tactics

hi. i realize this question has probably been asked a million times or more, but me being where i'm at with the game of chess... i dont really think it matters too much if i'm labeled as one of the repeaters. anyways. do you think that practicing and spending time with the tactic trainer might be a disadvantage to a beginning chess player? or is it always advantageous to look for the "one strongest move"? i find that my "vision" is pretty much non-existent (because i am constantly handing over pieces lol) would it better to focus on what a position's potential is instead of the immediate? of course i may be completely off base with everything i'm saying, because i am such a low rated playern if i can even be called a player. more like a "giver of pieces" classification for this guy. lol.

Don’t think about it as ‘looking for the one strongest move”. In a way, you’re right - it is that.. but it’s more. Try to see each tactic all of the way through just by visualizing the 2,3, or four moves. This process will improve your game as you get better at it.

Tactics trainer is only useful  at improving your visualization and calculation if you try as hard as you can at finding the solution. So before you make a move at the trainer, make sure you already know the solution. 

 

Before using the trainer, in my opinion, it is better if the beginner learned first the fundamental themes of tactics. It means studying first what is a pin,fork ,discovery etc.

Tactics are great, but simply solving the problems is not the best way to learn from them.

You should learn the names of the various tactical motifs and combinations and after you solve a problem, ask yourself what tactics were involved, then look at the TAGs other solvers attached to the problem, then ask yourself why it took you so long to see the tactics, go back to the beginning of the problem, if the site allows, and try to see the pattern that would have let you see the answer sooner.

Two good pages of interactive tactical motifs, whose names and patterns you should slowly memorize, are here:

https://www.chess.com/article/view/chess-tactics--definitions-and-examples

https://chesstempo.com/tactical-motifs.html

thanks everyone, for your time and insight. it is very much appreciated. im glad that you could make sense of my rambling! it was all fantastic advice in my opinion. i have recently found myself looking at the board a little differently. looking for umm... "tactical advantages"? or "combinations"? instead of looking at all the pieces individually. as simple as that idea is, i'm beginning to think i sound like an idiot. i may or i may not but nevertheless i really do enjoy the game. i seriously want to become a better player of chess. gotta start somewhere right?! off to set up a plan for study. who knows, maybe one of these days i might begin to improve! doubt it but maybe... just maybe... LOL thank you all again. i tip my hat and exit stage left. 👍👍😎

it doesn't matter ..  position's potential or immediate ??? nothing matters here .. anything goes here .. the important thing is you play right .. when we say play right: it is position's potential or immediate .. we move a piece in the right square (position's potential) or move a piece in the right square (for a possible mate in 1 or 2 or 3 etc).... immediate..