Trouble Following Book Annotations
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Sep 19, 2017
0
#2
The first time working through a game, I skip the variations and follow only the main line on my board. On the second pass. I play the main line on the board and use t-chess on my phone to play out the variations. Something like that might work for you.
Sep 19, 2017
0
#3
Honestly, just keep trying. You'll get lost over and over and over. Then there will come a day when you'll start to get it.
It's just a skill you have to practice.
It's just a skill you have to practice.
Computer chess programs with databases are very helpful with this. Can have the game online and the analysis on the board. Or even both online as its usually easy to click back to the analysis start position in the program.
Also, on one board, if you don't want to try visualizing the analysis. Just memorize the starting position. As long as you remember the starting position, you can play through different continuations on the board.
Remembering a static position on the board is pretty easy once you get used to it. You can even practice by using whatever diagrams are there in the book.
Sep 22, 2017
0
#6
The advice I was given ( which helped me) to improve visualization is to master solving basic chess tactics with a computer until to you can't miss one. Then as you gradually learn to solve harder problems you will be forced to thing more moves ahead until you find the correct solution! Might sound silly but it actually works because basic tactics are the building first building blocks of calculation! Try free sites for advice like here at chess.com, chesstempo.com, or chessbounty.com. Hope that helps. 
Hi, I'm an intermediate level player, but I have a lot of trouble following most chess books. I follow the main line on my little magnetic board, but then the authors invariably go into annotations covering possible variations and sub-variations. I can't visualize well enough to follow along in my head, and if I follow the variations on my board, I get lost as to the original position and have to go back and start over from the first move. I don't have room on my desk for more than board, but it seems that running two boards or more may be necessary. I'm getting frustrated and am not sure what to do. Any help or ideas are much appreciated, thanks in advance! =)