Tactical Trainer
Sort:
Apr 20, 2008
0
#2
The tactical trainer way of doing things sucks. There are actually different moves of different degrees of merit. Gotta learn to crawl before you walk before you run, so why do these trainers automatically go for the olympic runner answer?
You can set the difficulty rating of the problems you encounter...if you go into tactical training, and then look under "settings" (in the upper-right hand corner of the screen in a box), you can set the difficulty level there. It's a nice feature, so you aren't getting 1600 level problems all the time.
Also the rating of the promblems seem to be only a little higher or lower than your own tactical rating. Therefore you are getting problems based on your level and improving as you improve or vice-versa.
Has anyone noticed that the problems seemed to have got harder?
I've lost about 200 points over the last week
It reminds me about what happened last month, when overnight the problems got so hard that I lost 600 points in a few days. Lots of people complained, and shortly after my rating went up again. I guess they've just waited a bit, and then slowly reintroduced the downgrading again?
Apr 21, 2008
0
#6
you should always be getting problems close to your strength.
we do add a few problems every day, but they are manually screened.
if you want explanations and teaching, then perhaps you should consider Chess Mentor. there are many tactics courses in Chess Mentor, with a whole new series starting in May!
all problems is tactics trainer SHOULD have one clear best line. (clear best line means that all moves are at least 2 "points" better than the next closest move, or the fastest path to checkmate). if you find that it is NOT, then use the REPORT PROBLEM flag.
Thank you very much Erik
The problems I get are close to my strength, it's just that when I see what rating is given to any particular problem, it seems that a 1400-rated problem today is as difficult as a 1600-rated problem was last week
Maybe I'm just having a bad week... ;o)
Tactics Trainer is awesome. If you're not "getting it," try not going to the next problem till you've figured out the solution with 'try again.' It's definitely improved my chess.
If all else fails try sacrificing your queen 
haha when I do tactics trainer I usually look for combos, gaving a sac here and there..sometimes my server crops up and I can't see the board, and when I log in again I'd failed 2 to 3 problems without knowing it...oh well. tactics trainer is there for you to learn from, ratings doesnt matter there. your ratings there doesn't always reflect your OTB/online play rating bcos in tactics trainer your intent is with "win material" or "mate" in mind, but if you had the same problem in real games, you'd probably not find the answer...
like my coach always says, its okay to sac here sac there to try to solve puzzles (usually the case to solving them!), but in real life you've got to think pretty hard as you cant afford a blunder due to miscalculation so most people dont take that way out.
so take each puzzle as something to help improve your tactics instead of just complaning its plain hard.(: yay!
I definitely agree that the tactics trainer is improving my chess, and also that the rating doesn't matter. Thanks for an awesome tool guys!
Having played in several tournaments in France some years ago and got a provisional rating, I know that (since I'm definitely not as sharp as I was then) my rating in the games is inflated here, so I don't care whether the rating on the trainer is 600 or 2600. Just interested to note that it looks like the rating has been tweaked in the past week so that puzzles that were rated 1600 last week seem to be rated at 1400 this week
But then as I said, I might just be having a bad week
I also let my 6 year old grandson use the tactics trainer, sure makes it easier to get the point across. In fact I never used it until he showed an interest in chess. Now I kick myself for not looking into it sooner..
I think The Tactics Trainer is a great tool for helping you improve your game, who really cares about what your rating is on it the whole idea is to learn and if you are worried about losing a couple of hundreds points because the problems seem too hard well then you are in it for the wrong reason.
Well, I figured out what my problem is, among many 
, is instead of really studying the move, I try to go for the kill right away. Now, I study the board, but still suck 
. I have close to winning a couple of times against oops on another chess site (gameknot), but no cigar. However, coming close is a lot better than what was taking place about two weeks ago. My playing (moves and such) is a whole lot better and I know soon, I will begin to win games.
TT is a excellent program and I use it here as well as on my Chessmaster (new edition).
my ratings:
tactic trainer 1300s
turn-base chess 1700s
that's 400 points of sucking under pressure
My rating ranges from 1300 to 2000 in TT. Either I'm very unpredictable or TT is. It certainly could use a lot of improving. Perhaps some disambiguation between mating problems ond material gain problems. Some on the other hand are just off the wall weird. Furthermore, I have to wonder about the rating system when I see a 1400 rated problem with a 3% pass rate.
heh.
i suck even worse than hondoham at TT
my rating at TT = 1190
my rating at OTB chess = 1920
my rating at postal chess = 2100
my rating at quickmatch msn.chess = 2100
go figure!
i love the tactics trainer. it has helped me alot.
22 seconds on the clock. Go! Examine the position, look for an obvious move, there's the Queen left hanging... Should I take it? 11 seconds left. Times running...I take it!
Incorrect move - good try!
You got 0 of 1 moves (0%) correct.
You got 0 of 1 moves (0%) correct.
Problem Rating: 1100 (+113)
...or something like that. If I take my time I get, "correct move Problem solved" with the same rating adjustment as above.
Love the TT and this site, but that's partially the reason I was at 980 this morning and clawed my way back to 1515 by this afternoon.
I am hoping to get some help by posting this.
I SUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
at the tactical trainer. I wish it would explain why the move is wrong or give a hint at what I am to be doing.