Thought processes in making moves in chess
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I've been on this site since December 2015 but only really started playing much in the last month and a half. During that time I've gone from 850 to 1250 blitz. However I'm trying the Rapid times to practice finding the best moves and taking my time. I'm now 1350 on rapid and quite steadily rising, but I find I usually end with substantially more time than my opponent. I sometimes blunder because I make super quick moves and fall into some sort of tactic. I think this is a side effect of too much blitz. I was just wondering what sort of thought processes all you higher rates players use for making and double checking moves.
Mar 27, 2017
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#2
IM John Bartholomew has instructive chess videos on youtube and during the games he talks about how he thinks when he picks a move.
Mar 27, 2017
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#3
For strong players, there's an immense amount that is seen automatically, unconsciously. It's like driving someone else's car and you reach for something that isn't there. You don't even know you've done it until you bump your hand into the side of the car where your muscle memory was expecting the handle to be.
Anyway, there are usual things to look for that eventually become automatic. For instance, after the opponent moves, there are newly attacked squares and newly undefended squares.
Take a look at Ne5. What do you think is newly attacked and undefended?
Not only newly attacked squares like d7 and f7, but also the bishop attacks b7 and a8.
Not only are squares the knight defended now unguarded like g5, but also the move blocked the rook from e6 and e7.
The first thing you think after seeing a move, are (depending on the position)
Is that move a big mistake? Can I win material with tactics?
and
What is my opponent threatening?
Look at newly attacked squares for threats
Look at forcing moves and newly undefended squares for punishment opportunity.
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And then after you find a move you like, you do something similar. Imagine it as if it's been made and try to punish it. Try to find moves for your opponent that immediately win material. Don't assume they will capture, recapture, defend, retreat, counter attack, or totally ignore your move. You have to consider all of those types, find the one you're most afraid of them playing. If you still like your intended move, then you can play it.
Mar 27, 2017
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#4
Skinnyhorse wrote:
IM John Bartholomew has instructive chess videos on youtube and during the games he talks about how he thinks when he picks a move.
Titles players are way too full of sh!t when they talk about what they're thinking.
You could potentially change a single pawn, their unconscious and quick calculation of forcing moves would inform them of what's important in the position, and the dialogue they share would be totally different.
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In fact this would be a fun test. I might try to make such a position. Then show the two versions of it to two different groups of players, and listen how they say totally different things.
Not that it isn't helpful to newer players, but it's also a lot of crap at the same time.
Play all 64 squares.
