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Improving Your Calculating Ability: Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Yury Markushin
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 21:10

Recently we have released two articles which talk about chess improvement process is great detail.
One reader made a valid point that even though calculation of variations is difficult thing to train, there
arent many books that actually explain how to train it, or how to find the correct moves. Thats why I
decided to do some research and compile a small guide explaining this subject a bit more.

What is special about calculating moves at chess?

In the opening stage of the game we dont need to do much thinking. A well prepared player can easily make 10-15 moves straight
out of their memory without the necessity to think. The main principle of any opening is to develop pieces as fast as possible, put
the King to safety and to launch an attack. After an opening stage is completed and players start playing outside the book, one
cannot simply bypass thinking and make moves on the autopilot. SUPERCHARGE YOUR CHESS
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In the middle game things are not as straightforward as in the opening. A proper plan needs to be developed and a correct move Become a Dramatically Better Chess Player
order needs to be determined. But that just a first step, the main question remains:

How do you actually find the strongest moves?

The most common approach for finding the strongest continuation is figuring out the best candidate-moves. Ideally, that should be
done right after the opening, or when you step into the unknown territory (away from theory).

The trick here is not only to find all possible candidate-moves to calculate, according to Kotovs methodology, but also to apply
common sense (aka intuition) and learn from Magnus Calrsen who suggests that you need to only select 1-2 strongest
continuations to deeply calculate and accurately evaluate the final positions.

Obviously, not many players can immediately differentiate the moves that need to be calculated from the rest of the moves.
Therefore, by quickly checking the lines 1-2 moves deep you can eliminate the poor variations and save yourself some valuable
time for calculating only the important stuff.

Another very important thing to keep in mind: calculating ability of a player is often proportional to his or her ability to solve tactics.
Hence, if a player is good at solving tactics he can calculate the moves better. By solving tactics you can improve your calculating
ability as well.
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The trick here is to do everything not spontaneously, but systematically, which is a fundamental approach we take in our training
program.

FIDE Senior Trainer Alexey Kuzmin suggests that the most efficient way to train players calculating ability is to apply the following
algorithm to a practice middle-game position:

1. Find all candidate-moves

2. Calculate appropriate variations

3. Evaluate the final positions

4. Select the strongest move based on that analysis

Here are some practical tips for finding the strongest moves:
1. You shouldnt be focused on finding the move. It is better to think of it as finding a short line (2-3 moves) that does the job.
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2. Do not calculate one line deeply until you quickly check all other candidate-lines. Maybe it is not necessary to spend 30 minutes
evaluating that drawish endgame position that arises after exchange, when a much better possibility is available for you. Always
go for the simpler line that you can clearly evaluate, unless youre losing and need to complicate things!

3. It is a good idea to put yourself in opponents shoes. You can do just that by asking yourself questions such as What my
opponent wants to do? and What would he play if it was his move? The answers on these questions will help you to identify the
main threats and weaknesses which can be later exploited.
 4. The goal of evaluating a position is not to calculate all possible lines and variation leading to a precise report. Your main job is to
find the strongest (or one of the strongest) moves that can be played. Save time and calculate only the minimum number of
variations.
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5. In most cases (unless youre playing in the upcoming World Championship Match) you dont need to calculate the 15 move 35K likes
variation precisely. It is usually enough just to estimate if the continuation makes sense and doesnt lead to an inferior position.

6. Always evaluate only the strongest (most uncomfortable) responses of your opponent to save time and energy.
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7. Always start with calculating the forced continuations first. These are the ones which involve captures, checks and serious
threats. Making active moves is your main priority.
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Note: some players forget the main point of calculating the moves. The idea is to find a strong move to play, not to evaluate all
possibilities and run out of time 10 moves later.

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#13 Stankovic Zarko 2015-12-08 12:48 0
Bartsoft,great site.I think I gonna practice it along with my children.Gteat,great thing! yearbook match players mistakes total
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online

#12 Bob 2015-10-21 13:13 0
I am finding the training to be very beneficial.
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We have178 guestsonline

#11 Kevin 2015-03-02 20:26 +2
Can you make an article on how to make a plan in chess?
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#10 Yury 2014-10-23 13:35 +1
Hello tyke, if you like our articles, I'm sure you will love our 21 day training program www.thechessworld.com/.../ it is
a pdf ebook and a member's only area with training materials!

Quoting tyke:

Can you have all your articles in PDF format and have it archive or zipped so that it can be
downloaded? TheChessWorld is one of the most inspiring and motivating chess site ever!!! More
CHESSPOWER!!!!

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#9 Yury 2014-10-23 13:34 +1
Hello Mariozevich, not as I know of. We might develop something ourselves in future:)

Quoting mariozevich:
 Yury..thanks for the advice....concise and practical....besides web sites with tactics exercises , is
there a web site with calculation exercises????...please let us know if available...regards

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#8 mariozevich 2014-10-22 11:13 +1
Yury..thanks for the advice....concise and practical....besides web sites with tactics exercises , is there a web site with
calculation exercises????...please let us know if available...regards
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#7 tyke 2014-10-16 20:34 +7
Can you have all your articles in PDF format and have it archive or zipped so that it can be downloaded?
TheChessWorld is one of the most inspiring and motivating chess site ever!!! More CHESSPOWER!!!!
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#6 Yury 2014-10-14 08:57 +3
Hi Marcos, the program is primarily designed for students up to 2200 ELO. However, we cover some pretty advanced
(tricky) endgames and GM games (annotated) from which I'm pretty sure even a master-level player can benefit.

Quoting Marcos:

Hello,

I want to purchase the program but Im not sure because I dont know for what kind of player its
designed for.

My FIDE rating is 2243 Im a national master.

Regards,

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#5 Marcos 2014-10-13 23:44 +3
Hello,

I want to purchase the program but Im not sure because I dont know for what kind of player its designed for.

My FIDE rating is 2243 Im a national master.

Regards,
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#4 Yury 2014-10-08 12:43 +5
Hello Mario, yes there are different software that allows blindfold play (even ChessMaster does it). The problem with
that is many players do not have enough visualization skills to play the whole game in this setting. Starting out by
solving tactics without moving pieces is probably the way to go for most players.

Quoting MARIO:

REGARDING CALCULATION,THINK YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT THE VARIATIONS AND FINAL POSITION
TO A REFERENCE FRAME,SAY STEINITZ STRATEGIC (DYNAMIC/STATIC)THEMES.......REGARDING
VISUALIZATION "BLINDFOLD" BY BARTSOFT, IS A SOFTWARE DESIGNED TO IMPROVE
VISUALIZATION SKILLS....:)

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