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The key to success in chess is a correct process of decision making during a game. In my search for a good book that teaches us this, i found the the book The Process of Decision Making in Chess by Philip Ochman the best book. Based on this book i intend to provide a thinking algorithm which is very useful in slow chess and games with longer time controls. Threat analysis Checks Captures Pressure Positional Evaluation Space Development Quality of Pieces Tactical Evaluation Checks Captures Pressure Building on this structure, we will learn how to fine-tune the system for every position and for every playing level. Having read this , you will acquire all the tools needed to break down the complex (and often difficult!) question of "what should I do in a given position?" into a number of much easier and simple questions; Combining the answers to these questions, you will come up with the right plan and find the best moves in every situation. Stage 1: Threats analysis Before thinking of any plan for us in the position we must make sure it's safe enough for us to proceed with our agenda. We are going to divide potential threats on our position into two types- immediate and distant. To find immediate threats, before we think of our own move in a position where it's our turn to play, we will look at what the opponent could do if the position didn't change. In other words, we shall play in our mind a second move in a row for the opponent, and if we find such a move that we can't respond to successfully after it happens, in such a way that our position doesn't become worse than the starting position of the variation (in terms of space, development, quality of pieces, material) - it would mean that that move is a real threat to our position. Since we found this threat in a position that didn't change for us, where the opponent imaginably played a second move in a row, now we can start thinking of solutions to that threat- what to change in the position so that the opponent's dangerous move will either be prevented or stop being dangerous. Of course, if we found that we have a good response for every potential threat by the opponent, that doesn't make our position worse than it was in the starting point of the variation, it would mean that the discussed move isn't a threat. How to do it? In a position where it's our turn to play, we will imagine a second move in a row for the opponent, giving him another move without changing our own position. We are going to look at 4 different tactical motifs, from the most forcing one down: 1. Checks- any move our opponent can play (as a second move in a row) to create a check. 2. Captures- any move our opponent can play to capture our material, pawns or pieces. 3. Pressure- any move by our opponent that attacks our material- either pawns or pieces (and played by his pawns or pieces). 4. Tension- a sub-criterion of pressure, any move by the opponent that creates pressure and a mutual possibility to capture. This move not only puts pressure on the opponent's material, but now also what moved to create this pressure is also under pressure. Going by this order is important for two main reasons. First- we learn more about the tactical nature of the position from the most forcing lines. Second- being ok in the most forcing line doesn't guarantee you're ok in the less.For each move in each type of tactical motif, once we found a move for the opponent to fit into the definition of that motif we will ask the question whether it's dangerous for us or not. And again, if you can find a good response to that move by showing the arising tactical variations and proving you're doing ok in all of them, it will mean the move is not a threat. Analyzing variations When we analyze the arising tactical variations, we must calculate them all the way to the end, starting with the most forcing choices for us and the opponent. We must cover all of the opponent's possible choices at each stage he has them (for example- if the opponent has more than one way to recapture). We will continue calculating looking deep into the variation until we reach the point of quiescence- the end of the variation, where neither you nor the opponent has any working tactical continuation. The decision whether a move by the opponent is dangerous for us or not should be done at the point of quiescence. Only there we stop calculating and analyze the position, looking at changes from the starting position for both sides in space, development, quality of pieces and material (same criteria as in positional evaluation, which will be explained here later). Any threats found should be kept in mind for the second stage of our process of decision making, where we will find solutions to those threats. After this we must also consider the distant threats which involve opponents chances of play in the centre, kings side and queens side. With this, we conclude the first stage of desicion making. The rest will be covered in part 2 of the forum. This material is entirely based upon the book and i strongly prefer using the book for better results.Practical use of this method will be used in vote chess games. Thnx.

These are our votechess policies. 1. Do not vote for a move unless the reason is discussed and analysis is done with other members. 2. Do not vote until the captain gives the call or if not only vote at the 12 hr mark. 3. Use the thinking analysis method before each move. Thnx

Hi all,. U may use this thread to post your annotated games or just post a game so that someone may analyse it for you. Good day to you.

i know this is not the original.

The scotch opening starts with 1.e4,e5 2.nf3,nc6 3,d4 Your opponent can either take d4 or play more compicated lines with d5. Ill start with exd4 for now. When he takes you take back with knight. Thats the basics. ill go more deep in the opening tommorow! :D good luck!

i know theres a fster checkmate.

In this part we look at the positional evaluation part when threats are absent. The full version of this stage is beyond the scope of this page. But this is perfectly useful too. Positional evaluation- short version The criterion for this part are space: a move which increases the control on one of the squares of the enemy campor in the centre.eg a move like Ng5 by white tries to control the squares f7,h7,e6 in the opponents camp.Space control is necessary for our pieces to later occupy thos controlled squares.A pawn move is the move which gives us the maximum space advantage as none of the opponents pieces can come to the squares controlled by the pawn.eg e5 restricts the opponent to place his pieces on squares f6 or d6. development : this simply refers to a move which develops a piece. quality of pieces:a move which improves the scope of a piece .eg a move like d3 by white restricts the light squared bishop. This version of positional evaluation is a "manual" approach to finding strategic moves in chess. Here, finding the moves isn't as constructive as in the full version, as finding them here is your job. Therefore, for start, you must find all the possible moves in the position that can have any use for the position. For each move you found, you note the benefits and drawbacks on each of the original three criteria of positional evaluation. The selected positional candidate move will be the one that has the best effect on the criteria of positional evaluation. This method is useful in finding the best move to parry the threat which the opponent has made. I know that this part has not been well explained but the full version can by no means be eexplained through this.Any doubts may be cleared through messaging me. The full version can be found in Philip Ochman's The Process Of Decision Making in chess. the next stage will be analysed in the next part thanx