Tactics and Computer Play - Chess Forums

PeterHyatt

Dec 16, 2011

0

#1

I am under 1400 and am studying Tactics day and night.

I don't have opportunity to play OTB chess, so I play against dedicated computers.

When I play against the computers, lets say about the 1500-1600 Level, does the computer make mistakes that make Tactics applicable?

The opportunity for tactics does not seem to come up in games against the computer.

Is this the norm for computers?

It seems to never allow me to, for example, force a move that will lead to a fork....or force a move that will lead to a double attack.

I am attempting to do 100-200 tactic problems per day (chess tactics server and in books) and am following Ken Smith's advice about my first, middle, and last name being tactics...

thoughts?

thanks in advance.

Steve_Lopez

Dec 16, 2011

0

#2

There are various software programs which either allow you to choose from a suite of pre-selected "levels" with Elo approximations (Chessmaster, ChessKing) or will adapt themselves to your level so that you'll win 20-25% of the time (ChessBase-produced playing programs such as Fritz).

The Fritz "family" also has a special user mode in which the computer will deliberately steer toward tactical opportunities for you to play, rather than away from them (as is the norm), to give you the chance to find tactics against a chess engine.

And, by the way, IMHO it's better to do 5 or 10 tactical problems a day and make sure you fully understand them, than to do scores of them that you forget as soon as you're finished one and on to the next.

-- Steve Lopez

uscfsales.com

PeterHyatt

Dec 16, 2011

0

#3

Thanks for the advice, Steve.

I have heard it both ways: do tons of tactics and build imprint memory, but my success rate is only 60%. I would be much higher if I slowed down and lost points. It seems that people are on both sides of the fence with this, so I think I may now try the slower, correct method. I have 11K tactics done and don't feel that I have improved...

I appreciate you taking the time.

Peter

IpswichMatt

Dec 21, 2011

0

#4

Peter

What dedicated computers do you play against? Do you mean stand-alone units? I have an old Saitek Kasparov computer that I've played winning combinations against.

I've found ChessMaster to be exactly as you describe - when I win it's because it's thrown away a piece and then I've simplified to an ending. I can't remember ever winning by virtue of my own combo.

As Steve says, Fritz might be what you're looking for - especially on "Sparring" mode.

Also, Shredder is supposed to be the most realistic opponent for reduced playing strength, and you can download a trial version free.

AndTheLittleOneSaid

Dec 21, 2011

0

#5

Why not play against people online? You can be almost certain that you will have opportunities for combinations at the under 1400 level.

kwaloffer

Dec 21, 2011

0

#6

SeamusORiley wrote:

I have heard it both ways: do tons of tactics and build imprint memory, but my success rate is only 60%. I would be much higher if I slowed down and lost points. It seems that people are on both sides of the fence with this, so I think I may now try the slower, correct method. I have 11K tactics done and don't feel that I have improved...

They are two different things: doing lots of very easy tactics that you are expected to score 100% on with a few seconds thinking trains your pattern recognition, doing really hard tactics where you take like ten minutes until you're sure everything is correct trains your calculation. You can't really separate the two with chess.com's tactics trainer, but with chesstempo's paid accounts you can.

The last point is also important: it means that knowledge of tactics probably isn't your weakest point right now, and you should be concentrating on something else.