Training Problems

I had a really nasty tactic in this position, that was even missed by whichever engine does the game review. Trust no one!

Needless to say, I didn't find it in the game. Thankfully the position was winning anyway.

Can you do better than me and Stockfish combined, and find a crushing tactic in this position?

First move is tricky to find

Insane tactic I missed

This I liked too:

I had a crushing advantage as white but ruined it. Can you find the correct move?

Various puzzles I liked, all beginner-friendly, but very instructive, as they showcase different tactical patterns, some of which are not seen that often in practical play:

First:

Second:

Third:

Fourth:

Fifth:

Sixth:

Seventh:

Eighth:

Very nice puzzles! I liked the endgame ones particularly

This game happened in Uruguayan soil, in the beautiful peninsula of Punta Ballena. It was an insanely tactical battle arising from a Queen's Gambit Declined! Pepe Cuenca, with the black pieces, didn't shy away from entering a complicated middlegame against his coach, Argentinian champion Sandro Mareco. The apprentice came really close to beating his master! Unfortunately for the Spanish grandmaster, he couldn't find the winning sequence under time pressure. Can you find it?

My modest puzzle does little justice to this true masterpiece of modern chess. If you understand Spanish, check out the full analysis by GM Pepe Cuenca himself.

Hello chess players! I'd like to share a method for tactical study using the Anki system (spaced repetition ), based on positions from Susan Polgar’s book "Chess Tactics for Champions". This method was born from frustrations I observed with traditional tactical training platforms.The Problem with Traditional Platforms
Many of us use Chess.com, Lichess, and other platforms to train tactics, but I noticed several limitations:

The ease of virtually moving pieces discourages complete mental visualization
Immediate feedback ("correct/incorrect") promotes superficial analysis
The quick transition to the next exercise doesn’t allow for deeper understanding
The Solution: Anki + Pure Visualization
The deck I created presents tactical positions without allowing piece movement. Only after complete mental analysis do you check the answer, which contains the main line and critical variations.

Method Characteristics:
Forced visualization: Without moving pieces, you develop the "chess vision" crucial for strong players
Productive doubt: Answers that don’t explain all possibilities create cognitive tension that motivates additional exploration
Intelligent repetition: The Anki algorithm brings difficult positions back more frequently
Progressive deepening: With each review, you explore deeper layers of the position
Scientific Basis
This method is supported by research in cognitive psychology:

Chunks and Templates: Recognition of tactical patterns forms "chunks" (Chase & Simon, 1973) and eventually more complex "templates" (Gobet & Simon, 1996)
Elaborative encoding: Active questioning and mental exploration reinforce long-term memory
Skill transfer: Systematically trained mental visualization transfers to real games
How to Install and Use Anki
To start using this method:

Step 1: Install Anki
For computers: Download at https://apps.ankiweb.net/ (Windows/Mac/Linux)
For Android: Download "AnkiDroid" (Google Play Store)
For iOS: Download "AnkiMobile" (paid app) or use the free web version at https://ankiweb.net/
Step 2: Set Up
Create an Anki account to sync progress: https://ankiweb.net/account/register
Import the deck using the link below ("Import file" in Anki).
 
Deck Usage Guide
Initial Setup:
Download the Anki deck "Chess Tactics - Susan Polgar" (link below)
Adjust settings to start with 10-15 new cards/day.
For Each Position:
Set a time limit: 3-5 minutes for complex positions
Calculate mentally: Visualize the main line and opponent’s defenses
Record your answer: Mentally before checking
Honest evaluation:"Hard": Only initial move found
"Good": Correct main line + defenses
"Again": Missed the solution
Strategic Review:
After each session, analyze 1-2 difficult positions with a physical board
Monthly: Review statistics to identify weak tactical themes
 
Method Advantages
The major advantage of this approach is that it develops not just pattern recognition, but also:
Calculation discipline
Deep visualization ability
Critical thinking about positions
Conceptual understanding of tactical themes

Download the Deck
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zA1cLA0l0N1a4Zs1fgdLeNCngbAMHocS/view?usp=sharing
I invite everyone to try this method and share your results!

The Bg5 move doesn't make much sense to me. I guess attacking a queen randomly could work at the lower levels but why would anyone like to walk into a pawn fork? Maybe you can start the puzzle from that move instead.

it's a blunder indeed, but it's what happened in the game, funny enough, the solutions to each move are indeed stockfish top recommendations, so thought it was still worth sharing

@cegalleta I see, yeah I double checked with the engine. Maybe we just used different engines that is all. I was using the chess.com one.

it's true that the bishop move is a blunder but I thought maybe a more inexperienced player would miss the check to have time to play the fork, so it could still be instructive! But yeah, sometimes when I post puzzles, since my games of course aren't perfect I miss some tactics myself or my opponents miss a crucial defensive step, I'll be more careful next time

Simple tactic, remember to always check for inbetween moves!

Simple, but easy to miss as well. The King is in huge trouble if he decides to recapture on f6!

yes! The only reason I won that game (I was black hahaha) was that my opponent was low on time and didn't find the follow up

Those types of tactics are great for fine-tuning your feel for the game, super obvious, yet hard enough to get you into the right mindset for an average game

A friend shared me one of his games where he played the italian game, reminded me of the greco gambit! Great trap against beginner to intermediate players!

From my last correspondence game

Challenge question: Think of a way to avoid checkmate with the black pieces, think of why it's still winning for white after all the trades.