Learning to annotate

Usually during annotations and analyses, the players aren't referred to. Rather, their armies are the objects in question, i.e. "Black is better in this position because..." or "White blundered with Kxf3 as seen by..."

New Rule, thanks Ytse_Ham!

Rules:

1. Be Polite.

2. If you want people to look at your games, then use a proper chess set.

3. Include the principles/plans of the opening you played.

4. Comment on mistakes with stronger variations (sub-variations are written in blue, and variations on the blue sub-variations are written in red, these are other possible moves you could have played in the game at that time).

5. Write your intended moves into the annotations, don't just give vague ideas.

6. People know simple tactics, if one is there, you don't need to include a variation to talk about it.

7. Consider what the other side could have done differently to make it a better fight and include the variation.

8. If the opponent blunders into mate, find the best continuation and include it at the end.

9. Check the opening moves with a database and see where improvements can be made.

10. If a move is made and isn't listed in the database, check it with an engine to determine whether the move or the response was good.

11. Use an engine to help answer some of your direct questions that can't be answered any other way, but don't over-rely on it for your analysis because you won't learn that way.

12. Summarize the game's ideas. This helps you save the game into different lesson folders for review after.

13. If you did something right for the wrong reason, find out what the right reason is, and don't think like that anymore.

14. Keep fair about the game, just act like there two guys playing and you don't know them. This way you find the best play for both sides.

15. Variations and sub-variations are used to show if different moves work or don't work, so don't include blunders in them.

16. Don't spell everything out. Be concise. If there's an easy-to-see simple tactic, you don't need to talk about it. You don't need to blather about every move.

17. Even if your opponent lost, they still have lessons for you so look for them.

18. Refer to the armies not the players. Don't say, he did this, refer to it as black or white did that. (also see rules 7 and 14).

You need to make them better. There hard to understand that way.

Rule 18 is Very important (unless you are writing a light and fun account of a game), as is Rule 2. 

@slatherdfoe, thanks alot. it looks like you're just getting started on annotating games yourself.

@davidmelbourne, i agree, rule 18 is very important, although it may not look like it on the surface.

guys, i'm recruiting players from different ranges to help annotate a master game, let me know if you're interested! that goes for anyone who's reading this...in the meantime, i'll rewrite the rules so they're more clear!

YES, I'm just starting out. Yes, annotating is good training. YES, it WOULD be interesting to see this on the same game. But I'm kind of BUSY. If you get more people to join then I'll definitely reconsider.

BTW - Those rules still look sloppy to me.

@slatherdfoe, i did get feedback from like three other people interested, so you won't be the only one. in the meantime, while you're deciding to join, let me know how you like the new rules! 

if there are titled or expert players reading this, would you mind sending a game recommendation? preferably one that not a lot of people know about, to avoid internet hints, but is really interesting to you anyway.

New Rules:

 TEN RULES FOR PRESENTING YOUR ANNOTATED GAME:

1. Make an overview of the game's ideas at the beginning of your annotation, before any moves are made.

2. Don't blather. People understand natural moves and basic tactics so no comments on those moves.

3. Include the Opening plans, with database improvements, and a game or two that followed a similar path.

4. If one of your opening moves is not in a database, check it with an engine to see if it was any good.

5. Don't over use engines, but let them help answer your basic questions.

6. Include better moves where mistakes were made in the game, but don't include blunders as part of your variations.

7. If the opponent blunders into mate, then include the best fighting continuation.

8. Lessons often come from the losing side, so be fair to the players. Refer to the game as Black against White rather than your opponent against yourself to help your analysis stay free of bias.

9. Be specific about communicating the goal for each commented move, don't just give vague ideas.

10. After sharing your game with others, correct any wrong ideas you had, even if the move was good.

Remember: Be Polite and use a use a proper chess set if you want better players to critique your analysis.

Okay. I'll do it. But why don't you make another thread for it? This one's stale. It got buried on page 3. I have a correspondence rating of 1200 and my regular's about 1000, in case you need that info!

ok! i'll find a game for all of us to annotate but i don't think another thread is necessary since we're just a few players and the purpose is to have a place to put the games. (by the way, your 1200 rating is because you actually haven't played a correspondence game yet!)

@all. there's now an annotators group that focuses on learning how to analyze your games, helping you understand how to learn from the games of others as well.

the group name is called Annotation Station, and the forums are currently open for anyone wishing to check it out!

it's been said by chessbase's steve lopez that there are 11 ways to improve your game, about half of these are covered if you join Annotation Station!

1. Practice tactics
2. Study endgames - Annotation Station
3. Study positional chess - Annotation Station
4. Don't devote a lot of time to opening study
5. Play as much chess as you can
6. Use varied instructional materials
7. Write down the moves to the games you play
8. Go over your games, especially your losses -Annotation Station
9. Get help from stronger players - Annotation Station
10. Play over the chess games of others - Annotation Station
11. Don't kick yourself when you lose.