How can I improve my calculation skills?
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UppityEelChesskid
Aug 31, 2020
0
#1
I have a condition called aphantasia, which is the lack of a mind’s eye. Because of this, I can’t visualize positions in my mind, making it hard to calculate lines and look ahead. I will often rely on 1 or 2 move ideas, intuition, and hunches, and because of this, I blunder a lot more than I would like. I do fine in Daily Chess because of the in-game analysis tool, but Live Chess and OTB are hard. How can I improve my calculation skills if I can’t visualize the positions?
Aug 31, 2020
0
#2
@john_chandler I do have zero mental visualization and I really don’t need a mind’s eye in my daily life, but the advice you have on playing positionally is useful :)
I'd agree, blindfold helps with calculation skills
Sep 1, 2020
0
#4
Blindfold would be really hard for me bc I can’t visualize the board :/ but it makes sense :-)
Sep 1, 2020
0
#5
UppityEelChesskid wrote:
Blindfold would be really hard for me bc I can’t visualize the board :/ but it makes sense :-)
It's more pattern recognition than anything. Some people play using their mind's eye, or patterns they accumulated. For me, I use both. I have good pattern recognition, but at the same time, I have a sharp mind's eye. Everyone is different. You should try blindfold, though. It's fun!