Chess visualization

We all know that visualization is very necessary in chess. The questions I had asked myself – How can one learn to calculate? How can one see three (or more) moves ahead? I am an active chess player, but i don't think my visualization ability increases over time. There are some cases that i am winning in the middlegame using some tactics i have learned but as the endgame passes by, I cant calculate the right moves as I cannot visualize the next moves. I dont think just playing chess over and over again can improve this. So my question is- how? or being good in vusualizing is just a talent inborn?

Well it is not easy. I think many people think they are decent in doing it, but once they check the result they have trouble seeying clear 2/3 moves ahead. In a recent interview on chessbase.com they asked Carlsen how many moves he could calculate ahead and he answered: Carlsen: That depends on the game situation. Sometimes 15 to 20. But the trick is to correctly assess the position at the end of the calculation. 

If you are interested you could look on google for the "stepping stone" technique.

And some tips to improve calculation is:

- Don't use the analyse board on chess.com. Try to calculate a variant, write it down and then when ready play it on a chessboard to see if you calculation was correct.

- Put any critical position on a chess board. Try to calculate ahead without making moves. Remove all pieces from the board and try to setup the position you just calculated.

- Look at a position at a game. Remove the game and try to setup the position you have in your mind.

Yes... visualisation is closely tied with the skill of calculation.

But calculation like all skills,can be developed.

I suggest

1.solving as many complicated puzzles and studies as you can (perhaps 10 per day if pressed for time) and

2. Get a collection of the games of a famous player who is well known for tactically wild games (Tal,Shirov,Kasparov,Alekhine,etc) and play through the games on the BOARD (not computer!).

Cover the moves with a piece of paper and analyze each position in detail and if possible WRITE down the variations you calculate.

After this,compare your notes to the actual moves played in the game and try to understand the difference (if any).

If you do this very often for 6 months, you will find after this time that the variations at the start of your notebook are messy, unstructured and short while the most recent ones are more clear,structured and deep...its a very effective system for improving visualisation/calculation.

Visualizing forcing moves comes first, given that they tend to occur in focused areas of the board and involve fewer pieces than non-forcing moves spread across the board. I guess that's another reason practicing tactics builds the foundation for board-vision/calculation skills.

Going further, playing over a ton of games using the diagrams in a chess book usually help.  I've been told by many a strong player to not use a "go over with" board unless I'm looking at the variations/ sidelines.

By not using a spare board, you are forced to anchor positions in your head. While this makes going over a game much slower, it helps  you get adjusted to moving pieces in your head a whole lot better.  If you want to start this, pick a book where the diagrams are no more than 4-8 ply apart.  Anything higher might be too ambitious to begin with.

Another fun thing I'm trying out is to practice fundamental endgames blindfolded, against a computer program that allows such a feature. Basic checkmates,  King and pawn games, king and two pawns ... keep going until you find your head hurting. Then you know you're making progress :)

My inability to calculate accurately is one of my biggest roadblocks ... I've learned that you have to find exercises + drills that push you well and beyond your boundaries. 

Also, newer versions Fritz have a calculation exercise/drill where you can take a rich position and enter in principal variations ... Uncle Fritz will then critique your analysis. Good stuff! 

Hope this helps!

One thing I realized is, more I am familiar with the situation, better I start visualizing. When I find myself at a point I have little clue of where the game is heading , it becomes rather difficult to visualize after that point. 

I think it is rare for people to calculate like computers no matter what position they are given. My understanding is that, if a person studies so many different positions, and has a vivid memory, he gets an edge in calculation. I believe this kind of memory plays a good part in chess talent. I can play a thousand games, and study other people's games as well, but if I cant recall most of them when I need it, I'll have a disadvantage against a person who knows exactly where that given position is going. 

This is a subject which is certainly relevant to me, and I suspect to many others as well. I think AronNimzowitsch's suggestion about not using the Analysis Board is excellent for those who play OTB, and BrendanNorman's suggestion about game collections and puzzles is very helpful.

I also find using chesscom's Chess Mentor and Tactics Trainer excellent, since they provide immediate feedback on actual moves. Silman's Reassess Your Chess Workbook has excellent exercises for testing your short-range choices.
 

A great way to improve your visualisation is to do tactics puzzles every day.

Brendan's advice (3rd post) is really excellent.

I'd also toss out one other small piece of advice: get a sense of how far your calculations tend to be accurate (how many ply deep). Then work on seeing one move further than that. Once you go one move further, try to make that position "clearer," in other words be more confident that you are accurately seeing and evaluating those positions. Once you are very accurate at that depth, start working to go one move deeper.

deeper --> more accurate --> deeper --> more accurate.

because a lot of people try to calculate 5 move (each = 10 ply) combinations when their vision is only accurate for 4 ply. that's usually an enterprise doomed to failure. build yourself up. if you normally swim 1/2 mile and then try to swim 2 miles the next day, it doesn't work out either.

Good topic. This is something I know I need to work on.

One recommendation I've seen on the internet is to try memorizing a game that's particularly memorable to you, maybe a quick win (or loss!), or a particularly entertaining master game that you saw. Go over that game over and over, until you can visualize the entire game in your head without a board, including being able to see the lines of attack and defense that made particular moves work. Has anyone tried anything like this? Do you think it's a useful exercise?

I actually tried  this ... interestingly enough, 1-2 weeks later,  Master games started fading away quick (vaguely remember certain key positions) but I seemed to have more luck with my own OTB games.    

Wondering how better players  maximize their "chunking" efficiency, i.e. patterns go in => and then => transition from  short-term to long-term memory.

One good answer I've heard is that they play really SLOW games, allowing them to burn patterns/board-positions into their head longer.

i've tried it. i think it's a fine thing to do, most likely useful. not something that i have focused on as a player or teacher.

What if you think your accuracy is shaky at 1 ply?

then that's where you start, trying to get accurate at visualizing the position with one piece moved. that's where everyone started at some point!

Great thread.  This is something I really need to work on...

There a book / series of books that deal with this topic called the Chess Visualization Course.  has anybody seen it?

Not sure if I agree with the OP that this [edit] can't be improved by playing.  When I first took an interest to chess I remember having to try very hard to visualize 2-3 ply ahead.  Many times after 2 or 3 ply I'd get confused and have to start over... after a few tries if I finally did it I was very happy!  Other times it was too hard and I'd just have to wing it heh.  8 years later I don't have this problem

Interesting advice fromper, to memorize a game like that, sounds like it would work well.  I've noticed gradual improvement in visualization after solving tactic puzzles (accuracy not speed) and playing over games on a board (don't use numbers printed on board to help).

Also when studying from a book, play the moves in your head from the diagram as far as you can before using a board, then go ahead and follow along on the board to see how correct your image was.  After awhile you won't need a board (if the variations aren't too long or complicated anyway).  Could probably be paired with fromper's idea, when playing over the master game many times, start to read two-three moves, then look at board, visualize them, and play all three in succession.

Also I think it's pretty rare that a player will visualize an actual board with pieces... most common is just being aware how the pieces are connected to each other, what they're protecting, and attacking, where the pawn structure allows them to go etc.  I'm sure most people realize you're not actually hallucinating pieces moving :)

Great comments everyone I will try your suggestions as soon as possible. Another question, is it true that visualizing your moves in computer is easier than otb chess? Which will make your ability to calculate in otb not as good than you play in computer? I always play chess in my pc and when I tried to play in a real board with 3d chessmen, I noticed it is harder to me to visualize, even to a someone I know not an active player, causing me to lose!

This is a good thread with helpful suggestions. I found the stepping stones idea mentioned in Jacob Aagaard's book on calculation pointed me in the right direction.

I have this book and use it with my daughter. I do not find it super useful as the progression is slow and the chapters the problems are not mixed so you know exactly what to expect.

I believe "stepping stones" methodology was first mentioned in Tisdall's excellent book Improve Your Chess Now. His idea was to play over positions from a diagram and visualize the position without sight of a board . At first you will not be able to see far ahead ("first stone") and as you work on it you will see further and further ahead. It is hard work and will pay off.

My biggest problem is looking at my opponent's alternatives as I visualize and many times I get locked into tunnel vision and miss his plans or have to re-evaluate the position multiple times as I go ahead.

I did look over Danny King's CBase DVD on Calculation (Power Play 10 I think) and it was quite helpful  as he explained how he looked at positions and I learned quite a bit from it.

I first began playing by going online and didn't use a 3d board for 3 years (no one local to play with).  When I found a club I had the same experience as you, the 3d board was very different at first, and I had trouble over looking things and making mistakes.  After a while though you get used to it and the two are no different.  The more you use a 3d board to play or look at games with, the faster this will happen for you.  Other than that I don't know any techniques to help :)