have seen this puzzle before.

So lastly, I hope this blog gives you some idea of what you should do and remember if you want to improve your puzzle rush and puzzle ratings, they may have been very generic advice, but this is honestly the best advice you can ever get. I went deep into each tip so you may understand it better but I hope this honestly helps your puzzle rush or rating

A nice blog I would recommend checking out is Roger's blog explaining the similarities and differences of puzzle rush and puzzle battle! That Blog can be found here!

And as always, make sure to check my other Blogs, They're pretty good as I take my time and effort to do them! I also hope to get Top Blogger soon so your support would be much appreciated!

Thank you,

@Phantom_Beast23