Two Chess Training Modes You've Probably Never Tried: Retrograde Analysis and Move Ranking

Hey everyone,

I've been building a chess training tool called Cassandra Chess and wanted to share it here because two of the training modes are a bit unconventional and I'd love feedback from serious players.

The Echo — retrograde analysis as a training mode

Most puzzles ask: what's the best move from here?

The Echo asks: what move just happened?

You're shown a position and have to identify the move that created it. It's a lesser-known training format that builds positional reading — the ability to understand a board structurally, not just tactically. Serious players and composers have used retrograde analysis for generations but it's rarely packaged as something you do in your daily training routine.

The Scales — move ranking

Most puzzles are binary. The Scales gives you a position and asks you to find your top three best moves. Your selections are then compared against Stockfish's top three, with centipawn evaluations showing the value of your move to the engine's assessment. It's closer to real game thinking than standard tactics — you're building a candidate move list from scratch, not pattern matching to a forced sequence.

Both modes pull from real game positions. You can also connect your Chess.com or Lichess account and train on blunders extracted from your own games.

Would love to hear thoughts from anyone who tries it — especially on The Echo, since retrograde analysis is genuinely niche and I'm curious how regular players find it.

cassandrachess.com