You had 21:06 and moved 24.Rxb6 in 3 seconds no wonder you missed it lol 
I can solve easy and medium tactics but fail to spot them in actual games
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Feb 8, 2019
0
#3
You move fast in your games. You move fast doing tactics.
This question has been asked so many times, and yet people cant connect moving fast/lack of patience with not improving.
For me, the best way to spot tactics is to make them happen and hope that my opponent will fall into the trap. For instance, I try to make my opponent place his queen in front of his king so I can pin it, stuff like that.
Tactics are not accidental.
You have to plan them, they just don't randomly appear like in puzzle rush.
To find tactics you have to grow them by:
- Development with a plan
- Gaining of space on a side of the board (center, kingside, or quennside)
- Having a majority of force in an area
- Playing moves that makes opponents retreat or move into isolation.
Follow those four steps and you'll spot alot more tactics.
You can also come and watch my tactics training on twitch Fridays Blackmanrook when i do puzzles and talk about beginner and intermediate games.
Easy. Actual games cause you stress. You probably need to adjust your attitude to losing and accept that some mistakes will occur but if you are more relaxed you should concentrate more effectively.
Ok
Sep 22, 2025
0
#8
Tactics flow from a superior position.
You can't just hand-wave tactics into existence. You need to first gain the advantage by maneuver, and only afterward look for tactics. This involves (1) gaining the advantage by maneuver, (2) RECOGNIZING when you have the advantage and when you don't, and (3) finding the tactic.
In the game that you posted above:
GM_Shiro wrote:
I am doing all these blunders, in a thirty minute game. When I do tactics and if I see any of them I will usually do fine but when in real game I just throw tactically.
I think you're playing with too short time control. That means that you aren't developing your tactical and positional understanding.
In that first game, Bc4 was correct. d4 is also correct. Nc3 is very poor. There's no need for it and you probably should be playing moves like c3, to get your Q onto b3. His opening was so bad it must be almost losing and I play d4 openings. g4 isn't bad in itself, since it doesn't lose or anything ... but it's correct that you should develop before playing such moves.
Sep 23, 2025
0
#10
"Tactics flow from a superior position". Just doing tactics is not going to make you a tactical genius. You need to have a strong understanding of strategy and positional chess. If you dont know how to increase the activity of your pieces, how to gain space, how to lessen your opponents piece activity. You will never excel at tactics.
Chess knowledge is not the same as chess ability.
Knowledge is maybe something which ability can use.
blueemu wrote:
Tactics flow from a superior position.
You can't just hand-wave tactics into existence. You need to first gain the advantage by maneuver, and only afterward look for tactics. This involves (1) gaining the advantage by maneuver, (2) RECOGNIZING when you have the advantage and when you don't, and (3) finding the tactic.
In the game that you posted above:
Though this thread has been resurrected from 6-1/2+ years ago, I have a question about your response. At what rating do you think what you said, starts to become the prominent deciding factor. Yes, even at low ratings what was stated could be true, however at low ratings even if one side has a vastly superior position, the game can go completely the opposite direction because of tactics. (capitalizing on blunders/bad moves) To me the lower the rating the more often tactics magically appear. Just curious on your thoughts. Thanks.
I am doing all these blunders, in a thirty minute game. When I do tactics and if I see any of them I will usually do fine but when in real game I just throw tactically.