How do you analyze a game?

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Avatar of i_forfeit

Other than going over the moves again, i really don't know how to analyze my games. Should I just feed the game to Fritz and see what it says?

Avatar of AweLalagato

You could do that. You would benefit most from analyzing games if you go through the moves and ask for help (see what both sides could have done better) with a better player or an analyzing computer (I think Fritz would work). It's supposed to teach you about different moves that you can make and why they are better. You could analyze it yourself, but you may or may not get anything from it. Hey, it's better than nothing. Hope this answers your question. :)

Avatar of Skwerly

i usually analyze with my engine, and because i'm not very good it can show me, pretty accurately and blatantly, where i went wrong or right in a game.  but also, playing the game over just by yourself (no engine) and considering other moves and lines is beneficial. 

Avatar of erikido23

analysis of your own games is a great way to get better. But, just plugging it into a comp and looking at the moves it tells u to play will tell u nothing(especially at your level assuming your rating on this site are accurate. Your question also indicates this).

Play over the game on your own and first try and just see if u missed any tactical shots. After some serious blunder checking u may go to the computer and plug it in to check for blunders. This is probably what the comp is best for. There will be a large change in the evaluation of the position. If you see a large change in the evaluation then look again and see if you can figure it out on your own. After you have spent sufficient time(sure u won't figure it out etc) then go back and see what the comp tells you.

After you have done that then go back to the game again and ask yourself what you thought the critical points in the game were. These are the points where there are several different moves u could make which u feel could change the evaluation and or direction of the game.

Recognizing threats is the first key. Before you can counter and or create threats you have to see/feel them. Maybe your opponent killed you with a crushing attack in a game. Did you not see the attack coming? Did you see the attack coming but just had no defense? If you didn't see it coming and had no defense once it came then maybe there was a move a few moves back which created a large weakness. Go back a little bit. Generally changes in pawn structure will be critical moments and can either maintain balance or a lot of times will suddenly give one side a large advantage. I could keep going but this might turn into a book.

 

Look at the quality of the pieces and pawn structure(MASSIVE relationshiop-most of the time if you have a poor pawn structure you have bad pieces. Not always true but most of the time. SOmetimes poor pawn structures will create good open lines for pieces though). Was there a time when a piece suddenly became very inneffective or powerful. What caused this? Was there anything you could have done about it or did you even create a weak piece.

 

After going through the game and just these couple aspects post your analysis in the game analysis section. There are a lot of better players that will be able to correct and or give u different ideas in your analysis. Hope this is of some help. If you have any specific questions you can pm me or just respond here as well.