Tactics Trainer - Rating of problems

Hello!

Is it only me that thinks that the rating of the problems in the tactics trainer (TT) is working strange? I really have some bad days when I can´t solve anything and drop down to say 1200 TT rating, and when I am at 1200 I face "hard problems" like sac a pice to set up a fork or find some mate in 3 that need some kind of twist but if I solve some of them and get closer to 1300 the problems become much easier and can suddenly get hanging pices and forks in one... But do I get lesser time? Becuse I don´t care of time so I lose much points to being to slow.

How much harder are problems at say 1500 then 1300?

One more thing: Does any one have a hint on how to get better on tactics more then just sloving alot of problems? Maybe watch some movie on how to solve puzzels or soemthing?

Three suggestions:

First you're right.  As a diamond member you can just watch IM Danny Rensch's video series on tactical motifs.

Second the Chess Mentor has several dozen courses on tactics.  GM Patrick Wolff must have at least a dozen on various motifs (forks, pins, interference, xray and skewer, etc.).  You should do all those courses and be prepared to review them regularly if you're serious about getting better at tactics.

And finally the TT over at V3 has an unrated mode where you can practice just a certain type of problem or even just problems you've missed.  Very useful.  You can set the range as well.

Thanks!

I will take a look at the vidoes and make sure I do the chess mentor! Thanks alot!

I think the best way to get better at tactics is a two-step process.

1) Drill basic tactics repeatedly until you can spot them instantly (basic meaning not combinations, just one motif.  Like a fork, a skewer, a discovery, a checkmate.

2) Work on calculating combinations separately from that (this is what tactics trainer here or chesstempo's standard mode is good for).

The first step should help the second one improve.

I'm experiencing the same condition at about the same level. Some problems are very challenging requiring precise sequencing. Others are very simple. It makes it difficult to progress to a higher skill level that way. I don't think it is a good "trainer" when it causes frustration.

I have had success with some higher rated problems and found some of the most difficult ones at my 1300 levels!

Reset TT. Solve first 3 correct. Get rating up. Yes there are many 1200-1400 that are super hard. Those above are more easy.  But again some 1550-1650 are hard and 1700-1850 easy . even find some 1900+ that are 1 move only not hard to find, thats how i managed to hit 2 000. And comment are wtf how is this so high rated etc.