Hello Everyone,
It's a new week! Hopefully a good one for us all. I've been thinking ahead of the tournament I intend to play in April. What's my best training plan? How exactly do I prepare for a tournament. For many chess players,solving Puzzles is seen as a way of improving. The idea is simple, the more puzzles you solve, the better your tactical vision. And if you have a very good tactical vision, in general, your chess improves.
But is puzzle solving the best way to improve your chess or is it overrated?
In this post, I'd try and explain my perspectives and share some known positions that puzzle solving helps and why sometimes I just think it's overrated.
Why does Solving Chess Puzzle makes sense!
Every time I consider solving puzzles before a game, it's because it represents a confidence test for me. If I can calmly knock down tough puzzles before a game, I can ultimately do so in the game. Same way if I struggle with the puzzles, I feel I'm not prepared enough for that game.
Solving chess puzzles builds confidence. I once had a student who felt he could beat me because in a longer time control because he got his puzzle rating to 2500 on lichess. I mean that's tough and requires patience to that. The ability to get instant boost is very important. Just a like a student who aces past questions just before an exam is more likely not to feel as tensed as one who didn't.
Another reason why it make sense to consider puzzle solving a way to improve is because of how defined the training can be. There isn't much of a training plan, just solve the puzzles. Good puzzles are usually not solve in the first move which makes a good point while it's a good training drill - The best puzzles forces you to think ahead, calculate better and understand some themes in chess. Pattern recognition is also something that makes puzzles solving worth it. I'd show some common patterns in this post.
While puzzles are useful, There are few things about them that annoy me and over the course of my career has led me astray.
First, I think puzzles are Unrealistic or most of them. Because puzzles are clean and sometimes obvious moves that either wins or gets a draw. In a real life game, those positions rarely occur. It's never that clear. maybe after a sharp move, the next best move is probably a silent one and then another sharp one. It's usually unclear and messy not something puzzles train you for.
Another one that annoys me personally is over reliance on tactics. Growing up, I spent alot of hours solving puzzles which I believe is what mislead me to having a puzzle hunting thought process in every game. Many players develop a bad habit of always looking for tactical shots, even when none exist.
Also, I think too much puzzle is why I have a bad postional and structural understanding. Puzzles focuses on short term tactics which usually isn't required in most games. A better plan is getting your positional chess better, if you get a tactical shot and miss, a good structure can still save you.
A famous Pattern & A Confusing puzzle
When you know certain tactics which you can understand alot from puzzles, you can win some games easily. Let's start with a popular one
The First Ever Smothered Mate' - Luis Ramírez de Lucena, 1497. White to move, Checkmate in five
This is one I'm sure alot of people know. Fun fact: I actually had similar position in a u-14 tournament and didn't checkmate. Later won the game 20 moves later when it could have been over way earlier.
1.Qe6+ Kh8 -- if king goes f8, then Qf7#
2.Nf7+ Kh7
3.Nh6+ Kh8 -- if king goes f8, then Qf7#
4.Qg8+ Rxg8
5.Nf7#
So this next position is what defines this post. It's a puzzle that has misled me so many times and I'd explain why. I find it really confusing and so many times I got it wrong. I'm pretty sure alot of players do too.
In this position, black just castles. It's white turn to play and win!
Bxh7+!
The famous sacrifice that wins after Kxh7, Ng5+ followed by Qh5 or g4 depending on the kings position.
Now a very interesting factor which I never knew until 5 years later was that for this sacrifice to be be possible white must have a hold on the f6 square. If not, the sacrifice doesnt work. Let's take a look.
In this position. Bxh7 looks logical but it's difficult to play after because then king can escape via the f6 square. I didn't properly draw the position well - but the engines still estimate the position after the sacrifice as equal. But in real life play, a bishop down might be difficult to play.
Conclusion
While it is so tempting to keep solving puzzles, sometimes it can only worsen your chess. A proper understanding of positional chess can do much more better. Just like my last example, A positional player would understand the need of securing the f6 square before any king hunt. However, a person who relies on tactics is most likely going to start with a sacrifice. Preparing for my tournament I'd study more grandmaster games and watch videos. Would I solve puzzles, yes! But I won't rely so much on how much puzzles I'm able to solve.
I hope I get better and improve my general chess play and not just my eye for tactics.
I am @samostically,I love to talk and write about chess because i benefited alot from playing chess and I love writing about chess.
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