"My question is, how do you review yours? Do you have any suggestion based on what does or doesn't work for you?"
For your level. Keep the analysis simple.
Write down what your thoughts, ideas, plans, etc .were. "What was my opponent trying to do?" Even something as simple on move 1: 1.e4 "I am trying to fight for control for the center/" helps others understand your thought process.
Analyzing your own games of course...
I've been playing 6-months and until now my analysis has consisted of clicking through moves on the analysis tool (so its not even my analysis). I know this isn't helping me improve so I'm intent on kicking the habit
My question is, how do you review yours? Do you have any suggestion based on what does or doesn't work for you?
I like the idea of a neatly annotated PGNs, dated and filed, with all the variations and improvements. A labor of love. But I'm also a family man with two kids and a wife who loves lists (which is why I mainly play Daily), so a 15-minute review with one take home improvement also appeals.
To kick this off, I found that David Pruess has some useful comments on one of his videos:
- Try out different candidate moves or variations. Find the moves that lead to a better position indicating your choice in the game was a mistake.
- Find one improvement per game.
- Pick out a few key moves during the game and explore other candidates. These may be moves that lost you the initiative or a turning point in the game; moves where you were unsure because there was a selection of equally strong or weak choices; moves where you couldn't find a plan so were randomly shuffling pieces.
- It is necessary to judge your opponents strongest response to each move. Analysis helps develop this skill. Don't play hope chess, assume that they can make reasonable deductions from the board. This is easier when the variations are sufficiently forcing.
- Explore variations 3 or 4 moves deep. Calculate and evaluate each variation in your head before playing it on the board.
- There will be positions where you can't tell if you are better or worse. This is fine.
- Your analysis will only be as good as your chess ability. This is fine. One of the reasons for analysis is to develop your analytical skills which you can then apply during your games. This is why the engine does not help you improve.
- You are far more likely to remember the one improvement or idea that you found yourself, than the better moves from the engine or a grand master.