Tactics Trainer Opinions

I want TT to make me a better OTB player. I solve most of the problems by noticing that the first move it's good enough. I never calculate long lines, as I think this is pointless.

As for allowing multiple winning lines, coding such a thing would take some time. Besides, there are very few problems which right now admit multiple solutions. So I don't quite see the point of introducing such a modification.

Here is a list of problems I simply love. I encountered these ones while solving and for some reason I decided to gather them:

http://blog.chess.com/costelus/tactical-studies

I think that the functionality being implicitly requested is already available via the Computer Workout module.  It has the flexibility built in since there's actually an engine responding to each of your moves and lines that are inferior but still effective will work.

 I personally find that there are both advantages and disadvantages to using the Tactics Trainer with the timer. On the one hand, you cannot, as mentioned, focus solely on the solution. On the other hand, OTB and "Live" games  are timed, so one must acquire experience in thinking under time pressure - just like when taking an exam in school or university. 

That is one of my primary motivations too. Becoming better at OTB play.

However, there have been tactics I have done on the trainer that don't have a first move that looks like it is the best move, at least not at the level of play I am currently at. Without the ability to calculate to a certain depth, I wouldn't even think of those moves. Or the first couple of moves are easy but the continuation isn't. Being in that situation OTB would require the ability to calculate correctly and TT, along will other study, will hopefully help me to recognize when there is a forcing line and how to find/calculate that it really is there.

I struggle with that now and will play too quickly without seeing the full continuation. That isn't necessarily wrong and just seeing the best move may be adequate in many instances. I think it is very important, at a certain level of play, to be able to calculate quickly and accurately and that TT will help with that.

I've done so, but usually I don't want to be bothered and so I just take my little "score" deflation in the gut and move on.  I'd say after having done, and I'm guessing here, 400 or 500 problems I've seen the multiple solution issue perhaps 6 times.

 I would really like to see an untimed tactics trainer as well. I will try hiding the big distracting bar, but basically, I would like the opportunity to understand the game and take my time doing it.  Maybe an untimed trainer could be kept out of any tactics training scores.  I will keep looking for an untimed trainer.

The Unrated Tactics mode is not timed and nothing stops you from hiding the timer and not completing the puzzle until you understand it. You will probably lose points that way but if you are mostly concerned with learning then that shouldn't really matter too much.

ChessTempo and TacticsTrainer are both important parts in tactics training. One focuses on lengthier problems with deep analysis and depth-analysis.

It helps you train your depth vision and broad vision.

TT helps you with pattern recognition. Helps you with time pressure too. It helps build intuition.

Tactics trainer is the best feature on this website.

 some of the tactics problems have time limits which are a bit ridiculous. although the concept is the same, taking a test in school where you have certain amount of time. but I know students would be screaming and yelling if their prof gave them a test with 20 fairly difficult problems and, like, only 3 or 5 minutes to complete the test, they would riot. which is basically what some, not all, of these tactics problems are like. some of the tactics problems seem have time limits that are much longer than I think should be needed.

Time limits for tactics change based on how quickly people actually solve them. Just like the ratings, the time can and will fluctuate.

I'm just learning chess, and I'm not really sure what I think about Tactics Trainer.  I've done about 300 problems and TT rates me at 1682.  However, I'm really about a 1450 player.  I know you can't take it too literally, but shouldn't it be a bit more accurate than that?  Perhaps this just means I have stronger aspects of my game than others, but thus far, I'm not convinced that TT has improved my game much if any at all.  I think I need to learn some basic strategy stuff first.  I can often find combos when they are there, but getting to a point where they exist, that's what I need.

The ratings for Tactics Trainer are not the same as Online Chess which are not the same as Chess Mentor. The rating pools are different. Just like you can't really compare OTB ratings with online ratings with any degree of accuracy. They actually measure different things and different groups/pools of players (for the most part).

At my best, I've been up to 2300 in TT and can flucuate wildly sometimes. I'm just over 2100 now and have been in a that area and down about 200 points lower at times.

Tactics:  2    

Think of it this way, if you desire blitz skills, use the tactics trainer here. If you desire correspondence skills only, stick to the books. If you want both, then do both...