Visualization Improvement Techniques?
03-27-2014
, 11:04 PM
So I feel like I am stagnating and I feel like my inability to visualize the board is hindering my progress and probably crates an upper limit much below where I want to get. Reading Nakamura's AMA, and part of Tisdall's book, I get the impression that most strong players can "see" the board in their mind (someone correct me if I am wrong but I suspect everyone rated 2200+ or even 2000+can do this).
One of my many questions is whether or not this is trainable. It seems like this is a separate skill from tactics training, although of course they are also related since if you can "see" the board calculation would be a lot easier. Pattern recognition I understand, and I enjoy training tactics, but once again this is different as I don't think training tactics will allow me to be able to read a chess game and see the final position in my mind and be able to recreate it on the board. Will it? Should this even be a goal? It seems like an amazing ability to help calculate in game, especially when evaluating different lines.
Another question concerns study of master games. Do strong players do this without a board or always with a board/computer? I read recently that Nimzowitsch recommended using two boards! One for the main line and another to play the variations.
Finally, here is what I plan on doing going forward, and I am curious about feedback. I am going to continue to study tactics with chesstempo and books. I am also going to use the Nimzowitsch recommendation when playing through master games (for Logical Chess I have been doing it in my mind so far). As a separate study technique I am going to try playing through games in my mind to try and improve this ability. I will try to crystalize the position before moving forward. I am not sure if there is benefit to this or not. Also, Lucas chess has a trainer to help remember positions and I think I will explore that.
Well, that's the end of my ramblings. I look forward to hearing what people have to say. Also I wrote this on my phone so apologies for grammar and spelling as I didn't proof this and it was basically stream of consciousness.
One of my many questions is whether or not this is trainable. It seems like this is a separate skill from tactics training, although of course they are also related since if you can "see" the board calculation would be a lot easier. Pattern recognition I understand, and I enjoy training tactics, but once again this is different as I don't think training tactics will allow me to be able to read a chess game and see the final position in my mind and be able to recreate it on the board. Will it? Should this even be a goal? It seems like an amazing ability to help calculate in game, especially when evaluating different lines.
Another question concerns study of master games. Do strong players do this without a board or always with a board/computer? I read recently that Nimzowitsch recommended using two boards! One for the main line and another to play the variations.
Finally, here is what I plan on doing going forward, and I am curious about feedback. I am going to continue to study tactics with chesstempo and books. I am also going to use the Nimzowitsch recommendation when playing through master games (for Logical Chess I have been doing it in my mind so far). As a separate study technique I am going to try playing through games in my mind to try and improve this ability. I will try to crystalize the position before moving forward. I am not sure if there is benefit to this or not. Also, Lucas chess has a trainer to help remember positions and I think I will explore that.
Well, that's the end of my ramblings. I look forward to hearing what people have to say. Also I wrote this on my phone so apologies for grammar and spelling as I didn't proof this and it was basically stream of consciousness.
