Cloud Builders

Here is a great way to study chess while building the Lichess Cloud. So let us continue to make the best place to study chess on earth even better.

I use Lichess's server analysis to analyze 1909 Bookmarked games.

It found no significant mistakes in any of those 1309 games. lichess.org/@/CrapCrusher/bookmark . I recommend studying Lichess's Cloud's moves against Lichess Database's most popular moves.

Do not trust anything in the Lichess Cloud under 31 ply.

You might want an example of a complete game to help with your long-range planning. After you work through Lichess Database, the evaluation might favor you by 2.5 or more. Then you can finish with 23 ply versus a quick click on the think line at a shallower ply until the game is complete. Such games usually go to mate after the evaluation exceeds 2.5. I do not bother with lines after leaving the database with evaluations less than 2.5.

31 ply or deeper Stockfish lines are better chess. Their lines have better King Safety. Their lines have better Pawn Structure. Their lines lead to better end games.

Use the deepest Stockfish lines you can find. What is showing in the Cloud window is not always the deepest line for that position in the Cloud. Check to see if that same positions occurred in previous deeper evaluations you may have passed through. For example, the third position in the think line of a 58 ply evaluation is 55 ply deep. However, that same position in a 48 ply Cloud line as the first position is only 48 ply deep. Also, check other popular moves to see if their evaluation is, most importantly, deeper or the same depth but a higher evaluation after that move.

Deep Stockfish responses to popular opening lines will help you learn modern chess. Do not worry about wins and losses as listed by the Lichess Database. Instead, the goal is to prepare against what your opponent is most likely to play. As a result, you can generate very sound opening lines.

You might have a fast computer to run Stockfish in your browser. It might be strong enough to reach 31 ply. Then you can watch and visualize the think lines. Visualizing Stockfish think lines helps you understand how Stockfish thinks. You can see how Stockfish revises its plans as its ply depth increases. Visualizing Stockfish think lines can increase your understanding of these generated opening lines. Understanding is why I have 1309 blunder-free and mistake-free games, not rote memory.

After Stockfish selects each next move, you must try to understand it. Think about competing and cooperating rules of thumb https://www.chess.com/blog/CaptainPike/rules-of-thumb: Use the center pawns to gain space in the opening. Invade only with support. Do not lock in bishops. Exchange relieves cramped positions. Control the center of the board. Counter a wing attack with a center attack.
After you control a square in enemy territory, occupy it with a knight. When ahead in material, force exchanges. Secure your King early. Try to keep your pawn structure intact. Try to keep pawns mobile or in duos. If a pawn becomes locked, try t use others to pry it free. Create passed pawns, especially protected passed pawns. Push passed pawns—attack backward pawns with heavy pieces. Try to provoke a hanging pawn into advance, then blockade. Avoid stacking your pawns, and try to force your opponent to stack his pawns. Try to exchange your stacked pawns. Attack pawn chains at their base. Look for pins, forks, and skewers. Avoid the "good knight, bad bishop" end game by checking pawn structure.

Finally, and my own favorite rule: choose the line that activates your least active piece.

You will be far more likely to remember moves and combinations in any given position if you try to understand them as you study.