How to Solve Tactics?

When solving a tactics puzzle, is there a correct way to think? I go by the old fashioned candidate move process, in which I just look at variations that could arise should I play a certain move. Is there a better way to go about thinking while solving puzzles or even during a game?

what's so funny?

But how do you normally come up with the answer? does it just become apparent to you because of pattern recognition?

I think it is pattern recognition followed by calculation. You see something that gives you a glimmer of an idea, a pin here, an open file with a rook on it and the pawn only protected by the king, etc. Then you start calculating likely variations. At least thats how a patzer does it. I don't know how good players go about it.

Pattern recognition is very helpful, but is not the whole story, especially in the context of TACTICS TRAINER (TT), a pattern of itslf only applies to the bits that make up the pattern. You have to also get the big picture, of which an apparent pattern may be only part of. So, the kind people who put up the tidbits that make up TT put in little traps which have a pattern as part of it, and when you miss it, you get marked down.

So, the old fashioned way you mentioned works just dandy, only you will ened up being too slow, and lose rating points, even though you find the correct solution.

You use TT at your own risk, buddy, and i hope you find it as frustrating as I do. You are probably like me, and have a good analystical brain, but to be a good Chess player requires more than just intelligence.

It helps to have done thousands of these stupid puzzles, and somehow, maybe, your intuition will get honed by some secret, even to those who manage to have their intuition honed, process.

Good luck!

I like TT though, simply because it allows me to practice tactics without pulling out a book and tediously setting up positions on a board. I do agree that the rating system is annoying though :)

If a position is new and complicated I'll start with some basics.  First I count the material, then I look for undefended (or not well defended) pieces and I look to see how safe the enemy king is.  Then I look at each of my non-pawns, and  trace their full movement with my eyes even if it's through pawns and other pieces.  This is useful to remind myself that a rook it indirectly pressuring g8 for example (even if I still need to clear the g file).

Then, and this is important IMO, find a move that makes a threat.  Capturing a pawn (and sometimes a piece) is not a threat!  Captures can be ignored.  What you want is a threat.  Think Bxh6 or Rxe6 or whatever common sacrifice looks good?  If it doesn't contain a threat, don't waste time calculating it.  Or in other words one of my first tests for a move is to try to falsify it by seeing if the opponent can simply ignore it.  Solutions to tactical puzzles don't contain moves that can be ignored!  (Also, knowing exactly what your threat is helps you find the opponent's replies, and so it's easier to calculate.)

Anyway, then it's up to your calculation ability and/or whether or not you're familiar with the pattern.

Heh, yeah, puzzles where the other side is threatening an unstoppable mate in 1 give you a huge clue i.e. every move in the solution is a check.

George tends to post just because he likes to post. He doesnt often contribute!

While the candidate moves are fine for long games, the pattern recognition really helps in blitz and TT. Pattern recogniton will help in long games too though!

You actually believe that?

Ahh! What are you contributing to then?

While counting material has its own purposes in a real game (knowing when to trade down to an endgame, for example), I dont think you should use it as a guide for the tactics trainer. You are looking for the best tactic available, the amount of material you have on hand is irrelevant for that purpose. Being down a knight is not going to magically let you know that your best tactic is to gain a rook, or to force checkmate. Only the position on the board will tell you that.

George has contributed over 14000 times, and counting. What really intrigues me is the number of peeps he gets. Over 144000!

Fortunately the ! does not stand for facorial, or the cc site would have been electronically sizzled by now, and nobody else would have been able to get on because the servers woulf have meleted down, and possibly the casualty in the end would be the very internet itself.  

Well, sometimes I've missed stuff because I don't count the material.  e.g. you see you can win an exchange or a few pawns, but you're down a piece so you should have known immediately that wasn't the solution.

I mean, in some books getting back to an equal drawn position is sometimes the solution, but in online puzzles (unless they say otherwise) you should be winning in the final position.

Well thats a good point, knowing the material can also be important for knowing when the tactic could involve a perpetual check.

But I would not get into the habit of using it for anything else. It certainly wont guide you in a real game to know that the best tactic available must net you a piece. Caissa is not so kind!

Very methodic answer. My thumbs up to Waffle.

¡Por favor, sea relevante, útil y agradable!

good game my no good so so gg