Suggestions on improving game "vision"?

Hi, I've been noticing in my games that I've been having trouble "envisioning" a plan of attack. I've been mainly playing on the fly and making moves based on my opponents moves and I suspect that may be part of my problem. I'm not forcing my opponent to react to my moves. It almost seems as if my opponent has everything planned out and that every move I make is part of his plan.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break out of this? I am feeling that breaking through this problem may be the next step for me to improve my game.

Thanks.

Hi rabidcatfan,

You write, "...Hi, I've been noticing in my games that I've been having trouble "envisioning" a plan of attack..."

The secret is that pawn structure dictates the plan of attack.  In the opening within 5 to 10 moves a pawn structure results.  Familiarity with that pawn structure and the several plans of attack available to both sides is what will win more and more games for you.  You have to play many games involving the particular pawn structure.

My suggestion is that you read, Pawn Power In Chess,  by Hans Kmoch

Here's something I do:take any game from your database at move 40, memorize the position, go set it up*by memory* in the other room..do this (with different positions) until you stop making mistakes.  Once you get good at this (shouldn't take long) do it at move 20, or 30 (more pieces on the board). 

Rabidcatfan -

Re: the visualization -

Allow yourself to ask general questions about your position - don't just worry about/focus in on/become caught up in the idea that you have just one move to make and what will your next one be?

I'm going to make a thread soon wherein we'll try to come up with the ultimate checklist but here are just a few questions someone carries with them and mulls over as the game progresses.

The biggest thing I think is that if no move is immediately suggesting itself, screaming or forced (ie a capture or threat you have to address and therefore your move is obvious) then the key question is How can I improve my position?

So look at all of your pieces. Are any of them not helping you out at all (sitting the game out?) - if so, is there a way to bring them into the action? Are any of your pieces blocking other of your pieces from enjoying their optimal flexibility? like a knight blocking one of your bishops from beaming down a good diagonal.

Has your opponent created any weak squares that might serve as a good outpost for one of your pieces (ie a square that if you had a piece there no pawn could easily kick it off)?

Anyways - sometimes it's important to fight the instinct to be doing something, which can lead you to doing something prematurely (ie cracking open a position in which your king isn't castled or when your opponent has a lead in development) - and just say okay, what one adjustment do I make to the way this board looks to me right now that will optimize my future options?

Oh and one last little thing too, I've learned from Silmann that it's sometimes good to visualize a 2-step knight "swing" (swinging a knight to a better square in a little two hop turn investment). Put your pieces on squares that make them happy - a happy piece is one that can't easily be kicked away and enjoys a nice freedom/versitility of movement and controls as many squares as it can.

/also a cat fan.

Since Rael, mentioned Silman already (as well as some very good points ), and I'm sure others will also, I thought I'd include a piece from an old (Aug, 1998) Chess Life article.  The articles called Understanding Chess by none other than Jeremy Silman, but, in it he discusses a book by C.J.S. Purdy called The Search for Chess Perfection:  The Life, Games, and Writings of C.J.S Purday.  Here you go:

The following is Purdy's recommended thinking technique.  It's been cut and, in many ways, reshaped by me to save space or clarify a  point, so if you wish to see the original, buy the book!

   A.  My turn to move
   1)  What are all the moves I have to consider?
   1a)  Purdy points out that this question may be unanswerable at this stage, but will become clear after question five.
   1b)  So why ask this question so quickly?  Because, in some cases, there may be only one or two obvious possibilities and you can then save time by ignoring the rest of the system.
   2)  How has his last move changed the position?  What are his threats?  What are his objectives?
   2a)  Always keep the position "up to date" by demanding to know how, and to what extent, your opponent's move has changed things.
   2b)  It is vital to be aware of any threats!
   2c)  When you see a threat, your first reaction should not be to search for a defense to it but rather for a way of ignoring it.
   3)  Complete your reconnaissance if not already done.
   3a)  Material (notice such things as two bishops, bishops of the opposite colors, pawn majorities ect).
   3b)  King positions (is one of the kings exposed?  Does it have a lack of flight squares?).
   3c)  Weaknesses and strengths (weak pawns, weak squares, confined pieces, lack of space).
   3d)  Development (Purdy considers the value of a tempo to be a quarter to a third of a center pawn, and up to half a flank pawn).
   3e)  Where could either side break through (After 1. e4  e6  2. d4  d5  3. e5, Whites breakthrough point is f5, while Black's are on c5 and f6)?
   4)  Have I a good combination?  To help in this, look for possible combination motifs:
   4a)  Geometrical.
   4b)  Nets.
   4c)  Jump moves.
   4d)  Zugzwang (applies only to an endgame).
   4e)  Stalemate (applies only to an endgame).
   5)  If not satisfied that the answer to number 4 is yes, what is my best plan (for this, use the reconnaissance)?
   5a)  What are all my weaknesses and strengths?
   5b)  How can I best exploit his weaknesses, and establish my strengths, eliminate my weaknesses and reduce his strengths?
   6)  Now, return to number 1!

   B.  I am considering a certain move.
   1)  Visualize the move as though made.
   2)  Does it leave me vulnerable to any combination?

   C.  It is his turn to move.
   1)  Make reconnaissance, as described in A, to be completed when he has made his move.
   2)  Visualize the position after this or that likely move, and proceed to as in A.

Silman goes on to say:  As I just mentioned, my own thinking technique (given in great detail in my book, How to Reassess Your Chess) is similar to Purdy's in many ways, though I like to think of mine as being more concise and to the point (though Purdy, to his credit, presents his system in a more basic manner, and in much more detail).

rabidcatfan, the play described suggests your opponents are better players than you are. To develop, it is good to play opponents who are a little better than you, but not much stronger. That helps keep you in the game and gives you practice and allows for learning. A major factor in superior play is prior knowledge. You need (we all do) knowledge and experience. To make your opponents react to your moves, prefer moves that threaten something. Make sure the threat is not based on hoping the opponent does not see the threat. For board vision, think of the board as being affected by every move. Think of a flexible plastic board, not on a firm table, but held only at the edges. Each move on the board would change the shape of the board. If you can feel change each time a move is made, you would keep your balance just as a graceful dancer does.