Hi everybody,
I've being quite concerned about something and I wanted to share it with you to hear your opinion. The thing is that I've been doing lots of problems lately, so I have reached now a rating between 2000 and 2200.
While doing some Hard problems, though, I've found myself quite disappointed by the fact that lots of the 2200+, 2300+ and 2400+ problems require not great level of calculation as one would expect, but weird, long, computer-based lines to reach, from a little combination, a very concrete position, but not a very similar and acceptable one.
You may have done well in the 'tactics' part, but then your answer is wrong because the correct one leads you to a position where the opponent's got a piece a little better placed than in your answer, according to some computer analysis. OK, I'm supposed to find the 'best' solution, but I think some of these problems are more in the field of strategy than in the tactics one, and I find it particularly annoying when I guess correctly the first 6 moves and then this kind of thing comes to scene and I fail.
In my opinion, there are thousands of great combinations and tactical issues (and also very difficult ones, if that's the question) that may be preferable for chess problems than those which I have mentioned. I know I'm not being very concrete, but I hope you guys understand my point of view.
What do you think?
Hello Caganius,
The puzzles from LiChess simulates a real game.
At real games sometimes we can just play a strategic move, other times, we can try a tactical move.
All puzzles coming from the real games played here.
In certain way, making that puzzles is like playing real games. IMHO is a fantastic feature!
Best Regards,
Alan.
Hi Alan, thanks for your reply.
Maybe I haven't comprehended yet the philosophy of the LiChess problems, as I've been in some other webpages which I guess have a more purely tactical approach.
Anyway, I still think (I might be mistaken) that's not the major factor. In my opinion, the solution of some of these problems inculde certain moves that exceed the main theme of the actual problem. I'll explain myself: when I was growing on rating, I found some problems where I used a pin, sacrificed a piece and found a fork to gain material, but then, when I thought the problem was over, I had to do one or two addicional moves that weren't related with the initial sequence, for example developing a bishop or defending a pawn, and maybe if I tried something else I lost, regardless of the first important moves.
In a different scale, that also happens to me now. Maybe I find the correct disposition of my pieces to gain access to the king and win a defender piece, but then instead of invading the 7th rang with a rook I stay defending in the 2th and this costs me the whole problem. I'm just giving symbolic examples.
That was my point, but I agree with you, puzzles and LiChess and general are a perfect tool for every chess player to improve. I was just hoping to give my opinion to try perfect it.
2200+ problems often have issues of different kinds — either they are too long (include several ideas); over-extended(say, on the last move you have to get your attacked piece away to some safe place and you got several such squares); have good moves, which are not marked as 'good ones', but fail the problem (for example, a move with evaluation +4 fails, because you have to play +6 move, or a mate in 2 fails if you have a mate in 1). I recently came across a problem, where I made a move, which failed, I checked it with an engine, it showed a mate in 8. The line in the problem only won material.
Unfortunately that's the downside of engine-base problems . On the other hand, I really prefer these problems over those taken from masters' games , because they provide your with tactics you will most likely encounter in your games.
If you're sure that the problem is bad, just downvote it and hopefully it will be automatically removed.
Thanks for replying, DVRazor. I think the situation you're exposing is very similar to mine and you explained it perfectly. I also agree this is not bad in terms of learning, as we could find ourselves in similar situations. Just it's annoying somehow, as we are human, we have different styles and sometimes the computer may not be in our favour.
By the way, I will follow your advice about voting, maybe it's going to change something in this particular situations. Just if I think it's useful.
I agree somewhat.
There are limitations to the computer based approach, and I think some of the coding is a bit too harsh (ie, forced mates in 2 being considered wrong and fail-worthy if there's a mate in 1 present).
At the same time, it's the best we've got and this is a website ran by and coded by volunteers.
At the same time, the tactics do seem to work, as in, they do seem to improve my game.
I agree, too. The ones with issues really throw me off, but overall, they are very helpful to improve my game.
solving tactics will get you stronger but to a certain point where no matter the number of puzzle you solve affect your strength, you have to STUDY chess (which only work if you truley love the game, and that's difficult to grasp ;watching tons of chess games and tournaments and playing thousands of bullet has nothing to do with this love ! ) your calculation and intuition will NEVER enhance by only solving puzzles, it will enhance if you STUDY games becasue chess is a game of MEMORY ; the more positions you see and understand the stronger you will be (somewhere I read an article that GMs when playing , their memory center in brain is activated far more than in patzers ),,yes IQ or talent has certainly major effect (which is enhanced if you practice early in childhood)
I did a research project which included some aspects you've mentioned about the brain of a chess player. It's very interesting. In my personal life I take part in some classic tournaments, and I do analize my games and read books. All I do in this great webpage is for extra fun, including solving puzzles and playing blitz/bullet (although I'm VERY bad at playing fast games in general). So izzat, I don't do this as the only thing to improve my game, just as I like it and it helps my playing (I'm with TheIceManV, they are very helpful overall), I do it. It's a good way to forget your obligations :)
