What questions do you ask yourself when evaluating a position?
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trysts wrote:
I don't think I ask myself questions more than two or three times, during a game. When I do, I usually question if I can "hold the position"(I love that term, which I think comes from yoga).
hold the position
From the movie Gladiator, Maximus cries out to the motley band of muscle bearing slaves owned by Proximo as they reenact the battle of Carthage,
maybe it was hold the line
I keep it the most simple I can (try to): "What's the problem?"
Apr 10, 2012
0
#25
AnnaZafi wrote:
trysts wrote:
I don't think I ask myself questions more than two or three times, during a game. When I do, I usually question if I can "hold the position"(I love that term, which I think comes from yoga).
hold the position
From the movie Gladiator, Maximus cries out to the motley band of muscle bearing slaves owned by Proximo as they reenact the battle of Carthage,
maybe it was hold the line
I didn't watch Gladiator all the way through. What I did watch, I don't remember. Sorry
For godsakes turn off the iron!
FirebrandX wrote:
1. Is my king safe?
2. Did my opponent's move threaten or set up a threat on my position?
3. Do I have to deal with the threat or do I have time to ignore it?
4. Is there any way I can. . . win the game?
5. Are there any juicy pawn breaks I can take advantage of?
6. Can I improve my position either by space or activity (mini-goals)?
7. Can I reduce my opponent's hopes by trading material?
8. If losing, do I need to make 'last call' sacrifices for counterplay?
That's about all I think of when playing outside of the opening, and in that order as well.
More efficient if this was first on your list of course :p Othewise you waste effort looking at your opponent's threat before noticing a forced mate for example.
Who is better and why. What am I playing for (i.e. my trumps), what is he playing for.
What is the present value of [piece].
What is the future value of [piece].
Then I basically look at short sequences trying to gain a bit of tempo, mobility, or space.
waffllemaster wrote:
Who is better and why. What am I playing for (i.e. my trumps), what is he playing for.
What is the present value of ______ piece.
What is the future value of ______ piece.
Then I basically look at short sequences trying to gain a bit of tempo, mobility, or space.
Dang! Did you come up with the present value / future value formula as well? It kinda remind me of one of the classes I took in college. LOL 
Here is mine:
1. What is the situation on board and which side is better?
2. What can I do now? Is there a better move?
Yeah, the present / future value is my own thing -- I suspect most strong players just roll it into one evaluation.
I do it to catch myself from superficially labeling pieces as good or bad.
Is the class you're thinking of accounting? 
I spent maybe 3 hours today tutoring the A = Pe^rt and similar formulas. Probably why I used those terms in the first place lol.
1. What does my opponent's move threat? (Should i worry about it? how can i defend it? Do i have any active defense?)
2.What plans are good for me? What plans are good for him/her? How can any of us defend from them? Any active defense?
3. With all of what have been seen, and the position, who is better? (if better, how can i attack without making weaknesses? if worse, how can i create some weaknesses for him/her and hope for a blunder?
4. What does bother me from the position? Who has develop advantage? Do we have the same material? Which weaknesses does my opponent have? (king unprotected, hanging piece, double attack patterns, same diagonal, important piece with small room (queen firstly)). Do i have any of these?
I'm not sure what more i ask myself on a thought game. Obviously, i don't have enough time to review all of them through the game. It's virtually imposible. So, you have to learn when to ask you each one of these or any other possible. You gain that with experience and understanding
@wafflemaster:
It was a finance class actually, but accounting classes also have those. I remember doing them every single day and apparently the professor was successful at drilling them into my mind, so much so that when somebody mentions "present value, future value", it brings back so much memories. LOL.
But you have a good point. It make sense to think about the pieces in terms of their potential, rather than looking at them from their present condition.
Apr 10, 2012
0
#33
The most important question I always aks myself when considering the next move : Do I have time for one more game before I make myself late for work?
paulgottlieb wrote:
Every really strong player goes down the same checklist.
1. Did I leave the gas on?
2.Did I lock the door?
3.Did I remember to zip up my pants?
Only after dealing with these truely important question do we turn our thoughts to pawns, squares, etc.
Answers:
1. yes
2. yes.
3. never, ever did I have to answer or present myself with that question, maybe that because I am not a really strong player
Apr 10, 2012
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#35
After finding a good move, ask the question, " Is there a better one?".
Don't forget to mention what is the space left behind? Often when our opponents move they leave behind squares which we can use to nestle our own pieces on.
Apr 11, 2012
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#37
MrBlunderful wrote:
#1 - Did my opponent's last move threaten mate in 1?
If yes...
#2 - What is the most appropriate way to panic?
If no...
#2 - Will sacrificing my queen do any good here? -- The thinking is that by far the best way to come out of a game looking really, really cool is to somehow win as a result of having sacrificed your queen unexpectedly. All other factors take a back seat to this.
#3 - Can I even remotely justify sacrificing something else? Sure, it looks bad on the surface, but can I claim in the post-mortem that it was "speculative," or "positional," or "that I thought it would allow me some sort of abstract compensation in the form of karma?" -- If you ain't saccing, you ain't trying.
#4 - Did I turn the iron off?
#5 - (Assuming there is nothing to sacrifice) - What little pawn move can I make way over to one side or the other that won't totally lose it for me right away, that I can later claim was a "high class waiting move?" -- The thinking here is that every time I make a move that doesn't lose the game for me outright, there's a chance my opponent will make one that does so for him.
#6 - If none of the above moves are available, can I perform any of those arcane chess moves that are only known to semi-experts, like "castling," or "en passant," or "j'adoube?"
#7 - No, seriously, did I turn off the iron?
#8 - Once defeat appears inevitable, what sort of excuse can I make that will be at once so believable that my opponent will have no doubt as to its sincerity, yet so pathetic that he might let me win out of pity? ("Now that I see your Knight forking my King and Queen that way, I regret playing at all when I should really be at home with my dying dog. I wish I had never put Windex in his bowl...")
#9 - Where will the best happy hour be after the game is over, and did I bring any cash, or will I have to mooch?
Master these, and the tournament hall is yours, my son.
Thanks for the laugh - that was hilarious!
I look for mate in three.
Apr 12, 2012
0
#39
Okay, seriously. I view each move as a new puzzle that needs to be solved. After considering space, time, king safety - what did my opponent's last move accomplish - is it time for me to improve my position or am I at the point where position consideration ceases and tactics begin.
The only question I ever ask myself:
"What would Jesus do?"