Chessbase 16: what is the "Generate Threats" function? - Chess Forums

TakeTakeOops

May 31, 2022

0

#1

Howdy folks!

Chessbase 16 threat arrows

Under Main Options -> Engines we'll find the checkboxes for "Threats" and "Generate Threats" . I know what the option for "Threats" does, but not what "Generate Threats" does.

In the screenshot above, a player played Bf4. The computer thinks if it would have another free turn, it would play Nf3. So far easy to understand.

The second red arrow, connected with a white arrow (white meaning an extra move is needed) depicts a generated threat; Because that's how that option is called.

But how do I interpret this? It's black's turn, and black is not going to play that. If white would get an extra free turn, it would play Nf3 indeed, but black still isn't going to play ...Bd6 to threaten the white bishop.

So what is this thing (option)? How do I interpret this feedback from CB16?

TakeTakeOops

May 31, 2022

0

#2

That's not answering anything here. But I thought about it some more.

It can only have meaning if one interpreted it like this: It's black's turn. If black knew it had two turns in a row, it would play this.

Only in this case these arrows would make sense. Agree?

(Now I wonder if this is even a healthy way of thinking. Maybe an experienced rated player could shed a light on that.)

TakeTakeOops

Jun 1, 2022

0

#3

Interesting though but it's inconsistent and it would be wrong for black to lose a move like that anyway.

Screenshot below shows a different situation. If white could move again, it would play Nc3 (after only a short thought, there could be better). But it's not against black's generated threat (...d5 -> ...Nxe4). Because white has the strong e4-e5!

So these two features ("Threat" and "Generate Threats") are features which operate independent of each other.

I think "Generate Threats" is just here to show what immediate tactical weakness exist and how it could be exploited if the other side had one or two free moves.

TakeTakeOops

Jun 1, 2022

0

#4

Note that there are two red arrows:

Since the yellow arrow indicates white has moved, red arrow on the white piece indicates "what if white had a second free move" as per manual.

So the second red arrow is the possible threat of black if it had a free move. The white arrow is that a second free move is needed to actually take a piece.

I never claimed anything else.

CringeBlunderman

Jun 1, 2022

0

#5

This is incomprehensible to me. Why would anyone create a piece of software that would show you what you could do with two consecutive moves, when you would never really have that scenario in a game. If the purpose of the software is to train you how to play, train per the game’s rules.

busterlark

Jun 1, 2022

0

#6

Because a lot of tactics have to do with “the threat of the threat,” i.e., the threat that is two moves away. It basically points to the move that can set up a tactic later.

That said, I don’t know how useful CB’s representation of this is. I could toy around with it some myself, maybe it’s quite useful. Or maybe it’s a gimmick.

TakeTakeOops

Jun 2, 2022

0

#7

@CringeBlunderman Simple answer: threat awareness. It's up to you to judge whether you have to take immediate action, or you can ignore it because you have a response ready independent of your actual plan, if it happens indeed.

@busterlark

I noticed that for the "Generate Threats" gimmick, it's a bit useful to be aware of existing weaknesses how they can be exploited in a direct fashion. But yesterday I tested it on positions with actual tactics present (chesstempo 1400 Elo). And then it shows this gimmick is entirely useless when a simple preparatory move is needed. It's also useless when it's simply a counting-problem. At the end one side has more pieces but this feature can't handle that either.

It just looks for a single immediately available undefended piece to grab. If there's an undefended piece, but it cannot be grabbed on the 2nd move, then it doesn't do anything either.